Oct 05, 2026 City Council

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OKAY. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER 5TH, 2026 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

[I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER]

COUNCIL MEMBER FRIEDLI PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER.

ATKINS. COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER. COUNCIL MEMBER.

COMMENTS. PRESENT. COUNCILMEMBER MITCHELL. PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER. CALDWELL. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER.

MIKE ROGERS. MAYOR CHAPMAN, WE HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. TONIGHT'S INVOCATION WILL BE BY PASTOR BOBBY JONES FROM IMPACT CHURCH, AND WE WILL HAVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG AFTER US.

THANK YOU. PASTOR BOBBY WAS UNAVAILABLE. MY NAME IS PASTOR TYLER ROUSE FROM IMPACT CHURCH AND I WILL OFFER THE INVOCATION THIS EVENING.

HEAVENLY FATHER, WE GATHER FROM MANY DIFFERENT PATHS AND TRADITIONS TO LET THIS MOMENT OF GRATITUDE AND UNIQUE LIGHT SHINE THROUGH EACH OF US IN THE ROOM.

LORD, WE ASK YOU THAT YOUR DIVINE SPIRIT, THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AND YOUR POWER IGNITE THE HEARTS AND ENTHUSIASM WITH JOY IN THIS ROOM. LET US BE CREATIVE, ENERGETIC AND LET IT FLOW THROUGH US.

LET US ALL ENTER INTO THIS SPACE WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING THIS COMMUNITY BETTER.

THIS IS OUR PRAYER THAT WE ASK THAT YOU BE WITH EVERY WORD, EVERY SYLLABLE, EVERY SENTENCE.

IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN, AMEN.

NO. ALL RIGHT. IN TONIGHT'S SERGEANT OF ARMS IS CAPTAIN ROBINSON.

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

[VI. ADOPTION OF THE COUNCIL AGENDA]

OKAY. MAYBE MOVE IT TO THE ONES THAT LOOK HIM OVER TO. IF WE COULD MAYBE MOVE THAT ONE TO THE WORK SESSION NEXT WEEK.

OKAY. ARE WE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE AT ALL TODAY OR.

NO. WELL, I WAS MOVING IT BECAUSE WE DID GET THE UPDATED BUDGET BOOK AND I JUST HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO REVIEW IT.

SO I WANTED A LITTLE TIME TO REVIEW IT BEFORE HAVING A FULL ON DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. COOL. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'D LIKE TO CHANGE AT THIS TIME? OKAY. HEARING NONE. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? SO MOVED. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.

[VII. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.

OKAY. WE DON'T HAVE ANY ITEMS FOR PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT, AND SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[IX. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

THE CLERK SHALL MAKE THE PUBLIC COMMENT FORM AVAILABLE IN CITY HALL LOBBY IN THE CITY HALL LOBBY PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING.

ALL SPEAKERS MUST COMPLETE A COMMENT FORM AND PROVIDE A I'M SORRY, COMPLETE A A COMMENT FORM AND PROVIDE A COMPLETED FORM FROM THE CLERK BETWEEN 6 P.M.

AND 6:25 P.M. PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING.

SUBJECT MAY INCLUDE ANY SUBJECT OF CHOICE. THERE WILL BE THREE.

A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR EACH SPEAKER SHOULD THE SPEAKER DESIRE TO GIVE HIS OR HER TIME TO ANOTHER SPEAKER, HE OR SHE MAY DO SO BY ROTATING. THE SPEAKER SHALL RECEIVE THE TIME ON HIS OR HER COMMENT FORM,

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UP TO THREE MINUTES TO ANOTHER SPEAKER FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES OF SPEAKING TIME.

SPEAKERS MAY ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ONLY MAY NOT ADDRESS THE COUNCIL DURING THIS TIME.

SPEAKERS MUST IDENTIFY THEMSELVES IN THEIR ADDRESSES PRIOR TO SPEAKING.

QUESTIONS FROM THE SPEAKER MAY NOT BE ADDRESSED DURING THE PUBLIC SPEAKING SECTION OF THE AGENDA.

EAST POINT RESIDENTS WILL HAVE PRIORITY OVER OTHER SPEAKERS.

THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF 60 MINUTES OF SPEAKING TIME OF THE SPEAKING TIME SECTION OF THE AGENDA.

SPEAKERS MAY ONLY ADDRESS THE PRESIDING OFFICER.

SPEAKERS SHALL OBSERVE ALL RULES AND DECORUM.

NO DEBATE, DISRESPECT OR OBSCENITIES WILL BE TOLERATED.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY RULE. SUCH ANY MAY RULE ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL OUT OF ORDER THAT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE FOREGOING.

ALL RIGHT, MADAM CITY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR TONIGHT? YES, MA'AM. WE HAVE THREE PUBLIC SPEAKERS TONIGHT.

UP FIRST, WE HAVE MR. LAWRENCE MILLER.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING COUNCILMAN.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, AND ALL THE CONSTITUENTS HERE TONIGHT.

MY NAME IS LAWRENCE MILLER. I LIVE AT TWO FOUR, ONE SIX WILLOW LANE.

I'M HERE TO MAKE A STATEMENT. I'M NOT HERE MAKING HAVING A QUESTION.

BUT THE STATEMENT IS HOW CAN THE THREE FUNDS BE USED TO ASSIST IN THE MAINTENANCE AND CLEAN UP OF THE CREEK AT 2416 WOODHILL LANE, WHERE I CURRENTLY RESIDE SINCE MAY. AFTER TAKING ON THE PROBLEMATIC CREEK THAT RUNS THROUGH MY PROPERTY, MELISSA ECHEVERIA, DIRECTOR OF WATER RESOURCES WITH THE CITY OF EAST POINT, TOLD ME THE CREEK IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IT RUNS THROUGH, BUT THERE IS A STREAM CHANNEL MAINTENANCE PROGRAM THAT ALLOCATED $200,000 FOR CLEANING CHANNELS, REMOVING DEBRIS AND RESTORING ERODED BANKS, WHICH I HAVE ALL THREE.

THERE IS ALSO A STORMWATER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH ALLOCATED $1,125,000, OF WHICH $950,000 TO REPAIR REPLACE COLLAPSED STORMWATER CONVEYANCE LINES 175,000 OF. THIS IS FOR ASSESSMENT, EVALUATION, STORMWATER OF STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND.

THE STATE ALSO HAS A FUND MANDATED PROJECTS FOR $50,000 FOR PROJECTS EVALUATED FOR STATE AND FEDERAL COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS, POSSIBLY LIKE CHRISTOPHER BALLOU, WHO'S CURRENTLY A TEAM LEADER OF MUNICIPAL UNIT GEORGIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION UNIT GEORGIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION, IS CURRENTLY NOTED IN HIS INVESTIGATION ABOUT THE EAST POINT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM CURRENTLY IS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR A WELL INITIATED FROM MY INQUIRY ON. FROM A ALLEGEDLY THREE QUARTER INCH PIPE BREAK IN AND PUTTING MUDDY WATER INTO THE CREEK, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE WAS PROPERLY CLEANED UP ACCORDING TO THEIR CHARTER THEY HAVE WITH THAT DEPARTMENT.

SO THAT'S WHY IT'S CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UP NEXT, WE HAVE MRS PITTMAN, WHO HAS TIME GIVEN TO HER BY NAPOLEON BLACK, SO SHE'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES.

GOOD EVENING. ERNESTINE PITTMAN, EAST POINT, GEORGIA.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER LATONYA MARTIN ROGERS AND THE COUNCIL FOR DOING SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING.

AND THAT WAS SPONSORING THE MUNICIPAL UTILITY ADVISORY ORDINANCE COMMISSION ORDINANCE LAST AT THE LAST MEETING. HOPEFULLY THE ORGANIZATION MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE REAL SOON BECAUSE IT IS TRULY NEEDED.

NEXT, I'M UP HERE NOW IN MY ROLE AS A MEMBER OF THE EAST POINT CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION THAT PASSED THE CHARTER THAT YOU ALL OPERATE UNDER TODAY.

2006 THAT WAS WHEN THAT ADVISORY COMMISSION WAS STARTED.

BUT IT WAS ALSO THOROUGHLY EXPLAINED IN OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT COUNCIL MANAGER.

THE MAYOR HAS PARTICULAR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

THERE IS AN ORDINANCE. I MEAN, THERE'S A SECTION IN ORDINANCE 14 THAT VIOLATES THE CHARTER BY GRANTING

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OUR CHARTER DOES NOT ALLOW ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL TO DETERMINE WHOSE VOTE SHALL COUNT AND SHALL NOT COUNT IN THE SUBJECTIVE MANNER THAT THAT OR THAT THAT AMENDMENT.

I MEAN, ITEM 14 IS WRITTEN. IT IS UP TO THE MAYOR TO BREAK A TIE.

AND WEAR YOU ALL CHAT ON THE TELEPHONE AND HAVE MEETINGS BEFORE YOU GET HERE.

AND THEN DECIDE WHO IS NOT COMING OR WHO'S GOING TO WALK OUT.

MAKES IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT AND SUBJECTIVE AND UNJUST TO HAVE THE MAYOR TO BE THE DETERMINING FACTOR. IF SHE WANTS TO SEE SOMETHING PAST, I'LL EXCUSE THIS ONE BECAUSE THAT ONE'S GOING TO VOTE FOR IT.

I'M NOT GOING TO EXCUSE THAT ONE. THAT IS NOT A LINE OF CREDIBILITY, OF OBJECTIVITY IN STATING WHAT IS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE. THE STATE SAYS YOU CANNOT TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM ELECTED OFFICIAL OR BENEFIT.

YOU ALL GET PAID WHETHER YOU COME OR NOT. GIVING AN EXCUSE OR NOT, YOU GET PAID WHETHER YOU STAY THROUGH A MEETING OR NOT.

THAT'S YOU. IT'S NOTHING ANY OTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL UP THERE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.

BUT WHAT ABOUT US, THE RESIDENTS THAT YOU REPRESENT? WHERE IS OUR BENEFIT? OUR BENEFIT IS TO SIT HERE, LOOK YOU IN THE FACE, HEAR YOU DEBATE OVER WHAT IT IS THAT CONCERNS US, AND THEN SEE HOW YOU VOTE IN REPRESENTING US.

THAT VOTE, THAT BENEFIT IS DENIED. IF YOU ARE NOT IN THOSE SEATS, THERE'S ONLY ONE REMEDY FOR THAT.

RULE 14 IS TO HAVE ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO IS NOT IN HIS OR HER SEAT AT THE TIME THE VOTE IS TAKEN.

THAT VOTE WILL COUNT. YES. ON EVERY NONE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

WHEN I WAS MAYOR, I MADE IT PLAIN AND CLEAR. NO EXCUSES.

IT NEVER CAME UP. I'M NOT EXCUSING ANYBODY. I'M NOT GOD.

YOU GOING TO CALL IN AND SAY, WELL, I'M NOT COMING IN.

I'M EXCUSED. BUT THEN A CHECK TIME COME. YOU.

YOU GOT PAID. YOU ARE NOT PENALIZED. AND THE MAYOR DOES NOT HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO OWN HER OWN, TO SUBJECTIVELY DETERMINE WHICH EXCUSE IS GOING TO BE ACCEPTABLE OR NOT.

NOW SOME COMMON SENSE HAS TO COME SOMEPLACE, LEGALLY OR NOT.

SHOULD HAVE GONE TO A CHILD REVIEW COMMISSION WHEN I DID.

BUT WHAT DID THE COUNCIL SAY? IF YOU WANT ME TO VOTE FOR YOU FOR THAT ADVISORY COMMISSION, THEN YOU BETTER VOTE FOR THIS. I WANT TO ADVISE THE COMMISSION.

I VOTED FOR IT BECAUSE I KNEW IT WAS NULL AND VOID.

IT WAS A VIOLATION. IT WASN'T GOING ANY PLACE, NOT AS LONG AS I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR, AND IT DIDN'T. WE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM THAT IS TOO MUCH TO PUT ON HER.

SO THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE LAST WEEK BY THE GBI.

EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU WHO WERE NOT IN THOSE SEATS.

THAT'S A YES VOTE. THAT IS A YES VOTE. AND MAYOR FROM A FARMAN MAYOR TO YOU.

YOUR DUTY IS TO INFORM THE GEORGIA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION THAT YOU AND THE COUNCIL OF EAST POINT HAS TAKEN A VOTE TO INSTITUTE AN INVESTIGATION INTO WHATEVER THE COUNCIL STATED AND THAT THEY WANT.

AND YOU SEND THAT LETTER TO THEM. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, YOU'RE VIOLATING THE CHARTER.

YOU ALL NEED TO AMEND THAT CHARTER TO CLEAR UP THAT LANGUAGE.

AND THE OTHER THING IS EVERY BOARD COMMISSION AUTHORITY THAT YOU CREATE.

IS ONLY ANSWERABLE TO YOU. NO APPOINTEE THAT YOU HAVE IS TO HAVE ANY DIRECT APPOINT A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP IN TALKING, TRYING TO GET INFORMATION FROM ANYBODY UNDER THE CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING. LASTLY, WE HAVE MISS SHARON LOVETT.

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THE LOW DRIVE. A FEW THINGS. YOU CAN'T HEAR ME.

YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW. OKAY. OKAY. I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR A LONG TIME, AND I KEEP SAYING IT EVERY TIME I COME.

I'M STILL GOING TO CONTINUE TO MENTION IS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION.

EVERYBODY IS NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO YOU ALL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE RESIDENTS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF ELDERLY RESIDENTS AND EVERYBODY IS NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

I AM, BUT EVERYBODY AIN'T OKAY. ON THE LOW FROM MONTROSE TO BEN HILL, IT TOOK US THREE WEEKS BEFORE WE RECEIVED THE NOTICE ABOUT OUR GARBAGE PICKUP, AND I SPOKE TO THE MANAGER, MR. WHITEHEAD, AND HE WAS REAL NICE ABOUT IT. AND WE FINALLY GOT THE NOTICE LAST WEEK.

SO OUR DATE WILL NOT CHANGE BECAUSE I HAD INFORMED HIM IF IT WAS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THE RECYCLE DATE, THEN I WASN'T GOING TO RECYCLE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE BENEFIT FROM THE RECYCLING.

I DON'T KNOW, YOU ALL CAN TELL ME, BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE WE DON'T.

THE OTHER THING IS WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, COUNSEL, ABOUT ICE FACILITIES AND WE SAY NO. 100%. AND NUMBER FIVE, WHAT SAFEGUARDS DO WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY? AND WHEN CONCERNS BECOME KNOWN, WHAT DID THOSE ENTRUSTED WITH OVERSIGHT DOES ABOUT IT? WE'VE BEEN SEEING YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE NEED CHECKS AND BALANCES ON EVERYBODY.

I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS. IS IT IN THEIR CONTRACT, THEIR POLICIES OR THE CHARTER, I DON'T KNOW.

I'VE NEVER BEEN THERE. WHEN WOULD DO IT EITHER.

BUT I DO KNOW WE NEED SOMEBODY OVERSEEING EVERYBODY.

AND THE NEXT THING IS WHEN WILL THE AUDITS BE PROCESSED? AND AS FAR AS THE OPEN RECORDS UNDER OCGA50-18, THAT'S SEVEN ONE OUT OF 165 REQUESTS REFLECTED.

ONLY 90 WERE GIVEN, 55% WERE NOT COMPLETED. DO WE KNOW WHY GEORGIA LAW STATES ALL RECORDS SHOULD BE PRODUCED WITHIN SEVEN THREE BUSINESS DAYS. AND THE LAST QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THE HOTEL MOTEL MONEY TO BRING PEOPLE HERE? I KNOW THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR. THANK YOU.

