Nov 02, 2026 City Council

[I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER]

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CITY COUNCIL. EASTPOINTE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING TONIGHT, NOVEMBER THE 2ND. MADAM CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER. HENNING. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER FREHLEY WILL NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER WILL NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE. COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL.

PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL. COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE ROGERS. MAYOR CHAPMAN, WE HAVE A QUORUM. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW, WE WILL HAVE THE INVOCATION TONIGHT BY JOHN JENNINGS FROM EAST POINT CHURCH OF NAZARENE.

AMEN. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, OFFICIALS, AND MEMBERS OF THE EASTPOINTE COMMUNITY. IT'S AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU ALL TO OPEN UP THIS GREAT SERVICE. YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE BEGIN ANY BUSINESS, WE ALWAYS WANT TO LEAD OUR HEARTS AND GUIDANCE IN OUR DECISIONS. THAT'S GOING TO BE MADE TONIGHT IN PRAYER. I ASK THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US BOW OUR HEADS AND ALLOW GOD TO MOVE IN OUR HEARTS. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, YOU ARE THE GREAT CREATOR. WE COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS, THANKING YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF GATHERING TOGETHER IN UNITY AND PURPOSE FOR THE CITY OF EAST POINT. WE ANCHOR OUR HEARTS TONIGHT IN THE TRUTH OF YOUR WORD FROM PROVERBS, THE SECOND CHAPTER, VERSE SIX, WHICH REMINDS US. FOR THE LORD GIVES WISDOM. FROM HIS MOUTH COME KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. LORD, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE STRATEGICALLY PLACED THESE LEADERS IN THIS REGION FOR THIS SPECIFIC SEASON TO STEWARD THE RESOURCES OF THE FAMILY AND THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE ASK THAT YOU GRANT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALL THE CITY OFFICIAL ABUNDANCE OF DIVINE WISDOM, CLARITY AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE CITY OF EAST POINT NEEDS. WE LIFT UP ALL THE FAMILIES AND ALL THE NEIGHBORS OF EAST POINT, AND WE PLACE THE SPECIAL EMPHASIS TONIGHT ON OUR YOUTH. LORD, WE PRAY FOR OUR CHILDREN, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, THE FUTURE LEADERS OF THIS CITY. GRANT OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY LEADERS THE VISION TO CREATE A PATHWAY. OPPORTUNITY OF SAFETY AND GROWING FOR THEM.

HELP THEM TO INVEST INTO THEIR POTENTIAL. PROTECTING THEIR DREAMS AND GUIDE THEM WITH GRACE SO THAT THEY MAY GROW INTO THE FULL PURPOSE YOU HAVE FOR THEIR LIVES. HELP US KEEP THE RICH LEGACY OF SERVICE OF LIFE IN THIS COMMUNITY, WORKING HAND IN HAND TO BRING A POSITIVE TRANSFORMATION, JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO EVERY GENERATION. WE PRAY THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GIVE US PEACE. CONTINUE TO GIVE US THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO LEAD THIS GREAT COMMUNITY. WE GIVE YOU ALL THE HONOR AND ALL THE GRACE IN YOUR PRECIOUS SON.

JESUS NAME, AMEN. AMEN AND AMEN. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL RIGHT.

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

[VI. ADOPTION OF THE COUNCIL AGENDA]

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION

[VII. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES]

[VIII.1. 2027 Comprehensive Plan Update Announcement for the City of East Point PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED ]