THOSE ARE ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WE HAVE THIS EVENING. OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.

[X. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL]

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. AND THANK YOU EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT TONIGHT, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE WHO CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE VIA LIVE STREAM.

I DO KNOW THAT I THINK WE'RE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT THEY ARE WORKING ON THAT. AND LET'S SEE.

I'LL SAY THIS. WE HAVE A LOT TO DO IN EAST POINT.

THE WORK IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND CERTAINLY IS NOT ALWAYS PRETTY.

BUT THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT MUCH, MUCH WORK HAS TO BE DONE HERE IN THE CITY.

WE HAVE CONCERNS WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION. WE HAVE CONCERNS ON COUNCIL ITSELF.

WE MAY NOT ALWAYS SEE EYE TO EYE, AND THERE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE MOMENTS WHEN WE WILL DISAGREE.

BUT DESPITE THOSE DIFFERENCES, OUR SHARED RESPONSIBILITY IS TO WORK TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.

WE ALL KNOW BETTER AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO DO BETTER.

JUST ME SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I CAN SAY THAT IT'S TRULY AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF EAST POINT.

THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT DOESN'T GO BY THAT I DON'T THINK ABOUT WAYS THAT I CAN USE, THINGS THAT I CAN DO TO IMPROVE THE CITY, TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY AND BETTER SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE ENTRUSTED US WITH RESPONSIBILITY.

I ALWAYS, I PRAY EVERY NIGHT THAT WE CAN PUT OUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE SO THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CITY.

SO, EASTPOINTE. WE HEAR YOU, WE SEE YOU, AND WE KNOW THAT YOU SEE US AS WELL.

SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, JUST TO TRY AND MOVE THE CITY FORWARD TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.

SO JUST KNOW IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS. WE ARE TRYING TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO GET THINGS DONE.

SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED.

HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. THANK YOU. AND ON A LIGHTER NOTE I WILL BE HAVING OUR INAUGURAL PINK

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WE'VE SENT INFORMATION OUT. IT'S ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.

I SENT FLIERS OUT TO ALL OF THE HOA PRESIDENTS REGISTERED FOR PINK STRIDE, OCTOBER 24TH, CAMP CREEK MARKETPLACE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ATKINS. YES, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

FIRST, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE COME OUT THIS EVENING TO SHARE WITH US SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS.

NOTE THAT PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE HEARD YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS HAS STATED, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT FOR THOSE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

I KNOW, MR. LAWRENCE, YOUR ISSUE THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TO US.

WE CAN DO A FOLLOW UP ON THAT. I KNOW THAT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I THINK YOU'RE IN WARD C COUNCIL MEMBER COMING, AND COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL WILL PROBABLY ALSO FOLLOW UP AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. MISS LOVETT, MISS PITTMAN, I THINK THAT SHE'S GONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. SO JUST WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO COME AND TO SHARE WITH US AS COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS HAS SAID.

WE ARE HERE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. ALSO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY AND IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER TO MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING THE APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES TO DO THAT AND WHERE EVERYONE IS BE ABLE TO BE SERVED IN A VERY JUST WAY.

AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO ALSO THANK OUR ARTS TEAM FOR SOME BEAUTIFUL EVENTS THAT HAPPENED SINCE WE LAST MET, ANY OF YOU WHO CAME OUT TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THEY ARE HERE FOR CITY RESIDENTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY FOR EASTPOINTE, BUT WANT AS MANY RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE THINGS.

AND FINALLY, MADAM MAYOR, I WILL HAVE A MOTION FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING. IF YOU LIVE AROUND THE S, A RECYCLING PLANT THAT IS THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF MARTEL, HOLMES, EAGAN PARK AND EAST WASHINGTON. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING A COMMUNITY MEETING, AND I WOULD LIKE TO USE THE ANNEX TO HOST THAT MEETING AS IT IS CONVENIENTLY LOCATED WITHIN THOSE THREE NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL OFFER THAT AS A MOTION IF I CAN, IF MY COLLEAGUES CAN SUPPORT ME ON THAT.

WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION. YEAH. OH GO AHEAD.

THAT WAS THE MOTION. OKAY, GREAT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILWOMAN. MARTIN. I'M SORRY.

ARE YOU DONE? COUNCILWOMAN ATKINS. COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS.

COUNCILMAN FREELY. THANK YOU. I WANTED TO THANK THE RESIDENTS AND ALSO THE STAFF WHO CAME OUT FOR THE WARD.

A COMMUNITY MEETING. ON WHAT DAY WAS IT? SEPTEMBER 22ND.

IT WAS A REALLY GOOD TURNOUT AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE STAFF'S PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT.

SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THAT. AND COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING WANTED ME TO NOTE THAT SHE IS NOT HERE THIS EVENING BECAUSE SHE'S RECOVERING FROM EYE SURGERY.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN. MARTIN ROGERS AND THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT THIS EVENING. I'D LIKE TO SHARE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION.

TURNING A BLIND EYE TO PROBLEMS DOES NOT MAKE THEM GO AWAY.

AT SOME POINT, REFUSING TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM BECOMES PART OF THE PROBLEM.

WHEN COUNCIL GIVES DIRECTION AND THAT DIRECTION IS REPEATEDLY IGNORED WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE, IT TURNS INTO CONFUSION, DYSFUNCTION, AND ULTIMATELY CHAOS.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS BIGGER THAN PERSONALITIES, ALLIANCES, OR PERSONAL FEELINGS.

THE REPAYMENT DIRECTIVE WAS CLEAR ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2026.

THE DEADLINE HAS PASSED, AND AT THIS POINT, COUNCIL MUST DECIDE WHETHER ITS DIRECTIVES MEAN SOMETHING.

WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT THE CITY ATTORNEY TO IMMEDIATELY PREPARE AND TRANSMIT ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL A FORMAL WRITTEN DEMAND LETTER TO REDMOND JONES FOR THE REPAYMENT OF $9,500 IN EXCESS CAR ALLOWANCE PAYMENTS. THE DEMAND SHALL BE SENT ON OCTOBER 5TH, 2026 BY FEDERAL EXPRESS WITH TRACKING HAND DELIVERY WITH PROOF OF SERVICE AND EMAIL, AND SHALL REQUIRE FULL PAYMENT BY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 2026 AT 5 P.M.

BY CERTIFIED CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE.

I FURTHER MOVE THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY PROVIDE COUNCIL IN WRITING WITH THE CITY'S AVAILABLE LEGAL REMEDIES.

IF PAYMENT IS NOT RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE. THANK YOU.

SECOND. THE MOTION. OKAY. WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. OH, WE HAVE A DISCUSSION. YES. GO AHEAD.

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YES? YES. THIS BODY DID VOTE ON THAT. AND SO TO DATE, IS STAFF ABLE TO TELL US CITY ACTING CITY MANAGER IF THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE TO DATE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

AND SO I'VE NOT GOTTEN ANY REPORT, SO I'M NOT SURE IF THOSE THINGS HAVE COME INTO THE CITY OR NOT.

YES. THANK YOU. TO MY UNDERSTANDING, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PAYMENTS TO DATE.

AND THAT IS INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED FROM OUR I GUESS CUSTOMER CARE WOULD COLLECT THOSE DOLLARS OR THAT WAS INFORMATION I RECEIVED FROM THE FINANCE INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR. AND SHE WAS SHE WOULD HAVE CHECKED WITH THE CUSTOMER CARE, BUT WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANYTHING TODAY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALL RIGHT. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? YES, PLEASE. OKAY. WHERE IS IT? OH, YES. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK IF THIS GETS MAJORITY VOTE.

THE DATE THAT I HEARD COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN RODGERS SAID WAS OCTOBER 5TH.

THAT'S TODAY. AND I'M NOT SURE. DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF THE ENDING OF THIS MEETING.

FEDEX WILL NOT BE OPEN. OKAY. OCTOBER 6TH.

SO I CAN RESTATE MY MOTION. AND THE MOTION IS THE DEMAND.

I'M GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION. I MOVE TO DIRECT THE CITY ATTORNEY TO IMMEDIATELY PREPARE AND TRANSMIT ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, A FORMAL WRITTEN DEMAND TO REDMOND JONES FOR REPAYMENT OF THE $9,500 IN EXCESS CAR ALLOWANCE PAYMENTS. THE DEMAND SHALL BE SENT ON OCTOBER 6TH, 2026, BY FEDERAL EXPRESS TRACKING HAND DELIVERY WITH PROOF OF SERVICE AND EMAIL, AND SHALL REQUIRE FULL PAYMENT BY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8TH AT 5 P.M.

BY CERTIFIED CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE.

AND THEN THE MOTION GOES ON. BECAUSE IT'S A TWO PART.

I FURTHER MOVE THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY PROVIDE COUNSEL IN WRITING WITH THE CITY'S AVAILABLE LEGAL REMEDIES IF PAYMENT IS NOT RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE. SECOND STANCE. OKAY, COUNCIL, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.

CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL? PLEASE? COUNCIL MEMBER FREHLEY.

OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER. CALDWELL. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER.

MIKE ROGERS. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. ATKINS. COUNCIL MEMBER.

MITCHELL. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. CUMMINS. YES. THE MOTION PASSED.

THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCILMAN MITCHELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? NO. I'M GOOD. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. SO ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. AND I JUST DEFINITELY WANT TO ALWAYS THANK OUR COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT, STAYING ENGAGED, LETTING YOUR VOICES BE HEARD AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE SHARED WITH US AND KEEP US ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING HERE.

THE MAIN, THE MAIN THING WE'RE DEFINITELY TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OBSERVING ORGANIZING IN OPERATION A LOT.

I MEAN, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF YOUR VOTE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO THE RIGHT WORK FOR YOU AND COMMUNICATIONS IS IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE DEFINITELY SOME GOOD UPDATES COMING IN FROM THE OPEN RECORDS AS WELL.

I'VE HEARD SOME THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB IN CITY HALL TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THE OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS DOWN AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE THAT WE ARE WORKING ON.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND COMING OUT, AND WE LOVE TO HEAR YOU CONTINUE TO SPEAK UP.

APPRECIATE IT. SO OKAY, SO NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO PRESENTATIONS AND

[XI. PRESENTATIONS and ANNOUNCEMENTS]

OKAY. AND JUST ONE MORE ANNOUNCEMENT. WE ALSO LIKE TO THANK REPRESENTATIVE SCHOFIELD FOR THIS WEEKEND.

SHE CAME OUT WITH HER ORGANIZATION UPLIFT YOUR GIRLS AND IT WAS A GREAT INITIATIVE HELD IN THE CITY'S ANNEX TO HELP YOUNG LADIES WITH UNDERSTANDING HOW TO USE THEIR BRAS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOUNG WOMEN GO THROUGH.

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AND SO WE JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR BRINGING THAT INITIATIVE TO THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE.

SO HEARING NO OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE PRESENTATIONS FOR THE ART TRAIL.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. CHRISTOPHER SWAIN, PUBLIC ART, CITY OF EASTPOINTE.

AS YOU KNOW BY NOW, THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE HAS GAINED A GREAT REPUTATION FOR HAVING SOME OF THE BEST MURALS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF ATLANTA AND METROPOLITAN ATLANTA, PERIOD. BUT INSTEAD OF RESTING ON OUR LAURELS, WE ARE TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

SO I CAME TONIGHT TO DO A PRESENTATION TO YOU SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING WITH THOSE MURALS AND SHOW YOU THAT WE MADE A REALLY GREAT INVESTMENT. SO AS OPPOSED TO MAKING THOSE MURALS STATIC PIECES OF WORK THAT STAND AGAINST THESE WALLS, THEY'RE COMING ALIVE.

AND WE'RE DOING THAT WITH THE HELP OF A COMPANY CALLED COMMISSION ART, RUN BY MR. BILL FORD. SO WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO DO A SHORT VIDEO PRESENTATION TO SHOW YOU WHAT THE TECHNOLOGY LOOKS LIKE, AND THEN BE FOLLOWED BY MR. FORD, BE ABLE TO FURTHER EXPLAIN IT AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE REGARDING THE WHOLE PROCESS.

BUT WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO GET THE VIDEO UP, I WANT TO THANK MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE EVENTS WE PUT ON HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC.

THE PUBLIC RESPONSE HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF GREAT.

THEY REALLY APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING MONEY ASIDE IN THE BUDGET TO PRESENT THESE EVENTS FOR THE PUBLIC.

WHILE ON THE SURFACE THEY APPEAR TO BE ENTERTAINMENT AND FUN, I CAN SHARE WITH YOU THAT PARTICULARLY I WAS THINKING OF I'M THINKING OF ELEVATED RHYTHMS WHERE THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE WHO WERE NOT JUST DANCING FOR JOY, BUT THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO CAME AND EMBRACED ME, AND THEY WERE IN TEARS BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING HOW MUCH THEY NEEDED TO JUST RELEASE, AND THEY NEEDED A SAFE SPACE WHERE THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY AND THERE WAS ALL AGES. IT WAS JUST CRAZY.

IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT DEMOGRAPHIC. AND I FELT I WAS, I'M, I WAS REALLY, REALLY PROUD TO REPRESENT THE CITY.

SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW THAT WHETHER YOU SAW IT, HEARD ABOUT IT OR WHATEVER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE DOING FANTASTIC WORK.

THANKS. AND HERE'S THE VIDEO. WHICH TURNS ANY PIECE OF ART INTO AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE. SCAN THE QR CODE ON THE SIGN BESIDE THE ARTWORK AND IT TAKES YOU STRAIGHT INTO ART TRAIL.

AT THE TOP IS THE ARTIST'S STORY, WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT SHAPES THEIR WORK.

JUST BELOW IT, A DESCRIPTION OF THE PIECE ITSELF, WHAT IT'S ABOUT, AND WHAT THE ARTIST WANTS YOU TO TAKE AWAY FROM IT.

AND THEN VIEW IN AR. THIS IS WHERE IT ACTIVATES.

POINT YOUR PHONE AT THE ARTWORK AND A DIGITAL LAYER OPENS UP RIGHT OVER IT IN AUGMENTED REALITY.

TURNING THE WALL IN FRONT OF YOU INTO SOMETHING, YOU CAN ACTUALLY STEP INSIDE.

AS YOU MOVE AROUND THE PIECE, HOT SPOTS APPEAR.

TAP ONE AND THE ARTIST APPEARS RIGHT THERE WITH YOU IN THE SPACE.

NOT A VIDEO ON YOUR SCREEN, BUT FLOATING IN AR BESIDE THE WORK.

TELLING YOU THE STORY BEHIND IT IN THEIR OWN WORDS.

FOR THE ARTIST, THAT MEANS BEING PRESENT WITH EVERYONE WHO ENCOUNTERS THE WORK.

AND FOR ANYONE COMMISSIONING A PIECE, THAT MEANS THE STORY BEHIND IT NEVER HAS TO FADE ONCE THE RIBBONS CUT.

WANT TO GO DEEPER? LEARN MORE, OPENS UP FURTHER READING AND LINKS ON THE ARTIST ON THE IDEAS AND HISTORY BEHIND THE PIECE.

SO A MOMENT OF CURIOSITY DOESN'T HAVE TO END WHEN YOU WALK AWAY FROM THE WALL.

UNDERNEATH THE VIDEO, THE ARTIST POSES YOU A QUESTION, AN INVITATION TO ACTUALLY SIT WITH THE PIECE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU.

CHAT LETS YOU BECOME PART OF THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE WORK.

[00:35:04]

RESPOND TO THEM. AND IT'S NOT LOCKED TO THE LOCATION.

YOU CAN KEEP TALKING ABOUT A PIECE LONG AFTER YOU'VE LEFT IT.

AND BECAUSE THIS IS A MOMENT WORTH KEEPING, YOU CAN CAPTURE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN AR AND SHARE IT WITH FRIENDS OR OUT INTO THE WORLD ON SOCIAL.

IF A PIECE REALLY CONNECTS WITH YOU BY TAKES YOU STRAIGHT TO SUPPORTING THAT ARTIST DIRECTLY.

TURNING A MOMENT OF APPRECIATION INTO SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY HELPS THEIR WORK CONTINUE FOR THE ARTIST, THAT'S NOT JUST A COMPLIMENT, IT'S REVENUE ON A PIECE THAT KEEPS EARNING LONG AFTER THE ORIGINAL COMMISSION IS COMPLETE.

FROM HERE, EXPLORE OPENS UP EVERY OTHER ARTWORK ON ART TRAIL, SORTED BY WHAT'S NEAREST TO YOU, OR LAID OUT ACROSS AN INTERACTIVE MAP SO YOU CAN GO FIND THE NEXT ONE.

AND BECAUSE EVERY ARTWORK ADDED BECOMES PART OF A GROWING TRAIL ACROSS THE CITY.

A NEW COMMISSION ON ART TRAIL ISN'T JUST A SINGLE PIECE, IT'S TIED INTO SOMETHING BIGGER, WITH MORE VISIBILITY FOR THE ARTIST AND A RICHER EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE THE INSTITUTION BRINGS TO SEE IT.

CREATING A FREE ACCOUNT MEANS EVERY PIECE YOU DISCOVER IS SAVED TO YOU.

ALWAYS THERE TO REVISIT. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE ART TRAIL MAKES.

IT'S NOT JUST WHERE YOU DISCOVER ART, IT'S WHERE THAT ART TAKES ON REAL CONTEXT AND MEANING.

IT'S WHERE YOU FIND ARTISTS YOU LOVE AND BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH.

AND OVER TIME, IT'S WHERE YOU BECOME SOMEONE WHO COLLECTS AND SUPPORTS THE WORK YOU BELIEVE IN.

SO GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE.

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING. YOU'VE SEEN WHAT ART TRAIL DOES.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT ALL OF THAT. I JUST WANT TO SAY VERY QUICKLY ABOUT WHY IT'S HAPPENING HERE IN EASTPOINTE.

WHEN I FIRST SAT DOWN WITH CHRIS AND EXPLAINED THE IDEA, THE BEST I WAS HOPING FOR WAS POLITE INTEREST.

WHEN YOU GO TO SOMEBODY WITH A NEW IDEA, A NEW CONCEPT, SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT NO ONE'S DOING BEFORE.

GENERALLY YOU GET QUESTIONS, YOU GET OBJECTIONS, ALL THE REASONS WE CAN'T DO IT.

I WAS DELIGHTED. THIS GUY GAVE ME SO MUCH POSITIVITY BACK.

HE SAID IT RESONATED WITH WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO DO IN EASTPOINTE.

AND JUST THE, THE VISION THAT WAS SHOWN AND JUST THE THE, THE, THE COURAGE TO INNOVATE AND IT WAS JUST, IT CAME ACROSS THAT EASTPOINTE THAT'S, WE'RE STILL, STILL A CITY THAT BREAKING NEW GROUND CULTURALLY BELIEVING IN THE POWER OF PUBLIC ART, WHICH I THINK IS HUGE AND ENRICHING THE CITIZENS LIVES THROUGH THROUGH THE PUBLIC ART.

SO IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THAT THE RECEPTION I GOT HERE.

NEXT WEEK WE'VE GOT THE, THE SIGNS GOING UP SO PEOPLE KNOW IT'S THERE.

THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT. SO BY THE SATURDAY THE 17TH, IT'LL ALL BE LAUNCHED.

AND AT THAT POINT YOU CAN GO OUT, YOU CAN DISCOVER THE WORK.

YOU CAN DISCOVER THE ACTUAL CHARLIE OVER HERE.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE OF THE MURALISTS HERE TONIGHT AS WELL WHO'S COME ALONG SUPPORTERS. SO THERE'S SOME AMAZING, AS CHRIS SAID, WORLD CLASS ART UP THERE. AND PLEASE GO OUT AND ENJOY IT.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR SUPPORTING US.

THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? YOU CAN GO.

BUT. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. SWAN.

AND MR. FORD, IS THAT CORRECT? YES. I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T INTRODUCE MYSELF. BILL FORD HERE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. SWAIN, I GUESS, IS A QUESTION FOR YOU.

FIRST, IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF MURALS, HOW MANY MURALS WILL BE A PART OF OUR ART TRAIL AT THIS POINT? HOW MANY DO WE HAVE IN THE CITY? THE GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL OF THEM ON, BUT IT'S SUCH A PROCESS BECAUSE ACTUALLY, HONESTLY, I HAD THIS IDEA, THIS WHOLE PROCESS.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW, BUT IT'S A LONG PROCESS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GET PERMISSION TO USE THE WORK. AND THEN WE HAVE TO FIND THE ARTISTS, GET THE ARTISTS TO DO THEIR PART OF IT. IT'S A LONG PROCESS, BUT FOR NOW WE HAVE HOW MANY ONLINE. THERE'S GOING TO BE SEVEN NEXT WEEK AND TWO MORE COMING ON BOARD AS WELL.

YES. OKAY. AND WE'RE ALSO EXPERIMENTING WITH SOMETHING NEW TOO, BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO BRING IN A THREE DIMENSIONAL PIECE TO THE SPIRIT TREE.

THE BOTTLE TREE. WE HAVE THAT ON NORMAN BERRY DRIVE WITH THE BLUE BOTTLES ON IT.

WE'RE TRYING TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO IT AS WELL. BUT WELL, I'M TRYING TO INCORPORATE THAT.

I'VE CAUSED QUITE A CHALLENGE FOR BILL HERE BECAUSE HE'S USED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT. BUT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT A GO. YES.

OKAY. SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT SEVEN AND THEN WE'LL ADD TWO MORE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

IS THAT CORRECT? WITHIN PROBABLY WITHIN A MONTH.

[00:40:04]

FOR US TO HAVE THE QR CODE AND TO ALL OF THE, THE VIDEOS OF THE ARTISTS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

SIR, I BRING THIS TO YOU GUYS TONIGHT WITH NO ASK.

THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR. THIS IS MERELY A PRESENTATION TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.

IT'S EVEN BETTER. EVEN BETTER. EXACTLY. EVEN BETTER.

ALL RIGHT. THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THIS SHOULD BE VERY INTERESTING. I LOOK FORWARD TO IT. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I LOVE THE IDEA. TWO QUESTIONS I WANTED TO YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS IS AN INFORMATIVE PIECE.

HOW ARE WE GETTING THIS MESSAGE OUT TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY TO INCREASE, TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT OR TO GET ENGAGEMENT? WELL, FOR FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE, WE HOPE TO USE OUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT TO PROMOTE IT.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER NOW A LITTLE DEDICATION, A SHORT DEDICATION CEREMONY THAT I'LL INVITE ALL YOU GUYS TO.

AFTER THAT, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET IT THROUGH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND BUILD HIMSELF, YOU KNOW, HAS. HE HAS A WIDE NETWORK THROUGH WHICH HE PROMOTES AS WELL.

SO THROUGH THOSE THAT WE WANT EVERYBODY TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT. AND HE'S ALSO COMING TO A COUPLE OF UPCOMING PUBLIC ARTS EVENTS THAT I HAVE PLANNED.

AND HE'S GOING TO SET UP TENT AND TABLE AND DISCUSS IT AND HAVE LIKE HANDOUTS SO PEOPLE CAN BE AWARE OF WHAT WE GOT GOING ON HERE IN EASTPOINTE.

AND WE'VE ALSO HAD GREAT BUY IN FROM THE ARTIST COMMUNITY AS WELL.

AND THEY HAVE A GREAT SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING.

SO EVERY TIME WE'RE GOING TO BE COLLABORATING WITH THEM.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE ANNOUNCING IT TO THEIR TO THEIR PEOPLE AS WELL.

SO ONCE WE GET PEOPLE IN, DEFINE THEM, THEY KEEP FINDING MORE MURALS.

AND YEAH, THAT'S HOW THEY FIND THEM. OKAY. AND JUST LAST QUESTION.

THIS ISN'T JUST EASTPOINTE. IT LOOKS LIKE IT SPREADS INTO ATLANTA.

SO ALL OF THE ARTWORK AROUND THE ENTIRE CITY WILL BE INCLUDED.

OKAY. BY THE COUNTRY NEXT YEAR, I'M HOPING, BUT WE'RE STARTING HERE IN ATLANTA AT THIS POINT.

SO I GUESS A LITTLE BACKSTORY HERE IS THAT COMMISSION ART IS EASTPOINTE WAS LUCKY TO GET IN ON THE, ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THIS WHOLE PROJECT. SO THAT'S WHY WE WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR EVERYTHING UP FRONT.

THIS WAS A BRAND NEW PROCESS. AND IT'S SO WEIRD.

I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT FOR QUITE A WHILE. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT BECAUSE I MEAN, CREATIVITY IS MY THING, BUT NOT TECH.

AND BILL JUST CALLED ME. AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS HE'S CONNECTED TO ANOTHER ARTIST WHO I WORK WITH HERE IN EASTPOINTE.

AND BECAUSE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HER, OF COURSE, I TRUSTED BILL AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS. HE EXPLAINED THE WHOLE PROCESS TO ME, AND HE LAID IT OUT. I WAS LIKE, WELL, THIS IS WHAT I WANTED.

THANK GOD FOR THIS. SO HERE WE ARE. OKAY, ONE MORE, ONE MORE.

FROM AN ADOPTION STANDPOINT, LIKE HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MEASURE THE ADOPTION OF THIS WITH EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS? WELL, WE'VE GOT WE CAN ACTUALLY RUN THE, RUN THE STATS OFF IT SO WE CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WHO'S ENGAGING WITH IT.

WE, IT'S NOT REQUIRED FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE AN ACCOUNT TO USE IT BECAUSE I WANT IT TO BE FRICTIONLESS.

YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO DOWNLOAD AN APP. YOU CAN SCAN ONE QR CODE AND YOU CAN SEE IT.

IF PEOPLE DO SET UP AN ACCOUNT, WE CAN THEN SEE HOW THEY'RE USING IT AND WHICH MURALS THEY LOOK AT AND, AND HOW THEY'RE INTERACTING. SO THAT WILL GIVE US THE DATA ABOUT HOW YOU KNOW, WHICH, WHICH ONES PEOPLE LIKE AND WHICH ONES THEY DON'T LIKE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AND ACTUALLY, WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR IT, IT REALLY DOES HELP YOU TO ENGAGE WITH THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

THIS WEEKEND I WAS DOWNTOWN TO VISIT THE MOTHERSHIP EXHIBITION ON JACKSON STREET WITH ARTIST FABIAN WILLIAMS, AND IN HIS EXHIBITION THERE'S A PAINTING CALLED THE FIRST COOKOUT, AND IT'S A TAKE ON.

INSTEAD OF IT BEING THE LAST SUPPER, THAT. THAT JESUS IS A WOMAN JEZZA, AND SHE'S HAVING WHAT'S CALLED THE FIRST SUPPER, THE FIRST COOKOUT. AND IF YOU USE YOUR IF YOU SIGN UP FOR ART TRAIL, YOU CAN TAKE A PICTURE OF YOURSELF AND YOU CAN INSERT YOURSELF ONTO THIS PICTURE.

AND I HAD THE PLEASURE OF DOING THAT YESTERDAY. SO IT'S A FUN PROCESS.

YOU KNOW, OLD PEOPLE LOVE TAKE TWO. SO. MARTIN, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

AND I DO WANT TO SAY I WAS AT THE EVENT AND I DANCED AND I HAD FUN AND IT WAS A REALLY NICE EVENT. I MEAN, IT REALLY AND TRULY WAS. AND PEOPLE, MY FRIENDS WERE CALLING ME LIKE, ARE WE GOING TO SEE YOU THERE? WE NEED TO GO EARLY.

SO WE HAD A GREAT TIME. SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ON THAT EVENT AND THE OTHER EVENTS THAT YOU PUT ON IN THE CITY.

SO I JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. AND THE FIRST ONE IS I KNOW THAT WHEN WE, WHEN I TRAVEL OUT OF TOWN AND GO TO MURALS OR TAKE THE TOUR OF

[00:45:02]

LET'S JUST ENSURE THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S ONE MURAL RIGHT HERE, HOW ARE WE CONNECTING THAT MURAL TO, HEY, YOU MAY WANT TO VISIT DOWNTOWN FOR A SLICE OF PIZZA, A CUPCAKE.

SO THE QUESTION IS, HOW WILL THE ART, THE ART WALK SUPPORT NEARBY BUSINESSES AND BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO OUR CITY? JUST LET'S KEEP IN MIND THAT THE BUSINESSES CAN ALSO UTILIZE SOME BUSINESSES FOR PEOPLE THAT COME TO VISIT OUR CITY.

THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO DO WITH THIS IS FOR THE ART TO BE THE DESTINATION.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT PUBLIC ART, IT'S SOMETHING YOU'LL BE WALKING ALONG. YOU'LL SUDDENLY SEE IT.

IT'S A MOMENT, THEN YOU'RE GONE. BY DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY MAKE THE DESTINATION.

SO FOR THOSE BUSINESSES NEARBY, WE'RE BRINGING PEOPLE TO THEM.

AND IT'S AGAIN, ONE OF THE BENEFITS WE'RE LOOKING TO DO. SO WE GOT TO JUST KEEP VERY MUCH WITH THAT IN MIND.

YEAH. ALRIGHT. AND THEN COULD WE DO THE WALKING TOUR SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE? BECAUSE I KNOW IN SOME CITIES THEY HAVE WALKING TOURS FOR EVERYTHING.

I KNOW WE HAVE ONE THE TOUR, I THINK IT'S A GARDEN TOUR, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

BUT I KNOW IN ONE CITY THEY DO A TOUR OF HOMES.

WE NEED TO TAP INTO THIS AND CONTINUE TO PUT OUR CITY ON THE MAP, WITH MAYBE A WALKING TOUR OF THE MURALS THAT ARE RIGHT HERE IN EASTPOINTE.

SO WITH HAVING THE ART TRAIL, THIS BRINGS IT ALL TOGETHER.

OKAY. YOU KNOW, IT'S EASY. IT'S EASY TO MAP, OKAY.

AND IT GIVES PEOPLE A FORMULA TO FOLLOW TO SEE ALL THE MURALS IN EASTPOINTE.

ADDITIONALLY, BACK TO YOUR OTHER CONCERN REGARDING BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE.

THE CITY DOESN'T OWN ANY BUILDINGS. SO EVERY MURAL YOU SEE IN THE CITY IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE AND THAT BUSINESS OWNER THAT SAID YES.

SO JUST THE FACT OF JUST SHEERLY BY VISITING A MURAL, YOU'RE VISITING AN EASTPOINTE BUSINESS EVERY TIME, GUARANTEED, EXCEPT FOR ONE THAT'S ON AN ABANDONED BUILDING.

BUT WE'RE TRYING TO SELL THAT ONE, SO THANK YOU.

OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN CUMMINGS. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I KNOW WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DESTINATIONS AND IS THERE SOME SORT OF A LINK THAT THAT SORT OF TIES YOU INTO IT FROM THE BEGINNING THAT YOU CAN START TO LOOK AT WHERE THOSE WHERE THE ARTWORK IS LOCATED. SO THERE'S.

ALL RIGHT. SO I'D LIKE TO GET A COPY OF THAT LINK.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING IT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IS ALL OF OUR HOA PRESIDENTS, AND THEY CAN PASS IT OUT TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE THERE, AND THAT'LL BE SOMETHING GOOD. AND ONE THING ALSO IS CVB, OUR CVB HERE, THEY HAVE A BOOKLET THAT THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER, 50 THINGS TO DO IN EAST POINT.

AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A A GREAT ADDITION TO THAT BOOK.

SO IF YOU CAN GET ME THE LINK AND THEN I CAN START TO PUT IT OUT ON JUST TO THE COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE CAN PASS IT ON TO THE RESIDENTS WILL DO.

THANK YOU. THAT THE WHOLE CONCEPT ABOUT SOMETHING TO DO.

YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S LIKE IT, IT'S, IT CAN BE SELF GUIDED IF YOU WANT TO DO IT, BUT MAYBE WHEN THE WEATHER IMPROVES AGAIN, WE WE ACTUALLY DO WHAT MAYBE WE CAN GET ONE OF THE ARTISTS TO COME OUT AND WALK WITH US.

AND THEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A GUIDE ALONG WITH THE ARTIST.

IT GIVES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND ONE MORE THING, I WAS LOOKING AT THE MAP THAT YOU HAD ON THERE FROM THE PRESENTATION, AND I SEE IT SPANS FROM ONE WARD LIKE ONE UP TOP AND IT SORT OF THERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

CORRECT. COULD YOU PHYSICALLY, I MEAN, COULD YOU WALK THESE OR IS IT MORE SO GOING TO BE A, A DRIVABLE TOUR BECAUSE I THINK YOU CAN ACTUALLY WALK THEM.

WHAT YOU SAW AT THE TOP OF THE MAP WAS THE CITY OF ATLANTA. OKAY.

AND THAT WAS THE SPACE BETWEEN ATLANTA AND EAST POINT. THAT'S WHAT YOU SAW. YEAH. BECAUSE I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE MAP AND I WAS LIKE, MAN, IT LOOKS LIKE FROM A ALL THE WAY DOWN TO DC. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW FOR SURE. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE DEDICATION.

THE DEDICATION CEREMONY WE WANT TO DO, IT'LL PROBABLY BE DOWN.

AT THE BUILDING BESIDE BESIDE CHARLIE'S MURAL.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE MURAL OF THE MERMAID THAT'S ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING DOWN NEAR AAMCO TRANSMISSION? YES.

NORMAN BERRY DRIVE. AND THEN YOU LOOK UP. OKAY. SO FROM THERE, CHARLIE'S MURAL IS THERE.

THE ONE WITH ERICA IS ACROSS THE ACROSS THE OTHER SIDE OF NORMAN BERRY.

FABIAN. FABIAN IS UNDER THE MIRROR. UNDER THE UNDERPASS.

ARMANDO. ARMANDO IS RIGHT AT ETHNIC. THEY'RE ALL RIGHT THERE TOGETHER.

SO IT'S VERY WALKABLE. OKAY. YES. ALL RIGHT. GOT AN IDEA.

THANK YOU. OKAY. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE. THIS IS REALLY EXCITING, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT COMES OF IT.

I JUST HAVE SOME, LIKE, LOGISTICAL QUESTIONS AND IT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY COOL IDEA.

IN TERMS OF LIKE, IS IT, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING FOR ADA COMPLIANCE IN TERMS OF PEOPLE THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, SEE IT OR, OR HOW THEY WOULD ENGAGE WITH IT IN THAT ASPECT OF IT.

[00:50:06]

WE CAN DO THAT. ALRIGHTY. AND THEN I THINK COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL HINTED TO THIS A BIT, BUT THE CAPTURE OF THE INFORMATION ARE WE.

SO YOU SAID NO EMAIL ADDRESSES OR ANYTHING WILL BE CAPTURED FOR THIS OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT, THEN THEY THEY GIVE US AN EMAIL ADDRESS, BUT IT'S NOT IT'S NOT SHARED WITH ANYBODY OR ANYTHING LIKE THE USUAL PRIVACY RULES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING QR CODES, THINGS LIKE THAT, JUST MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A SAFETY COMPONENT THERE WHERE PEOPLE CAN, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND IF THEY'RE GIVING THEIR INFORMATION, THAT KIND OF THING.

YES, ONE THING ON THE ADA. SORRY. WITH THE, WITH THE VIDEOS, AT LEAST WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE CAPTIONS ON THOSE.

SO, YOU KNOW, AS LARGE AS, AS WE CAN GET, ALL THE SIGNS ARE HUNG ON A PARTICULAR HEIGHT AS WELL FOR ADA COMPLIANCE.

SO WHERE WE CAN, WE ABSOLUTELY INCORPORATED THAT.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT. AND IF THE TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BECOME OBSOLETE AT ANY TIME, IS THERE, WOULD THERE BE ANY TYPE OF SUPPORT THAT THE VENDOR WOULD OR LIKELY GIVE US A HEADS UP? OR WOULD IT JUST COMPLETELY GO OFFLINE WHEN THE TECHNOLOGY IS.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. NO. I'LL GO RUNNING.

YOU'LL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN. AND I'LL TAKE THE SIGNS DOWN.

NO, THE THE AUGMENTED REALITY TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, IT'S OPEN SOURCE.

SO SORRY FOR THE FLIPPANT ANSWER, BUT IT'S, IT'S OPEN SOURCE.

SO IT'S NOT PROPRIETARY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO IT'S, IT'S VERY COMMONLY USED AND NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE RUN, RUN OUT.

SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHRIS. LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE SIGNAGE, I MEAN, WE TALK ABOUT QR CODES. PROBABLY IN YOUR HEADS RIGHT NOW YOU JUST SEE A QR CODE STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING WHERE THESE PIECES OF ARTWORK ARE.

THAT'S NOT HOW IT GOES. THE SIGNS ARE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRINTED IMAGE OF THE ACTUAL MURAL, AND THE QR CODE IS IN THE CORNER OF IT.

SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT THEY'RE ENGAGING WITH THE ACTUAL MURAL THAT'S RIGHT BEFORE THEM. SO. WELL, I LOVE THE CONCEPT. I THINK IT'S REALLY COOL FOR THE SMART CITY AND TRYING TO MOVE US FORWARD.

SO THANK YOU FOR THIS INNOVATIVE IDEA. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OKAY. AND THE NEXT ITEM IS THE 2024 AUDIT STATUS AND COMPLETION PLAN.

ACTUALLY THIS WAS JUST AN UPDATE AND I WILL HAVE TO SEND AN.

WELL, THE ACTUAL THERE'S A REQUEST FOR THE PLAN.

SO AS OF, I THINK IT WAS SEPTEMBER THE 20TH. WHAT IS IT.

SORRY. SEPTEMBER 23RD. WE HIRED BACK FROM MAULDIN AND JENKINS AND THE FY 2024 AUDIT REMAINS OUTSTANDING.

AND THE LAST INFORMATION FROM OUR EXTERNAL AUDITOR MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THERE IS STILL MORE ITEMS THAT, THAT ARE OUTSTANDING. AND SO THE AUDIT REPORT SHOWS THAT THE AUDIT, THE AUDIT IS MORE THAN 50% MORE THAN 50% OF THE REQUESTED INFORMATION WAS NOT IS STILL OUTSTANDING FROM MAY OF LAST YEAR, MAY OF THIS YEAR TO JULY WITH KEY FEDERAL AWARD DOCUMENTATIONS COMPLETED LETTER LATER IN JULY AND IN AUGUST.

AND SO THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE FROM MAULDIN AND JENKINS.

AND IT EXPLAINED IN THE LETTER THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THEM THAT THE AUDITOR ALSO IDENTIFIES UNRESOLVED MATTERS INVOLVING POOL CASH INTERFUND BALANCES, CAPITAL ASSETS JOURNAL ENTRIES, FEDERAL AWARD REPORTING AND OTHER AND OTHER SUPPORT. AND SO AT THIS POINT COUNCIL DOES, WE'RE NOT SEEKING ANOTHER LIKE GENERAL PROGRESS REPORT AND LIKE WITH THE PERCENTAGES.

SO WE'RE I'M, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN BY LIKE OCTOBER 19TH.

AND WE'RE REQUESTING SOME DOCUMENTS IDENTIFYING.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DOCUMENTS IDENTIFYING WHAT REMAINS OUTSTANDING.

WHO OWNS EACH ITEM, WHAT RESOURCES WOULD BE REQUIRED AND WHEN EACH ITEM WILL BE COMPLETED.

AND WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EXTERNAL AUDITOR IS INVOLVED IN ESTABLISHING MEASURABLE MILESTONES FOR 2024, 25 AND 26. AND SO RIGHT. AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

AND THAT WAS NOT AN ACTUAL PRESENTATION OF AN ACTION PLAN.

IT'S MORE OF A REQUEST TO KIND OF START ROLLING OUT THAT PLAN AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE MILESTONES ARE SO WE CAN COMPLETE

[00:55:07]

EXCUSE ME. THE MAYOR IS NOT TO MAKE A MOTION.

YEAH. SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS TO MAKE IT. RIGHT? RIGHT.

I DIDN'T MAKE IT. I HAD A QUESTION REAL QUICK.

WAIT A SECOND. OKAY. I WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE.

GO AHEAD. I HAD A. OKAY, SO THE MOTION IS GOING TO BE BY OCTOBER 19TH. REQUEST A WRITTEN DOCUMENT IDENTIFYING WHAT REMAINS OUTSTANDING, WHO OWNS EACH ITEM, WHAT RESOURCES ARE REQUIRED, AND WHEN EACH ITEM WILL BE COMPLETED AS IT PERTAINS TO THE AUDIT'S 2024, 2025, AND 2026. AND THE REQUEST ALSO INVOLVES THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR IN ESTABLISHING HAVING THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR ESTABLISH MEASURABLE MILESTONES FOR THOSE AUDITS.

WAS THAT IT? SECOND, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS REALLY QUICK.

OKAY. WE HAVE A SECOND FOR DISCUSSION. GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN MITCHELL.

THANKS. SO THAT WAS JUST A LOT TO UNPACK. SO DID THEY GIVE US AN ESTIMATED DATE OF COMPLETION FOR THE 2024 AUDIT? NO, I KNOW THERE WERE DELAYS THAT THEY EXPOUND ON WHAT THOSE DELAYS WERE, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS AUDIT FOR NOW, A WHILE NOW.

AND YOU'RE SAYING IT'S NO MORE THAN 50? OR ARE THEY MISSING 50% OF THE INFORMATION? SURE. SO WHEN I SPOKE TO THEM, THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT.

THEY SAID THEY HAD UP TO 40% OF THE AUDITS. THEY DID IDENTIFY IN THE LETTER THAT WAS WRITTEN THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL DELAYS DUE TO RESOURCES, DELAYS ON THE TURNAROUND TIME, PER THE REQUEST THAT THEY MADE FOR INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. THEY COMMUNICATED THAT THEY HAVE A A MEETING WEEKLY WITH EASTPOINTE.

AND SO THERE WERE JUST TIMES ALONG THE, SINCE THEY STARTED THE AUDIT BACK LAST YEAR THAT THERE WAS EITHER NO RESPONSE.

AND THEN THERE WAS A DECREASE IN RESOURCES TO SUPPORT FINANCE TO EXECUTE THOSE THOSE TASKS.

DID THEY GET THIS REPORT TO YOU IN THE EMAIL OR HAVE YOU FORWARD THIS TO US? CAN WE GET A COPY OF THIS? YES, I CAN. I'LL FORWARD IT OFF TO I SENT I CALLED THEM LAST MONTH AND THEN THEY SENT OVER A JUST A RUNDOWN OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS AND REALLY QUICK.

I JUST HAD SOME CONCERNS. WE, I DON'T KNOW THE ACTUAL STAFFING LEVEL, BUT I'M JUST MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY IN OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT. I KNOW WE WERE ASKING FOR EXTERNAL AUDITORS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE THOSE OR. I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR HR TO COME IN OR POSSIBLY HR TO COME IN AND HIRE A CONSULTANT GROUP.

BUT AS FOR THE MOTION, I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE ALL THOSE POSITIONS FILLED.

OKAY. DO WE WANT TO GO TO COUNCILMAN? OH, BUT I MEAN, I AGREE WITH THE REPORT.

I'M JUST I JUST HAD 1 OR 2 CONCERNS ABOUT OUR STAFFING SITUATION IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, BUT THANK YOU, I YIELD. OKAY. COUNCILMAN ATKINS.

YES. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO ASK, I KNOW THAT WE DID GET AN EMAIL REGARDING THAT AND I THINK MISS TYLER, YOU WERE GOING TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT. SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN SHARE REGARDING THAT IN TERMS OF MAYBE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT MAULDIN AND JENKINS HAS PROVIDED TO YOU AND WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT IS NEEDED, AND BEING ABLE TO MEET OUR DEADLINE SO THAT WE CAN GET THESE AUDITS MOVING FORWARD.

IF YOU COULD SHARE, I'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ATKINS. AND THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SO I DO HAVE AN UPDATE AS OF FRIDAY. WE ARE DOWN TO TEN ITEMS. THE PROBLEM IS NOT WHO OWNS THE ITEMS. IT'S IT'S AT THIS POINT, IT'S DATA PULLING.

IT'S LIKE DATA MINING. IN RESPECT TO WHAT COUNCILMAN MITCHELL JUST MENTIONED.

WHAT I HAVE DISCOVERED IS WE'VE HAD ONE PERSON DEDICATED TO THE AUDIT, AND HE ALSO HAS BEEN OPERATING IN THE DE FACTO CAPACITY AS THE INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR.

[01:00:05]

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS, IS THAT THIS IS AUDITOR SEASON.

SO A LOT OF THE GOOD FOLKS THAT DO WORK INDEPENDENTLY ARE NOT AVAILABLE.

THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU ALL HAD ALSO TASKED ME WITH FINDING AN EXTERNAL AUDITOR TO BE ON SITE.

WE HAVE. WE WILL BE REVIEWING THE. WE RECEIVED THREE APPLICANTS.

WE'RE GOING TO BE REVIEWING THEM TOMORROW AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO FIND SOMEONE THAT CAN COME IN AND ACTUALLY RUN THE. 24 I'M SORRY, THE 25 AND 26 AUDITS. WE HAVE AN INTERNAL DEADLINE THAT WE NEED TO COMPLETE, AND THAT DEADLINE IS BEFORE OCTOBER 19TH. AND I'M PRAYERFUL THAT WE WILL HIT THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME MARKS THAT WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO SHOW OUR AUDIT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE.

SO I MAYOR YOU STATED OCTOBER 19TH. HOWEVER, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL THE ITEMS PULLED AND IN AND BE.

OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THE REMAINING ITEMS PULLED AND BEING REVIEWED.

MALDEN JENKINS WILL THEN BE DOING REVIEW. SO AT THAT POINT, WORST CASE SCENARIO IS AT THE END OF NOVEMBER.

HOWEVER, WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO GET THIS THING COMPLETED ON OUR SIDE BY OCTOBER 31ST.

SO THAT THAT IS MY UPDATE FOR THE FY 24. WE HAVE NOT STARTED 25 NOR 26.