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PUBLIC HEARING. MADAM MAYOR, MOVE THAT WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE 2027 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE ANNOUNCEMENT. IT'S BEEN MOVED. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. DO WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION FOR TONIGHT? FOR. OH, COME ON. MADAM MAYOR, DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THE RULES FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES. THANK YOU. PUBLIC HEARING SHALL BE ADVERTISED FOR OUR ORDINANCE. THIS IS RULE 29.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL CALL FOR A MOTION TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HEARING. THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE SUBJECT WILL SPEAK FIRST FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES. EACH SPEAKER WILL BE LIMITED TO NOT MORE THAN THREE MINUTES. THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE SUBJECT WILL THEN SPEAK FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES. EACH SPEAKER WILL BE LIMITED TO NOT MORE THAN THREE MINUTES. SPEAKERS MAY GIVE A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES TO ANOTHER SPEAKER. AFTER ALL OF THOSE PRESENTS, ALL OF THOSE PRESENT HAD HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. RESIDENTS WILL BE GIVEN FIRST PRIORITY TO SPEAK. AFTER ALL, RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. NONRESIDENTS MAY SPEAK BY MAJORITY VOTE. THE COUNCIL MAY INCREASE THE TOTAL TIME FOR EACH SIDE OF THE SUBJECT TO A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES PER SIDE. EACH SIDE WILL BE GIVEN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME, AND SPEAKERS MUST ADHERE TO THE RULES OF DECORUM. OKAY. THANK. WELL, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE OF EASTPOINTE. MY NAME IS ANDREW SMITH. I AM A PLANNING COORDINATOR WITH THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION. WE HAVE BEEN PRELIMINARILY MEETING AND WORKING WITH LEE KELLY AND KIMBERLY SMITH AND BRITTANY GATEWOOD. AND YOUR PLANNING AND ZONING TEAM HERE. SO FAR, WE ARE GOING TO BE ASSISTING THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE ON ITS UPCOMING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE. I WAS HONORED TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THE CITY'S LAST PLAN UPDATE BACK IN 2021 2022. SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF FAMILIAR TERRITORY FOR ME. SO I'LL BE SORT OF LEADING THE PLANNING PROCESS. AND I HAVE A COLLEAGUE IN THE BACK, EMILY CARRILLO. SHE IS GOING TO BE THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS PLAN UPDATE. SO YEAH. NEXT SLIDE. SO THE PURPOSE AGAIN OF TONIGHT IS REALLY JUST AN INFORMATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT OR UPDATE TO KICK OFF THE PLANNING PROCESS AND ALLOW FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. SO THIS IS SORT OF THE AGENDA THAT I HAVE LINED UP TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY WE DO LOCAL PLANNING. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STATE REQUIREMENTS? WHAT ARE SOME KEY PLAN ELEMENTS THAT WE'LL LOOK AT? WHAT OUR APPROACH IS WHEN WE DIRECTLY ASSIST A COMMUNITY, A FEW MILESTONES AROUND THE SCHEDULE, AND JUST SOME EARLY DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSING WITH THE STAFF AS WE GET MOVING.

SO WHY PLAN? YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH A LOT OF THE CONCEPTS ON THIS SLIDE. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE ONE, BUT IT'S REALLY A PROCESS THAT'S THERE TO HELP REFINE YOUR COMMUNITY'S VISION, HELP THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND LOCAL ISSUES, IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE, PROTECT PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS, SUPPORT YOUR NEEDS, AND REALLY DO ALL THE THINGS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE AS WELL TO BE ABLE TO ANTICIPATE CHANGE, ADAPT TO DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. SO IT REALLY LOOKS AT A LOT OF KEY THINGS LIKE LAND USE, TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE, SUSTAINABILITY, AND NATURAL RESOURCES, EQUITY.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT KIND OF RUNS THE GAMUT, HENCE THE NAME COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT THING, GREAT THING TO DO IN ANY COMMUNITY. BUT ALSO IN GEORGIA, THE STATE REQUIRES IT IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY, COMPLIANCE WITH WITH DOING YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PLAN UPDATE GIVES YOU ACCESS TO WHAT'S CALLED Q, L, G STATUS, QUALIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT STATUS, AND THAT OFFERS CONNECTIONS TO SOME DIFFERENT POTS OF STATE FUNDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. NEXT SLIDE. SO AGAIN, THAT'S JUST A LINK FOR ANY FUTURE REFERENCE.

IF Y'ALL WANTED TO CHECK OUT THE Q L, G. POTS OF STATE FUNDING THAT ARE AVAILABLE. SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY A GOOD INCENTIVE TO, FOR COMMUNITIES TO, TO DO PLANS IN THE STATE.

THE REQUIRED PLAN ELEMENTS ARE UP HERE AT THE VERY TOP. SO EVERY COMMUNITY IN THE STATE HAS TO DO A PLAN, AND IT HAS TO CONFORM TO A PRETTY FLEXIBLE SORT OF MENU OF REQUIRED AND OPTIONAL ELEMENTS. THE REQUIRED ELEMENTS ARE HERE AT THE TOP. SO YOU DO HAVE TO DOCUMENT A SET OF GOALS AND A VISION FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, A SET OF NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES. YOU DO HAVE TO DOCUMENT A COMMUNITY WORK PROGRAM THAT'S MORE OF A SHORT TERM, FIVE YEAR WORK PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES, STUDIES, INITIATIVES, ETC. THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO UNDERTAKE.