OKAY. SO THEY'RE THEY'RE WAITING FOR. 24 FOR TEN DOCUMENTS, BUT IT'S ABOUT DATA MINING.

IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S TEN ITEMS. SO IT IS DATA MINING. IT'S PULLING INFORMATION.

I ACTUALLY LOOKED AT SOME OF THE LIST WEEK BEFORE LAST WE HAD ABOUT 30 ITEMS. SO JOSEPH HAS REALLY BEEN DILIGENT AND HE'S DONE VERY WELL.

BUT IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S ACTUALLY HUNTING DOWN A DOCUMENT.

SOMETIMES IT'S GOING THROUGH B, S, A, AND OTHER SOFTWARES THAT WE HAVE TO FIND ITEMS. SO IT HAS BEEN REDUCED. I HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY STAYING ON TOP OF AND WATCHING WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING, BUT YES, IT'S DOWN, IT'S DOWN TO BETWEEN 10 AND 7 ITEMS THAT THE AUDITOR IS REQUESTING AT THIS POINT.

OKAY. AND WITH THAT DATA, IN TERMS OF MOVING FORWARD AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN MEET DEADLINES FOR THE SUBSEQUENT AUDITS, AFTER THAT, WE'RE IMPROVING THE PROCESSES OR HOW WE STORE THAT DATA SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE DELAYS FOR THE OTHER TWO YEARS.

WE HAVE INTERNAL CONTROLS THAT NEED TO BE TIGHTENED UP.

SOME OF THAT IS WHERE WE HOUSE OUR DOCUMENTS, OUR CONTRACTS.

RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE. AND IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE SOFTWARE TO DO IT.

WE'RE NOT UTILIZING BSN, RN, BSN, AYE IS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.

WE'RE NOT UTILIZING BSN AYE IN THE MANNER THAT WE SHOULD BE UTILIZING IT.

IT SHOULD BE USED AS A DEPOSITORY. WE SHOULD BE USING IT WITH ANY CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE.

IT SHOULD BE STORED SOMEWHERE IN BSN AYE WE PAY OUT OF BSN A.

SO THAT SHOULD BE A REFERENCE POINT FOR ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

WE NEED TO START MAKING CERTAIN THAT OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS COPIES OF, OF CONTRACTS AND SUCH.

SO ONCE WE, I THINK THIS YEAR I'VE, I'VE BEEN VERY VERBAL JUST IN ASKING PEOPLE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE MAKE CERTAIN ALL THE APPROPRIATE AREAS OF THE CITY HAS THESE DOCUMENTS.

HOPEFULLY GOING FORWARD, WE'LL GET FOLKS MORE IN TUNE TO ADHERING TO THAT AND WE'LL HAVE LESS ISSUES WITH OUR AUDIT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL.

THANK YOU. TWO QUESTIONS. WE BELIEVE WE MADE A MOTION A WHILE AGO TO WHAT WAS THE MOTION? WELL, LET ME ASK THIS ONE FIRST.

WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET BOOK A DIGITIZATION PROJECT.

WILL THIS I MEAN I THINK THE TOTAL FOR THIS PROJECT IS ROUGHLY $1.3 MILLION.

WILL THIS DIGITIZATION PROJECT ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING NOW? I THINK THAT IT CAN, IF IT IS DONE IN A CONCISE MANNER.

THERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS THAT I WOULD, THAT I WOULD LOVE TO DISCUSS WITH DURHAM.

[01:05:02]

AND THAT'S ALSO DIGITIZING OLDER DOCUMENTS. I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT 25.

SO I'M LOOKING YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE GOING FORWARD WON'T BE SO MUCH DIGITIZATION, BUT IT'LL BE HOW WE STORE THESE DOCUMENTS.

I'M NOT SURE IF OUR, I DON'T THINK OUR 25 DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN DIGITIZED AND ALL OF THEM, IT WASN'T CITY WIDE.

IT WAS SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE DONE. OKAY.

AND MAYBE WE CAN EXPLORE JUST THAT PROJECT A LITTLE BIT LATER TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THE PRIORITIES ARE, WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON, AND IF THERE ARE PRIORITIES IN THIS REALM THAT WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, ALLOCATE SOME RESOURCES TO COULD POSSIBLY JUST GET AHEAD OF THAT.

THE OTHER QUESTION IS WE DID MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS ACTING CITY MANAGER OR CITY ATTORNEY TO REACH OUT TO STATE REPRESENTATIVES. I THINK THERE WAS AND COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY FUNDING OR JUST ASSISTANCE THEY COULD POTENTIALLY PROVIDE TO HELP OUT WITH THE AUDITS.

IS THERE AN UPDATE ON THAT? YES. AND THAT WAS YOU TASKED THAT TO ME AND I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY RESOURCES OF THAT TYPE. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THIS QUESTION IS FOR INTERIM CITY MANAGER.

I KNOW YOU SAID THAT WE WOULD WE COULD STAND TO BE A WHOLE LOT MORE EFFICIENT IF WE WERE PROPERLY UTILIZING THE BSA.

SO IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR REASON WHY IT'S NOT BEING UTILIZED AS IT SHOULD? IS IT A TRAINING COMPONENT? IS IT THAT THEY'RE NON-COMPLIANT? WHAT IS IT? WHY? WHY ARE WE NOT USING IT AS WE SHOULD? I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO LEAN WITH TRAINING.

WE HAVE QUITE A FEW OF OUR STAFF THAT ARE AT A CONFERENCE THIS WEEK RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. I THINK THAT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AND THIS IS A PRE ME STATEMENT THAT WE MIGRATED INTO A CLOUD ATMOSPHERE.

AND I, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LITTLE RELUCTANCE TO CHANGE, BUT I DO FEEL THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO TRAIN.

ALSO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD IS IF WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE THAT MIGRATE INTO BEING SUPER TRAINERS SO THAT THEY CAN TRAIN, THEY CAN CONTINUE TRAINING OF FOLKS WHILE WE'RE HERE.

AND WE DO HAVE WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY GREAT AT BSA AND THEY'RE GREAT WITH PULLING DOCUMENTS.

THEY'RE GREAT WITH RUNNING REPORTS. AND SO I JUST FEEL THAT IT WE JUST HAVE TO BE VERY ADHERED TO THE USAGE AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE ADVANTAGE OF USING BSSN AYE IN THE MANNER THAT IT WAS CREATED.

OKAY. AND I KNOW YOU SAID THAT WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS.

WE HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES THAT ARE AT TRAINING NOW FOR BSA, SO WHEN WE MIGRATED OVER TO BSA AND I KNOW NORMALLY, LIKE WHEN YOU BRING SOMETHING LIKE THAT OVER, THERE'S NORMALLY A, A TRAINING COMPONENT FROM THE, I'LL JUST SAY BSA PEOPLE WHERE THEY WILL ACTUALLY BRING INDIVIDUALS OUT THAT WILL TRAIN OUT.

SO LIKE A TRAIN THE TRAINER. SO WAS THAT EVER AN OPTION FOR US? OR IF NOT, IS THERE SOME SORT OF A TECH SUPPORT OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GET? SO WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THERE IS A STRONG B S TECH SUPPORT.

I'VE MET SOME OF THEM WHEN I WENT TO ATHENS FOR THE GCMA.

I, I AM NOT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ROLLED IT OUT BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT WAS A PRE ME.

I'M NOT SURE IF THEY CAME ON SITE OR IF A FEW PEOPLE WENT TO THE HEADQUARTERS.

I'M NOT, I DON'T KNOW. I DO KNOW THAT WE HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT WERE CONSIDERED SUPER TRAINERS AND ONE IS NOT HERE ANY LONGER, SO WE'RE OKAY. WELL, I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF IS PROPERLY TRAINED, BECAUSE WHAT IT DOES IS IT CREATES A DOMINO EFFECT.

IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO UTILIZE IT, THEN THEY AREN'T ABLE TO PULL THE REPORTS AND THOSE THINGS THAT THEY NEED.

AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE REPORTS AND THAT CAN'T BE GIVEN TO THE AUDITOR, AND IF THE AUDITOR DOESN'T HAVE A NEED, THEN WE ARE WHERE WE ARE NOW.

SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THIS A PRIORITY, THAT ACROSS THE BOARD FOR EVERY MEMBER THAT THAT DOES UTILIZE BSA, THAT THEY ARE EFFICIENT, PROFICIENT WITH USING IT.

[01:10:04]

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A MOTION OR WHATEVER, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THAT.

THANK YOU. I YIELD, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. AND COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS.

YES. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GO ON THE RECORD AND JUST SAY THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, FOR BRINGING THIS AND CONTINUING TO PUSH THIS, BUT THE AUDITS HAVE APPEARED ON OUR AGENDA AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE AUDITS HAVE APPEARED ON OUR AGENDA OVER 20 TIMES, OVER 20 TIMES SINCE MARCH 2025. AND WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED UPDATES TO THE AUDITS AND WHERE WE ARE IN THE AUDITS. BUT I THINK WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TONIGHT FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING AT HOME, PLEASE GO INSIDE OUR AGENDA PACKET SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR YOURSELF.

NUMEROUS MEETINGS, NUMEROUS UPDATES WERE PROVIDED FOR 2024 2025.

THERE'S ALSO A FOOTNOTE HERE. BUT WHAT ALSO IS IMPORTANT IN THIS PACKET IS THE ACTUAL LETTER FROM THE AUDITING FIRM.

FOR 19 MONTHS WE'VE ASKED ABOUT THESE AUDITS WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE FINISHED.

AND FOR 19 MONTHS WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED UPDATES THAT DO NOT ALIGN WITH WHAT THE AUDITOR HAS SENT US TONIGHT.

SO NUMBER ONE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT COUNCIL HAS BEEN GETTING AUDIT UPDATES FOR MONTHS.

AND THE REASON WHY THIS LETTER MATTERS IS BECAUSE IT LETS US COMPARE WHAT COUNCIL WAS TOLD AND WHAT THE ACTUAL AUDITOR IS SAYING RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY. SO PLEASE, FOR THOSE OF YOU ALL THAT ARE WATCHING AT HOME, PLEASE GO AND READ THE AUDITOR'S LETTER.

THE OTHER THING IS, THE AUDITOR SAID MORE THAN 40% OF THE REQUESTED INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BETWEEN MAY AND JULY.

THAT RAISES A QUESTION, BECAUSE COUNSEL WAS TOLD ON JUNE 15TH THAT 98% OF THE 122 REQUESTS HAD ALREADY BEEN CLEARED. IT'S A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD.

IT'S IN OUR MEETING. PLEASE GO BACK AND WATCH THE MEETING.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT I FIND VERY INTERESTING IS THAT THE AUDITOR'S TIMELINE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE CITY SENT THE TRIAL BALANCE ON FEBRUARY 11TH, BUT SOME OF THE NEEDED ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENTS WERE NOT PROVIDED UNTIL MAY 15TH.

SO FOR THOSE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE IN TUNE AND WATCHING, SOMETIMES YOU DO GET ACCURATE INFORMATION, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THE LETTER FROM THE AUDITOR.

THIS HAS APPEARED ON OUR AGENDA NUMEROUS TIMES IN NUMEROUS TIMES.

WE WERE TOLD IT'S GOING TO BE READY HERE. THEN BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

BUT NOW THE AUDITOR IS GIVING US A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHEN AND WHAT IS TRANSPIRED.

ALTHOUGH COUNCIL MADE THESE REQUESTS ABOUT THE AUDITS.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION IS OUT THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE TO BE ENGAGED, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF THE ACCURATE AND FACTUAL INFORMATION.

BUT FOR 19 MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET OUR AUDITS DONE.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT. I'VE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA SEVERAL TIMES.

ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER HAS PUT IT ON, AND WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN A CLEAR CUT PICTURE IN THIS LETTER FROM THE AUDITOR PROVIDES THAT NOT ONLY TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, BUT TO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY, AND I'LL YIELD.

MADAM MAYOR AND I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE ACTING CITY MANAGER.

BACK IN APRIL, WE TRIED TO PUSH FOR AN EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO GET THIS DONE, AND IT WAS MET WITH PUSHBACK. DO WE NEED TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT FOR YOU TO GET THE PEOPLE IN YOUR OFFICES SO THAT WE CAN GET AT LEAST 2024 DONE? CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO GET THIS AUDIT DONE, AND DOES IT ALIGN WITH THE REQUEST OF THE MAYOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT NEEDS? WELL, MR. MILLER NEEDS ASSISTANCE. IN OTHER INSTANCES, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.

WHEN YOU'RE DOING A MUNICIPAL AUDIT, YOU HAVE A TEAM.

YOU AT LEAST HAVE 2 TO 3 PEOPLE TO ASSIST. HE IS DOING THIS BY HIMSELF.

SO WHAT IS NEEDED IS BODIES. THE THE PROCUREMENT IS GREAT.

IT'S FINDING PEOPLE. IT'S REALLY FINDING PEOPLE AT THIS TIME.

[01:15:03]

WE'RE IN THE CLEANUP STAGE. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS THE MOTION.

OKAY. SO WE GO AHEAD AND DO YOU HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION? YES. COME IN. ALL RIGHT. SO, COUNCILMAN ATKINS? YES. SO, MISS TYLER, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO IF WE'RE GOING OUTSIDE TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO COME IN, AT WHAT LEVEL OF TRAINING WILL THEY NEED? BECAUSE IF WE'RE DATA MINING WILL WE HAVE FOLKS HERE THAT WE CAN TRAIN THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE THINGS TOGETHER? OR WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IF IT WOULDN'T BE MR. MILLER, WHO WOULD, OR WOULD HE BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT HE'S BEEN TASKED WITH DOING? NO. SO ONE OF THE THINGS IT LOOKS LIKE, AND THIS IS WHERE THE WHERE YOU ALL TASKED ME WITH GETTING THAT INDEPENDENT PERSON TO COME IN TO DO THE AUDIT, TO WORK ON GETTING THE AUDIT CLEANED UP.

THAT PERSON, HOPEFULLY THAT WOULD BE THE OVERSEER FOR THAT.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO BE WELL VERSED IN WHETHER IT'S ORACLE, WHETHER IT'S BSN THAT COMING OUT OF A CONSULTANT BACKGROUND THAT UNDERSTANDS THE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE THAT ABILITY TO ASSESS WHAT'S NEEDED AND START PULLING.

SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT A NOVICE. WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO THIS IS WHAT THEY DO.

ONE OF THE OPTIONS WOULD BE, AND I REALLY TRY TO, TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS OPTION WOULD BE THE POSSIBILITY OF ENGAGING.

AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, ENGAGING A FIRM THAT WOULD COME IN AND WORK ON SITE TO DO THAT, ACTUAL PULLING DOCUMENTS AND SUCH. AND JUST IN MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE.

BEING ON SITE HELPS CUT DOWN A LOT OF THE TIME BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE REMOTING IN. THAT SOUNDS GREAT, BUT THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO LITERALLY GO AND STAND IN FRONT OF SOMEONE AND ASK THEM, THIS IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, AND EXPLAINING TO THEM WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.

MR. MILLER DOESN'T HAVE THAT BANDWIDTH. HE REALLY DOESN'T.

AND HE'S BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT HE IS CONSTANTLY INTERRUPTED DURING THE DAY AND MUCH OF HIS WORK HE'S DOING AT NIGHT AND ON THE WEEKENDS.

SO IT MAY BE THAT WE WOULD ENGAGE A FIRM, I THINK THAT I WOULD HAVE A BETTER A BETTER RESPONSE FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AFTER WE, WE MEET MY, THE COMMITTEE MEETS TOMORROW TO REVIEW THE APPLICANTS THAT WE RECEIVED.

OKAY. AND I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION REGARDING THAT.

SO IF WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR AN OBVIOUS NOVICE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT SOMEONE IS WELL VERSED IN LIKE YOU SAID, ORACLE BSN AYE. SO THE INFORMATION IS IN THE SYSTEM.

WE'RE SURE THE INFORMATION IS IN THE SYSTEM. WE JUST NEED SOMEONE TO MINE THAT DATA.

IT'S NOT, I GUESS, STORED WHERE IT SHOULD BE OR IN THE PROPER PLACE THAT WAS DESIGNED THROUGH ONE OF THOSE PLATFORMS, WHETHER IT'S BSA OR ORACLE, OR DO WE HAVE TO ALSO GET THE INFORMATION IN THE SYSTEM? SOME OF THE INFORMATION IS NOT IN THE SYSTEM.

OKAY. WITHOUT GOING INTO A LOT OF DETAILS THERE'S SOMEONE THAT THE CITY CONTRACTS WITH THAT WE NEEDED TO GET AN AUDIT FROM THAT PARTICULAR ENTITY. WE DIDN'T HAVE A COPY OF IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WITH CERTAIN THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK THAT MR. MILLER IS A STUDENT OF TO KNOW THIS IS AN OUTSIDE SITUATION.

I THINK THERE'S ONE EXERCISE THAT ENTAILS COMPLETION OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE HOTEL SALES TAX.

IT'S NOT A BIG TASK, BUT IT'S A TASK THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF ATTENTION.

AND SO THAT WILL BE A TASK THAT HE PUTS OFF UNTIL IT'S QUIET.

OKAY. OKAY. GO AHEAD. SO THIS IS ENTERPRISE WIDE IN TERMS OF GETTING THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION IN THE SYSTEM.

SO IT'S READILY AVAILABLE. AND MOVING FORWARD WE WOULD BE ABLE TO READILY PROVIDE THAT TO THE AUDITORS.

CORRECT. FOR OUR ANNUAL AUDITS. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. SO COUNCIL WE HAVE COUNCILMAN MITCHELL IS THE ONLY ONE.

[01:20:08]

I THINK THEY DO HAVE DIFFERENT SPECIALTY SPECIALTIES, ACCESS TO DIFFERENT RESOURCES, DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EXPERTISE WITH THESE OPERATING SYSTEMS. AND INSTEAD OF GOING OUT LOOKING FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE WITH CERTAIN SKILLS.

AND I THINK OUR TIMELINE IS REALLY TIGHT. I THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD GO WITH THE FIRM.

THAT MIGHT BE THE QUICKEST WAY TO RESOLVE THIS.

I'M NOT SURE THE THOUGHTS, BUT, I MEAN, THAT JUST CAME UP, SO I FOUND THAT TO BE AN INTERESTING TAKE ON THAT.

BUT I YIELD. THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCIL. WE ARE IN THE LAST ROUND, BUT SINCE WE HAVE CAN WE DO YOU WANT TO CALL FOR THE MOTION OR DO YOU HAVE MORE DISCUSSION? COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL MOTION SHOULD BE WHAT IS THE MARGIN HERE? YEAH I HAVE A QUESTION. OKAY. YEAH. BUT THE I'M SORRY. CITY ATTORNEY THERE MOTION. WE ALREADY HAD A MOTION FOR EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT.

RIGHT. AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING. SO EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT IS ALREADY ON THE TABLE.

SO DO WE HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER MOTION FOR EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT OR A DIFFERENT OR OR DOES THE DOES THE MOTION NEED TO BE MORE SPECIFIC FOR THE TYPE OF COMPANY THAT WE'RE ASKING TO DO THE PROCUREMENT FOR? MADAM MAYOR, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT THE MOTION WAS FROM THE PAST TO DETERMINE IF ANOTHER MOTION IS REQUIRED.

OKAY. SO DO WE HAVE THE RECORD OF THE MOTION THAT WAS ENTERED IN? I THINK WE SAID ON THE 14TH OR APRIL. I CAN GIVE SOME CONTEXT BECAUSE I MADE THE MOTION.

OKAY. IT WAS TO BRING ON A CPA RESOURCE TO ASSIST WITH THE FY 24, 25 AND 26 AUDITS.

AND THE QUESTION THAT I WOULD HAVE. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN.

ONE, IT'S BETTER TO HAVE SOMEONE ON SITE JUST BECAUSE SOME OF THE INFORMATION CAN BE DIGITAL OR IT CAN BE JUST AROUND THE OFFICE.

AND THEN TWO, YOU MENTIONED PRIORITY WOULD BE HAVING BODIES VERSUS A SPECIALIZED.

I THINK I HEARD YOU ALSO SAY SOME THINGS THAT WERE SPECIALIZED, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR YOU SAY CPA.

SO I GUESS THAT WAS ONE OF THE POINTS IN THE MOTION AND JUST TRYING TO SEE IF THAT IS TRULY NEEDED.

AND I BELIEVE YOU WERE GOING TO COME BACK. WE PUT THIS ON THE WORK SESSION FOR OCTOBER A LINE ITEM TO REVIEW THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE REVIEWING THOSE OPTIONS NEXT WEEK, NEXT MONDAY.

SO I DO APOLOGIZE. I THINK THAT THE CPA OR SOMEONE THAT HAS CREDENTIALS.

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE P STANDS FOR.

GAP. GAP CREDENTIALS. AND IN THE IN THE POST THAT WE PUT OUT THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS. SO HEAVY MUNICIPAL FINANCE EXPERIENCE UNDERSTANDING FROM A BUDGETING PERSPECTIVE TO AN AUDITING PERSPECTIVE.

SO, AND THERE ARE CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE TO KEEP THEIR CREDENTIALS UP. SO THAT, THAT WAS PART OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE RFQ THAT WE PUT OUT.

OKAY. SO WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE OPTIONS TO CONSIDER NEXT WEEK.

OKAY. SO ALL RIGHT. ANY COUNCILWOMAN COMMENTS? YOU HAVE ONE MORE. THIS IS. GO AHEAD. I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET EVERYBODY TO SPEAK.

HAVE A CHANCE TO. OKAY. THAT'S FINE. SO I KNOW YOU SAY YOU'RE INTERVIEWING SOME PEOPLE ON TOMORROW. THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE ONE PERSON. NO, NO, NO, LET ME MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR. SO OUR RFQ CLOSED AND WE'RE WE'RE WE HAVE A PANEL.

WE'RE REVIEWING THE APPLICATIONS. AND SO WE'LL SCORE THEM AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

SO THAT'S JUST FOR ONE PERSON. NO IT'S THREE PEOPLE FOR THREE.

OH SO IT WAS THREE. NO NO NO NO. BUT ONCE YOU GO THROUGH THAT AND YOU YOU INTERVIEW I MEAN YOU REVIEW IT.

[01:25:01]

BUT I CAN I WILL COME BACK NEXT WEEK AND PRESENT THE FINDINGS.

AND MAYBE WE'LL BE ABLE TO PRESENT MORE THAN ONE PERSON.

OKAY. YEAH. AND I KNOW WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT WE'VE ALSO ENTERTAINED A FIRM.

FIRM WILL GIVE YOU MORE BODIES. AND THE THING IS, LIKE YOU SAID, FOR THE THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S WORKING THERE CURRENTLY, IT'S JUST ONE PERSON. THAT'S TRUE. AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE NEED BODIES.

WE DO TO TO TO GET THIS DONE. SO I DON'T KNOW.

WE'LL COME BACK AND WE'LL WAIT ON TO SEE WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE BECAUSE I THINK IT MAY AFFIRM MAYBE BETTER, I DON'T KNOW, JUST FOR WHAT IT IS THAT WE NEED TO DO.

I MEAN, I KNOW WE HAVE ONE PERSON, IF YOU BRING ANOTHER PERSON, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH, HOW EFFECTIVE THAT'S GOING TO BE. WELL, I DO THINK WE GOT SOME SUBMISSIONS FROM FIRMS. AND PART OF THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT THEY BE ON SITE.

OKAY. FAIR ENOUGH. THANK YOU, I YIELD. ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. COUNCILMAN ATKINS. YES. SO WITH THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED A MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.

DOESN'T EVEN SOUND LIKE WE HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO PROVIDE ANY TYPE OF REPORT, BECAUSE THE, THE PERSON THAT'S DOING THE AUDIT IS ALREADY SO THINLY STRETCHED.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO AUGMENT THAT SO THAT WE CAN MOVE THESE FORWARD.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF HAVING SOMEONE TO STOP AND GIVE A REPORT, IF THEY'RE TRYING TO GET DOCUMENTATION TOGETHER TO PROVIDE TO THE AUDITOR SO THAT THE PROCESS CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE STILL NEED THAT MOTION, IF WE HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO EVEN PROVIDE THE INFORMATION.

I THINK THAT IT COUNCILMAN ATKINS I THINK WE DO NEED A MOTION.

I THINK IF WE CONTINUE TO LET THINGS FALL BY THE WAYSIDE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO FALL BY THE WAYSIDE, I THINK IF IT'S AN ITEM OF TEN THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CLOSE OUT, CAN WE JUST GET A SCREENSHOT OF WHAT THOSE TEN THINGS ARE AND THEN CHECK THEM OFF AS WE GO? WE MIGHT NOT HAVE A THOROUGH REPORT OF IT, BUT I WOULD, BASED ON WHAT I THE TWO HOUR CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH THE AUDITING COMPANY THAT IT IS, IT SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT.

YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A WEEKLY MEETING. SO WE'RE PAYING THEM.

SO MAYBE WE CAN ASK THEM TO PROVIDE US WITH A STATUS REPORT, AND THEN THEY CAN PRESENT THAT TO US INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE BURDEN OF THE WORK ON THE INTERNAL TEAM. MAYBE THEY CAN ACTUALLY TAKE CARE OF IT.

IF THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DO. AND SO THE MOTION WOULD BE NOT TO TEST OUR INTERNAL TEAM WITH DOING THE WORK BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, THEY ARE STRAPPED, BUT ASKING THE VENDOR THAT WE ARE PAYING FOR TO PROVIDE US WITH A STATUS REPORT, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY DO FOR US.

RIGHT. BUT THAT WASN'T SO. YEAH. SO TO MY POINT IS THAT I THINK OUR MOTION WAS TO TASK OUR STAFF TO DO IT.

AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM MISS TYLER IS THAT WE'RE SO STRAPPED WITH TALENT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND SO I IT MAY BE THAT WE NEED A MOTION, BUT THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR DOESN'T ADDRESS THAT.

IT'S A DIFFERENT MOTION. THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR TASK OUR STAFF.

AND WE'RE SO LIMITED IN CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

OKAY. CAN WE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS BY OCTOBER 19TH.

WELL, I'M NOT MAKING THE MOTION. I'M ASKING. OKAY, SO COUNCILWOMAN.

MARTIN, ROGER. AND I'LL REPEAT THE MOTION JUST TO CLARIFY.

SO BY OCTOBER 19TH I'M REQUESTING A WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION IDENTIFYING WHAT REMAINS OUTSTANDING, WHO OWNS EACH ITEM, WHAT RESOURCES, WHAT RESOURCES ARE REQUIRED, AND WHEN EACH ITEM WILL BE COMPLETED.

ALSO WANT THE EXTERNAL EXTERNAL AUDITOR INVOLVED IN ESTABLISHING MEASURABLE MILESTONES FOR 24, 25, AND 26. AND THAT SO THAT IS TO BE COMPLETED BY, YOU KNOW, THE THE AUDITOR AND NOT BY THE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY. YEAH. SO IT'S EXTERNAL, RIGHT? EXTERNAL. IT'S AN EXTERNAL ACT. OKAY. SO IS THAT THE QUESTION? ARE WE CALLING THE QUESTION. OH I THINK WE'RE STILL IN DISCUSSING IF WE NEED TO AMEND ANYTHING.

NO, THAT WAS TO CALL THE. OH, OKAY. SO WE HAD THE SECOND.

YES. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NO. MADAM. CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

COUNCIL MEMBER FREELY. COUNCIL MEMBER. ATKINS.

NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. CUMMINGS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER.

MITCHELL. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. CALDWELL. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. ROGERS. I. WE GOT NO. WE GOT FIVE.

[01:30:03]

THANK YOU. AND THEN NEXT. NUMBER THREE WAS THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND EQUITY AND INCLUSION SLASH NAME AND LEGISLATIVE DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. MAY I ADD TO THE CITY CLERK? PRESENTATION. WHILE SHE'S PULLING THAT UP, I WANTED TO BRING THIS DISCUSSION BACK TO COUNCIL.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP DURING OUR BUDGETING PROCESS.

AND ULTIMATELY COUNCIL AGREED TO REESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION WITH 250,000 IN SEED MONEY TO CONTINUE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED.

WE WANTED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AROUND A NAME CHANGE FOR GOOD.

A NAME CHANGE AND POTENTIAL LEGISLATION. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO WALK THROUGH A FEW SLIDES AND BRING THIS BACK AS A DISCUSSION FOR COUNCIL. OKAY, YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NUMBER TWO.

FOR RESIDENTS WATCHING, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A RECAP I WANTED TO SHARE A BIT ABOUT WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO EASTPOINTE. YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. ONE, THIS PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED DURING COVID AND THE PROGRAM REALLY HIGHLIGHTED A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT WAS A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY THAT STARTED WELL BEFORE COVID.

AND IT IS STILL IN NEED IN THE COMMUNITY TODAY.

AND THE BIGGEST THING IS OUR POVERTY RATE. WE'RE JUST SHY OF A 20% POVERTY RATE.

AND THIS, THIS BRINGS ON A NEED TO CREATE PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO DRIVE HOUSING STABILITY AND CONNECT RESIDENTS WITH RESOURCES THAT ARE GOING TO BE HELPFUL.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE. NEXT SLIDE.

YEAH, JUST CLICK ON THREE.

OKAY. WELL I CAN MAYBE JUST TALK THROUGH IT. SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE OUR RESIDENTS WITH IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.

THAT WILL ULTIMATELY HAVE A LONG TERM POSITIVE IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT THEY'VE LAUNCHED.

THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT THEY'VE ESTABLISHED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE COULD SEE A COUPLE OF THEM THERE WHEN WE GET TO THE PRESENTATION, WHEN WE DO THIS RIGHT.

AND WE HAVE IN THE PAST THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY IMPACT AND WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? SINCE THIS PROGRAM STARTED, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN INCREASE IS THE HOUSEHOLD MEDIAN INCOME AROUND COVID.

IT WAS JUST A BIT OVER 50,000. TODAY IT'S AT 68,000.

AND THIS IS A, A RESULT WHEN WE CONNECT RESIDENTS WITH EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES WHERE THEY CAN OBTAIN HIGHER INCOME PAYING JOBS, ALSO PERMANENT OWNERSHIP.

THIS. THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOCUSED ON PROGRAMS TO HOMEOWNER HOME BUYER PROGRAMS, READINESS PROGRAMS, AND ALSO HELP TO PUT OVER 60 PEOPLE INTO HOMES HELPED WITH DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PARTNERSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS THERE AS WELL. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN GET TO THE SLIDE, CAN GO DOWN AGAIN THE NEXT ONE. OKAY, SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION WAS REALLY TO TALK THROUGH OUR NEXT STEPS AS COUNCIL.

SO WE WANTED TO REVIEW A NAME CHANGE. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THE OFFICE OF EMPOWERMENT.

IF WE LOOK AT A LOT OF OUR ESTABLISHED BRANDING AROUND THIS DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE THE EMPOWERMENT GALA.

[01:35:07]

AND SO BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT FROM A MARKETING PERSPECTIVE, MY RECOMMENDATION WAS THE OFFICE OF EMPOWERMENT, BUT I'M OPEN TO HEAR WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY AS WELL.

AND THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, AND WE CAN PUT OURSELVES IN A POSITION TO RECEIVE FUNDING IF NEEDED.

CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO BRING UP IS OUR STATE LEGISLATION.

I KNOW ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT CAME UP DURING THE BUDGET IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE IN LINE WITH THE STATE LAW, SPECIFICALLY AROUND GRATUITIES, WHERE IT RESTRICTS LEGISLATIVE GIFTS AND FORGIVENESS OF PUBLIC DEBT.

AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE OR HIGHLIGHT YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF POLICIES THAT ARE ALREADY ESTABLISHED TODAY THAT SPECIFICALLY FOCUS ON ELIGIBILITY, HOW WE DOCUMENT THE PROCESS AND HAVE SOME SAFEGUARDS AROUND PAYMENT CONTROLS.

AND SO MY ASK IS THAT COUNCIL WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S ALREADY DOCUMENTED TODAY FROM AN EAST POINT POLICY PERSPECTIVE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE WOULD NEED TO ADD TO THAT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE WITHIN THE STATE LAWS.

BUT IT ALL LOOKS LIKE WE ARE. AND THEN THE LAST SLIDE IS REALLY THE FORMAL ADD.

SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. WHEN I LOOK AT THE STATE LEGISLATION AND IT TALKS ABOUT RESTRICTING OUR ABILITY TO, TO PROVIDE LEGISLATIVE GIFTS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME TO MIND IS BY TRULY ESTABLISHING A STAND ALONE DIVISION WHERE WE CAN CREATE MEASURED GOALS AND WE CAN ATTACH GOALS TO THIS PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.

WE, WE KIND OF ENSURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT PROVIDING LEGISLATIVE GIFTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

WHEN WE HAVE A DEFINED REASON FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND GOALS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRACK.

SO MY ASK IS TWO PART ONE TO THE ACTING CITY MANAGER, WHICH IS JUST TO LOOK AT THE DIVISION STATUS AND CAN WE ACTUALLY STRUCTURE THIS IN A WAY PASS ALONG OR ALIGNING THAT $250,000 THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR SEED MONEY? AND ESTABLISH A DIVISION WITH SPECIFIC MEASURABLE GOALS? AND FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY. MY ASK IS TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY ACTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED FROM US IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THIS DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION AS IT IS TODAY.

AND ALSO TO REVIEW ANY STATE ELIGIBILITY POLICY AND OUR POLICIES TO SEE THAT WE ARE COVERING.

WE ARE WITHIN ALIGNMENT WITH STATE LAW. NO.

I DO HAVE A MOTION IF WE WANT TO MAKE IT, BUT WE CAN ALSO GET A LITTLE BIT OF DIALOG FROM COUNCIL.

OKAY, WELL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION. I MOVE TO REQUEST THAT THE ACTING CITY MANAGER EXPLORE MAKING THE OFFICE OF EMPOWERMENT A STANDALONE DIVISION, WITH THE ALLOCATED $250,000 THAT WAS APPROVED IN THE BUDGET, ALONG WITH ESTABLISHING MEASURABLE GOALS AND BRING THAT BACK TO COUNCIL.

I ALSO REQUEST THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY DETERMINE WHAT CITY, WHAT COUNCIL NEEDS TO DO TO OFFICIALLY CHANGE THE NAME AND ENSURE THE PROGRAMS COMPLY WITH LAW. SECOND, WE HAVE A SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION I JUST. OKAY. SO I WANTED TO KNOW, I KNOW WE HAD ALLOCATED THE $250,000.

DO WE KNOW WHERE IT IS THAT'S IN THE BUDGET TODAY.

IT'S IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IS THAT UNDER THE HOUSING, THE SENIOR HOUSING THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE THE LINE ITEM IS LISTED UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT DOES SAY TO REESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND IT HAS THE LINE ITEM OF $250,000.

OKAY. THAT'S THE. OKAY. SO MY ASK WOULD ALSO OR JUST FOR DISCUSSION TO INCLUDE IN THAT BUDGET THE 250,000. THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER LINE ITEM THAT WAS FOR SENIOR HOUSING.

AND IF THEY COULD ALL KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD, THEY'D BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER,

[01:40:02]

OKAY. SO WOULD WE BE OPEN TO CONSIDER THAT? YEAH.

SURE. AND THAT GIVES THEM AN OPERATING BUDGET OF OF $500,000.

SO WE AT LEAST OPEN IT OR. NO. SURE. MADAM MAYOR, MAY I SPEAK? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. SO THE QUESTION I HAVE THE COUNCIL MEMBER, CUMMINGS, THE LINE ITEM THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO FOR SENIOR HOUSING, IS THAT HOUSING OR IS THAT REPAIRS UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? IS IT JUST HAS TWO HOUSES. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HOME REPAIRS, BUT I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT ALL ONE UNDER THE SAME SHOP.

OR IS THAT SOMETHING IS IT $250,000. THAT'S REPAIRS.

THAT MONEY IS PROBABLY WE PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT $70,000 RIGHT NOW IN THAT.

SO THAT THAT PROGRAM IS ALMOST EXHAUSTED. WE'RE WAITING TO RECEIVE THE $500,000 GRANT THAT MR. WHITFIELD RECEIVED. BUT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TERMS BE.

I'M WAITING FOR HIM TO GIVE ME AN UPDATE ON THE TERMS FOR THAT FUNDING.

SO I MY MY ASK IS THAT WE FIND OUT WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT MONEY.

BUT THE $250,000 THAT WAS ALLOCATED, WE CAN GO FORWARD WITH SEPARATING THAT BACK OUT.

AND THAT'S FINE. I DON'T HAVE A I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. I'M NOT SAYING TO MIX THE FUNDS.

I MEAN, IF THE 200 AND THE 500,000 THAT MR. WHITFIELD HAS AND YOU SAY THE ORIGINAL 250,000 IS DOWN NOW, DOWN TO SEVEN. I'M NOT SAYING TO MIX THOSE FUNDS.

I MEAN, IT'S STILL WHATEVER THEY'RE ALLOCATED FOR, THEY USE THEM FOR THAT, FOR THOSE INTENT, ALL INTENDED PURPOSES.

BUT THE THING IS, COULD IT OPERATE UNDER THE SAME SHOP? BECAUSE I THINK ALONG THE LINES, THEY'RE PROVIDING THOSE TYPE OF SERVICES.

I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A STANDALONE A STANDALONE DIVISION.

AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, COULD THIS BE A COMPONENT OF IT? WOULD THIS COULD THIS BE SOMETHING THAT GOES UNDER THAT UMBRELLA? THAT WAS MY QUESTION. JUST KIND OF THEY'RE ALL SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

SO THAT THAT'S MY ASK. NOT TO MIX THE FUNDS. YES.

NO. MAYBE. SO I THINK, WELL, I, I'M TAKING THE DIRECTIVE IS TO MAKE THE ASSESSMENT AND COME BACK. SO I'M HESITATING BECAUSE. MR. WHITFIELD WELL, IT WOULD BE A RESTRUCTURING, WHICH IS, THAT'S THE, BUT THAT'S THE EXERCISE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO I WOULD NEED TO COME BACK, BUT I'M NOT SAYING NO, I'M GOOD WITH IT.

I MEAN, I JUST THINK THAT THEY ALL KIND OF FALL UNDER THAT SAME UMBRELLA.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING NO, I'M JUST SAYING RIGHT. AND I JUST OR MAYBE MY MY DESCRIPTION OF WHAT I THINK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS, IS OFF BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT SENIOR REPAIRS, BUT WE WON'T GO THERE.

BUT IF YOU COULD, I GUESS, JUST GET BACK WITH US ON THAT.

AND AS FAR AS WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL. CAN I SECOND OR WE'RE STILL IN FOR DISCUSSION. OKAY. WE GOT COUNCILMAN ATKINS IS RIGHT AFTER YOU.

YES. THANK YOU. AND COUNCILMEMBER CALDWELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

MY QUESTION IS FOR THE ASK OF THE CITY ATTORNEY WE HAVE HERE.

THE VERY LAST PART IS ELIGIBILITY POLICY. AND THEN IN OUR BUDGET BOOK, IT SPEAKS TO LEGISLATIVE POLICY.

SO DOES THAT INCLUDE THE CITY ATTORNEY DRAFTING WHATEVER NECESSARY LEGISLATION THAT WOULD INCLUDE ELIGIBILITY POLICY OR WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? I THINK IT'S UP TO COUNCIL.

WE WE DO HAVE DOCUMENTED POLICIES. SO IF WE'RE OKAY WITH WHAT IS IN PLACE TODAY, I THINK WE CAN MAINTAIN THAT AND MOVE FORWARD.

JUST BECAUSE THERE IS ALSO STATE LEGISLATION THAT WE ARE GOING TO ABIDE BY.

AND SO I THINK THAT WE'RE COVERED IN ALL AREAS, BUT THAT'S WHERE I WOULD WANT COUNSEL TO KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE DOCUMENTED AND DETERMINE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S NEEDED.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S COVERED BETWEEN OUR POLICY AND THE STATE LEGISLATION.

OKAY. YES. I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE PUTTING THIS GOING BACK TO ADD THE DOLLARS IN, AND I THINK THAT A PART OF THE DISCUSSION WAS CREATING THE POLICY THAT WOULD CREATE WHATEVER THE DIVISION AND ALL OF THE, THE LANGUAGE THAT WOULD GO ALONG WITH THAT.

AND SO IF THAT IS A PART OF THE ASK, AND I THINK CITY OF MADAM CITY ATTORNEY IS PUSHING HER BUTTON, HER BUTTON. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S COVERED AS A PART OF THIS MOTION AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DO. SO MAYBE I'LL HAVE THE CITY ATTORNEY WEIGH IN FIRST.

[01:45:04]

BASED ON THE POLICY THAT YOU SEE. IS THERE A RECOMMENDATION TO TURN THAT POLICY INTO LEGISLATION OR WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? SO I HAVE AN INITIAL QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS ASK IS FOR THIS TO BE A STANDALONE DIVISION OR DEPARTMENT.

IF IT'S GOING TO BE A DIVISION UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR A STANDALONE DEPARTMENT, WHICH NOW WE'RE CREATING A NEW DEPARTMENT, I NEED THAT CLARITY FIRST.

SO I THINK THAT IS A PART OF THE ASK FOR THE ACTING CITY MANAGER TO COME BACK WITH THE APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE.

FROM WHAT I SEE THIS PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT, THEY SOME OF IT MAY FALL UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FROM A HOUSING PERSPECTIVE. MANY OF THEIR REQUESTS COME FROM OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, POLICE AND FIRE.

AND SO THEY TOUCH MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS. AND SO IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND CITY ACTING CITY MANAGERS YOU KNOW, TAKE ON WHERE STRUCTURALLY IT FITS BEST.

SO IN THAT CASE, I WOULD ASK FOR TWO THINGS. ONE, THAT WE ESTABLISH THE DEADLINE FOR THE ACTING CITY MANAGER'S RESPONSE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT NEEDS TO COME FIRST. AND THEN ONCE YOU RECEIVE THE RECOMMENDATION ON HOW THIS DIVISION OR DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE CREATED, AND THEN SECONDLY, WHAT PROGRAMS WILL BE HOUSED UNDER THIS DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION, THEN I THINK WE WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION AS TO WHAT ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN BY THIS BODY.

IT'S GOING TO BE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. IS IT GOING TO BE A REVISION TO THE ORG CHART? AND THEN WHATEVER POLICY NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT NEEDS TO BECOME LEGISLATION.

I THINK IT HAS TO BE DONE IN TANDEM OR IT WILL BE CHAOTIC.

ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I THINK THAT THE MOTION IS THEY'VE GOT THEM SIMULTANEOUSLY.

AND I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING SAYS THESE ARE THE STEPS.

HAVE THEM PUT THEM IN TANDEM AND THEN GO TO THE POLICY THEREAFTER.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. IS THAT OKAY? YEAH, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE.

BUT WE DO NEED A DEADLINE. PLEASE. SO ACTING CITY MANAGER, I WOULD KIND OF LEAN ON YOU AS FAR AS WHAT YOU WHAT THE TIMELINE OR TIME FRAME, YOU WOULD NEED TO GATHER THIS INFORMATION AND PRESENT BACK TO COUNCIL.

I THINK IN ALL FAIRNESS. FOUR WEEKS BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE TO CREATE A BUDGET.

I HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AS YOU SAID, THE STRUCTURE AND IF IT IS DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GOING TO BE A DEPARTMENT VERSUS A DIVISION WHERE IT'S GOING TO REST, IF IT'S GOING TO BE A PART OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WHICH IS WHAT IT WAS.

SO AND I HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD WANT TO SPEAK WITH MISS MISS JOHNSON AND GET HER TAKE ON IT.

ALSO WITH RESPECT TO CHANGING THE NAME, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IS THAT IN GOING FOR GRANTS AND SUCH, THERE ARE CERTAIN NAMES OF ORGANIZATIONS. THERE'S CERTAIN WORDS THAT AUTOMATICALLY JUST DEAD DEADEN THE ORGANIZATION'S OPPORTUNITY.

SO I THINK YOU'VE MADE SOME GREAT SUGGESTIONS AS FAR AS SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT, BUT I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO RUSH THIS, BUT TO TO FLESH IT OUT AND GET MRS MRS JOHNSON'S TAKE ON SOME OF THE THINGS SINCE SHE HAS BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY WITH THIS PROGRAM. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS, BUT WITH THE NOVEMBER WORK SESSION.

ONE ADDED TO THE NOVEMBER WORK SESSION. YEAH.

SHE OKAY? OKAY. YES. THAT WOULD BE NOVEMBER 9TH.

I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL, WILL YOU ASK ME A QUESTION? I WAS YEAH, WELL, IT WAS YOU HAD THE FLOOR, SO I JUST STEPPED IN A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT'S WHERE YOU WERE TRYING TO GO WITH ALL OF THIS.

YES. THE CURRENT MOTION IS SIMULTANEOUS THOUGH, AND NOT TANDEM.

AND SO I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE CURRENT MOTION BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY. I THINK THAT OPERATIONALLY WE SHOULD HAVE THE ACTON CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WERE JUST MENTIONED AND THEN BASED ON AND THEN BRING THAT BACK TO US.

AND THEN BASED ON THAT, THEN WE'RE ABLE TO THEN HAVE THE CITY ATTORNEY, AS SHE STATED, TO CREATE THE POLICY TO SUPPORT IT.

[01:50:02]

WE'LL GET ANOTHER SECOND AND THEN YOU GUYS CAN VOTE.

WE HAVE ONE MORE ITEM FOR THIS. YES. THANK YOU.

COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL I BELIEVE A COUPLE OF THINGS WERE ADDRESSED.

I KNOW IT SAYS SEEMS NOMINAL, BUT I THINK BEFORE THE MOTION WE WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY AGREE ON THE NAME.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE NAME OF EMPOWERMENT. I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS ABOUT THAT. SO I THINK BEFORE WE ADD THAT TO THE MOTION, WE ALL OF US COMING TO A CONSENSUS ON THAT. ALSO.

SO THE 250 FOR THIS DEPARTMENT, I THINK THE QUESTION CAME UP, WOULD THIS BE A DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION? I THINK THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT. TO CLARIFY AND THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENTS, I BELIEVE THAT'S LIKE A CHARTER AMENDMENT OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T CREDIT DEPARTMENT. WE MIGHT HAVE TO REDO THINGS IN THE DIVISIONS, MIGHT CREATE A DIVISION, MIGHT BE A LESS, LESS STRENUOUS.

AND THEN THE 250 SEED MONEY. I KNOW I WAS ADVOCATING FOR GRANT WRITERS IN THIS WHEN WE WERE COMING UP WITH THE BUDGET. AND I THINK THIS GOES BACK TO WHETHER THIS IS, IS A DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION, HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS SUSTAINABLE WITHOUT CONTINUOUSLY USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS? I KNOW WE GOT GRANTS COMING IN.

I KNOW THE NAME IS IMPORTANT FOR ACQUIRING THESE GRANTS.

IF WE CAN JUST THROW THAT IN THE STRATEGY OF MAKING THIS THE PART, TRYING TO FIGURE A WAY TO MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY ALL BEING OUT THE GENERAL FUND OR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE LONGEVITY OF THIS PROGRAM.

I LOVE THE SERVICES. I JUST WANT TO FIND A WAY TO THAT.

WE CAN FUND IT AND MAKE SURE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS SUSTAINABLE.

SO I DON'T WANT TO SAY IF IT'S PREMATURE FOR A MOTION YET, I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS WE WILL HAVE TO KIND OF COME TO A CONSENSUS ON, BUT THAT WAS JUST MY $0.02 AND JUST MAKING SURE I KNOW THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMING BACK MAYBE DISCUSSION TO HAVE AT THE WORK SESSION.

AND JUST SEE HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE OUR NEW GRANT WRITER THAT WE HAVE FUNDING FOR TO HELP MAKE THIS A SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM.

BUT THAT'S MY $0.02 I YIELD. THANK YOU. SO I CAN UPDATE OR AMEND THE MOTION TO INCLUDE EXPLORING THE GRANT WRITER FUNDING THAT WE APPROVED IN THE BUDGET ALONG WITH THE SENIOR HOME REPAIR FUNDING THAT'S BEEN APPROVED IN THE BUDGET AND GET A SENSE FROM ACTING CITY MANAGER, WHAT'S THE BEST STRUCTURE OR HOW WE CAN LOOK AT THIS, WHETHER IT'S A DEPARTMENT DIVISION. OKAY. SO YES, COUNCILMAN CALDWELL AND I DO.

I DID NOT THINK YOUR MOTION WAS NAMING THIS DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION.

IT WAS SIMPLY A SUGGESTION. SO THAT COULD BE A PART OF WHAT COMES BACK AS WELL.

SOME IDEAS FOR COUNCIL TO COUNCIL MEMBERS MITCHELL'S POINT TO PICK A NAME, BUT THIS MOTION WOULD NOT NAME THIS ENTITY JUST YET. OKAY. DO I NEED TO RESTATE THE WHOLE THING? OKAY, SO I MOVED TO REQUEST THE ACTING CITY MANAGER TO EXPLORE MAKING THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION. A STANDALONE DIVISION OR DEPARTMENT.

WITH THE ALLOCATED APPROVED SEED MONEY OF $250,000, IN ADDITION TO EXPLORING THE SENIOR REPAIR PROGRAM AND GRANT WRITERS. I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT MAYBE YOU JUST SAY EXPLORING WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS COULD GO UNDER THERE.

DON'T LIMIT HER EXPLORATION TO JUST THOSE. I LIKE THAT EXPLORING WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS COULD GO UNDER THIS DEPARTMENT. BRING BACK THAT STRUCTURE WITH MEASURABLE GOALS.

AND SUGGESTIONS ON A NAME. SECOND STILL STANDS BY THE WORK.

BY THE NOVEMBER. IS IT NINTH WORK SESSION? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

[01:55:01]

[XII. COMMITTEE REPORTS]

OKAY. NONE. OKAY. SO ITEM NUMBER FOUR. COUNCIL

[XIV.4. Council Discussion and Possible Action on a Resolution to Approve COLA for Class 4 and Class 5 Retirees ]

SO DURING THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING. I CAME BEFORE YOU ON BEHALF OF THE PENSION BOARD TO REQUEST A 2.74 COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR RETIREES. AND YOU ASKED WHAT ACCOUNT? YOU CAN JUST LEAVE IT RIGHT THERE. THANKS. YOU ASKED WHICH ACCOUNT THIS WOULD COME OUT OF.

AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT GAVE YOU AN ACCOUNT THAT YOU HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT AND YOU WANTED ME TO COME BEFORE YOU AND CONFIRM WHAT ACCOUNT THE MONEY WOULD BE ALLOCATED FROM.

AND SO UPON SPEAKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE FUNDS WILL COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES. SO YOU NEED A MOTION. DO WE NEED A MOTION? BEG YOUR PARDON. I JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT. WAS THAT THE END OF YOUR PRESENTATION? THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE END OF IT. UNLESS YOU ALL HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER TO FUND THE COLA OR NOT.

YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND FIRST WE'LL GO TO DOCTOR MARTIN ROGERS.

I WANTED TO MAKE THE MOTION. YES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

I WANTED TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION FOR THE COLA FOR CLASS FOUR AND CLASS FIVE RETIREES.

SECOND. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN ATKINS. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, MR. BEAR. MY QUESTION WOULD BE MADAM ACTING CITY MANAGER.

THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO PULL THESE DOLLARS FROM THE CITY RESERVES.

GENERAL FUND RESERVES. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THOSE RESERVES AND WHAT OUR LAW STATES WE SHOULD MAINTAIN? AND WHAT'S THE IMPACT? AND IS THIS GOING TO BE A ONE TIME DRAW FROM THE RESERVES, OR WILL THERE BE SUBSEQUENT DRAWS AS WELL? OKAY. SO FIRST OF ALL OUR CURRENT BALANCE IS $44,185,864. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT OUR MINIMUM IS SUPPOSED TO BE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE ASKED AND I DIDN'T GET THAT INFORMATION YET.

I WOULD IMAGINE AT LEAST THREE IS NORMALLY BETWEEN 3 TO 6 MONTHS WORTH OF RESERVES.

HOWEVER, I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER FOR YOU WITH RESPECT TO WILL.

WE HAVE TO DRAW SOME OTHER THINGS FROM THE RESERVE? YES. OKAY. SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE'VE CURRENTLY HAVE 44 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS IN OUR GENERAL FUND RESERVES? YES, SIR. THAT'S CORRECT. AND THIS TOTAL IMPACT IS IS IT THE 1.6 HERE.

MISSY BEAR MINE. SO THE 1.6 IS BASICALLY SPLIT INTO PAYMENTS. THE FIVE YEAR INCREMENTS OF THE $407,000 PER YEAR.

400. OKAY.

OKAY. SO WHAT IS THE TOTAL IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND? WHAT WHAT TOTAL AMOUNT ARE WE SAYING WILL COME FROM THE RESERVES?

[02:00:05]

IT'S GOING TO BE 27,000 FOR THE MEDICARE BECAUSE WE'RE SPLITTING THE 1515.

BUT THE FOR THE HEALTH INSURANCE, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

YES. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THIS. HERE THERE IS A CHART AND IT SAYS CLASS FOUR, CLASS FIVE.

UNDER CLASS FOUR IT SAYS NUMBER ONE. I GUESS THERE'S ONE RETIREE THAT IS IN CLASS FOUR, RIGHT.

AND THERE'S AN AMOUNT OF $9,620. THE OTHER COLUMN SAYS CLASS IS CLASS FIVE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE 190 RETIREES AND THAT'S 4.8 MILLION. AND THEN THERE'S 500,000.

SO MY QUESTION IS FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE IMPACT THAT WE WOULD PULL FROM THE $44 MILLION RESERVE FOR THIS YEAR? IT'S 407,000. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE INTENT WOULD BE TO BUDGET FOR IT.

IT WAS NOT BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR. SO. WE SHOULD NOT BE PULLING IT FROM RESERVES.

NEXT. THE NEXT. SO WE'RE JUST SO FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM TO BE ABLE TO FUND A CLASS FOUR AND CLASS FIVE FOR THEIR COLA AT 2.74%, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT WE ONLY HAVE TO PULL FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, FY 27, $407,000 FROM THE RESERVES. THAT'S CORRECT. CORRECT. THAT'S IT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU.

WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE. OKAY, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY.

[XIV.5. Council Discussion and Possible Action on LexisNexis Contract ]

IT'S MAINLY USED BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND THE COURTS.

AND SO WE HAVE A NEW RATE. THE DOCUMENT SHOULD BE IN YOUR PACKETS.

AND SO I'M JUST BRINGING IT TO YOU TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR LEXISNEXIS.

FOR OUR NEW RATE FOR LEGAL RESEARCH.

COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL JUST TO CONFIRM THIS ITEM IT WAS BUDGETED FOR.

WAS IT BUDGETED FOR? YES. OUT OF THE BUDGET? YES.

I'LL DO. I'M READY TO GO. COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS YES, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE ACTION ON LEXIS-NEXIS CONTRACT FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

AND COURTS. SECOND. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? YES.

COUNCILMAN ATKINS. I JUST WANTED TO SAY SO HERE ON PAGE 14.5.

AYE. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, THAT'S JUST ABOUT 400 PLUS DOLLARS A MONTH.

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF FOR THOSE THREE? OKAY. YEAH. AND SO BECAUSE IT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT EVEN GOING TO GET TO THE $25,000.

IS THIS MOSTLY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AWARE? YES. AND I JUST FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH BRINGING IT TO YOU THAN APPROVING IT MYSELF.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR OF THE AMOUNTS.

AND SO BECAUSE IT WASN'T A PART OF THE MOTION.

SO JUST TO BE ABLE TO ASK AND BE CLEAR. THANK YOU.

AMEN. COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS YES, THE INFORMATION IS IN THE ONLINE DOCUMENTS.

THANK YOU. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A WE HAD A MOTION AND WE HAD A SECOND AND WE HAD DISCUSSION AND I'M GOING TO CALL IT.

[02:05:01]

LATELY, I'VE BEEN PERSONALLY GETTING A LOT OF CONTRACTS THAT ARRIVE LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND THINGS IN THEM.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND, RECONCILE BETWEEN CONTRACTS BEING PAID BY FINANCE AND CONTRACTS REFLECTED IN THE PROCUREMENT CONTROL RECORD WITH ANY OTHER AND WITH ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS.

SO BASICALLY THERE ARE SOME DOCUMENTS THAT COME THROUGH PROCUREMENT.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A ROUTING SYSTEM, BUT THEN THERE ARE SOME DOCUMENTS THAT DON'T COME THROUGH THAT SYSTEM.

SO I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD REVIEW THAT IN OUR NEXT WORK SESSION, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.

MADAM MAYOR, I THINK THAT IS NOT GERMANE TO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

OKAY. AND SO YOU WOULD NEED TO GET THE VOTE ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL ITEM. IT'S ALSO NOT ON THE AGENDA.

INTO. BUT. OKAY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I'M SORRY.

I JUST GOT A LITTLE CARRIED AWAY HERE WITH THE CONVERSATION ABOUT DOCUMENTS.

SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION THAT WAS PRESENTED, I.

THE MOTION PASSES. OKAY. AND NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.

[XIV.6. Council Discussion and Possible Action on Mayor’s Office Staffing and Hiring Authority ]

SO I DON'T WANT TO WASTE TIME ON THAT TONIGHT.

WOULD YOU LIKE SOMEONE TO WAIT ON THE WORK SESSION.

THAT'S FINE. MOTION TO DEFER OR ARE YOU JUST GOING TO MOVE IT TO THE WORK SESSION. WE CAN MOVE IT TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING IF THAT'S POSSIBLE SINCE IT'S ALREADY BEEN OCTOBER 19TH. YES. THANK YOU. AND THEN ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WE TOOK THAT OFF OF THE

[XIV.7. Discussion on FY2027 Budget – Post-Adoption Review and Next Steps ]

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO ANY OTHER ANY ITEMS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION? YEAH. FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX. YOU, YOU SAID YOU WERE WAITING ON SOMETHING TO COME IN.

I DIDN'T QUITE CATCH THAT. NO. THE ITEM THAT I THE ITEM THAT I HAD DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE PACKET. SO I'M NOT GOING TO WASTE ANYBODY'S TIME TONIGHT WITH SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT THERE.

AND THEN OKAY, THAT WAS THAT. SO YOU DID MOVE NUMBER SEVEN OFF OF IT.

SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT. OKAY.

JUST QUICKLY, MADAM MAYOR, WHAT WAS IT THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE PACKET? I'M JUST CURIOUS NOW. IT WAS MY RESOLUTION TO HIRE.

OH, OKAY. YEP. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THANKS. LET'S DO WE HAVE ANY ITEMS FOR.

THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION? I HAVE ONE PERSONNEL. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ONE PERSONNEL? MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE. FOR LEGAL. ONE REAL ESTATE, TWO PERSONNEL.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN ATKINS. YES, I HAVE ONE PERSONNEL.

ALL RIGHT. COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN RODGERS. I HAVE ONE REAL ESTATE.

COUNCILWOMAN ONE LEGAL. OH, AND I HAVE ONE PERSONNEL. SO. AND I HAVE ONE PERSONNEL ALSO. MADAM MAYOR. ALL RIGHT, I HAVE YOU. SO.

THAT EVERYBODY. SO I HAVE FIVE PERSONNEL. MADAM MAYOR.

[XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION]

[02:10:06]

SO MOVED. SECOND IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THE MOTION PASSES.

NEXT WE HAVE MOTION TO PROCEED AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING THE KENDRICK CASE.

SO MOVED. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES. MOTION TO PROCEED.

AS DISCUSSED REGARDING FULTON COUNTY WASTEWATER DEBT AGREEMENT IN IGA FOR WASTEWATER SERVICES.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED, THE MOTION PASSES. MOTION TO PROCEED.

AS DISCUSSED REGARDING THE REGIONS BANK AUTHORIZATION SIGNATURES.

MADAM MAYOR, BEFORE WE GET THE MOTION ON THAT, IF I COULD JUST READ SOME IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS RESOLUTION SINCE YOU GUYS DID NOT HAVE IT. IT BASICALLY SAYS IS THAT THE ACTING CITY MANAGER IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO COMMUNICATE, CORRESPOND, AND ACT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY IN MATTERS INVOLVING THE CITY'S BANKING INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING COMMUNICATING WITH THE BANK REPRESENTATIVES, RESPONDING TO BANK INQUIRIES, PROVIDING INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION, AND TAKING OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS REASONABLY NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE CITY'S BANKING AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS DURING THE CITY MANAGER'S AUTHORIZED LEAVE. I ALSO WILL BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO SECTION FIVE THAT SAYS THE AUTHORITY GRANTED BY THIS RESOLUTION SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON ADOPTION, AND SHALL ONLY REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE DURATION OF THE CITY MANAGER'S LEAVE.

UPON THE CITY MANAGER'S RETURN TO SERVICE, THE TEMPORARY AUTHORITY GRANTED BY THIS RESOLUTION SHALL AUTOMATICALLY TERMINATE.

SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED, THE MOTION PASSES.

MOTION TO APPROVE. MINUTES FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO MOVED. IT'S BEEN. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.

MOTION TO ADJOURN. WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. GOOD NIGHT. EASTPOINTE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.