IN THE SHORT TERM, YOU DO HAVE TO LOOK AT BROADBAND, NOT IN A HIGHLY TECHNICAL WAY, JUST A

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AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE SEE PRETTY OFTEN IN IN COMPREHENSIVE PLANS. BUT AGAIN, THEY ARE TOTALLY OPTIONAL, AT LEAST AS FAR AS THE STATE IS CONCERNED. NEXT SLIDE. SO SOME OF THE KEY ELEMENTS THAT WE WILL DEFINITELY LOOK AT IN THIS PLAN UPDATE ARE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES. THAT'S UPDATING TO 2020 627. YOUR KIND OF SET OF KEY COMMUNITY CHALLENGES OR ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. THOSE ARE WHAT WE CLASSIFY AS NEEDS. AND THEN OPPORTUNITIES ARE MORE LIKE ASSETS OR STRENGTHS THAT YOU WANT TO BUILD ON IN THE COMMUNITY. SO WE'LL BE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM YOUR STAFF, AND REALLY TRYING TO TAKE STOCK OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND UPDATING THOSE FROM THAT SET OF NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES. YOU DISCOVER YOUR GOALS. THESE ARE KIND OF LONGER TERM ACTIONS TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN A POSITIVE WAY. AND THEY ARE REALLY A HIGH LEVEL GUIDE FOR DECISION MAKING. AND THEN AT A MORE ZOOMED IN LEVEL, THE WORK PROGRAM, LIKE I MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO, ARE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES THAT EASTPOINTE WILL UNDERTAKE TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS AND THEN THEREBY INFLUENCE THOSE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES POSITIVELY.

SO THOSE ARE SHORTER TERM PROJECTS, INITIATIVES, STUDIES, PROGRAMS, ETC. FOCUS ON THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND THEN FUTURE LAND USE. AGAIN, THIS IS AN OUTLINE FOR HOW THE CITY INTENDS TO GROW, CHANGE, DEVELOP, ADAPT. AND IT SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, AN ASPIRATIONAL BUT ALSO REALISTIC IMAGE OF THE FUTURE THAT YOU CAN THEN MOVE FORWARD IN DIFFERENT WAYS AS YOU MAKE LAND USE DECISIONS, WHETHER THAT'S UPDATING YOUR ZONING CODE OR THINKING ABOUT A REZONING PROPOSAL OR WHAT HAVE YOU. NEXT SLIDE AGAIN AT THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION ARC, WE OUR PAST ROLE WAS REALLY FOCUSED. WE WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE HANDS OFF THERE. YOU KNOW, WE COORDINATED KIND OF REGIONAL AND STATE REVIEWS OF COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, PLANS AT THAT TIME BEFORE 2012 WERE ONLY DO EVERY TEN YEARS, YOU HAD TO DO A VERY MINOR UPDATE AT THE FIVE YEAR MARK. BUT THEY WERE VERY COMPLICATED IN A LOT OF WAYS, SOMETIMES EXPENSIVE AND A LITTLE BIT TOO ONE SIZE FITS ALL FOR THE RANGE OF COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IN GEORGIA. SO THERE WAS A BIG SHAKE UP AND A REVISION TO THE STATE RULES AT THE STATE LEVEL.

AND FROM THAT, WHAT WE HAVE NOW ARE THAT YOU HAVE TO DO PLAN UPDATES EVERY FIVE YEARS, BUT THE BAR IS A LITTLE BIT LOWER. THE MENU, YOU HAVE MORE OF A MENU, MORE FLEXIBILITY, A LOT MORE OPTIONAL ELEMENTS. IT'S ONE SINGLE DELIVERABLE. AND A BIG THING THERE IN GREEN IS THAT YOU CAN ASK YOUR REGIONAL COMMISSION. THIS IS STATE WIDE OFFERING. YOU CAN ASK YOUR REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR DIRECT ASSISTANCE IN DEVELOPING THE UPDATE TO THE PLAN. SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DO. AT THE REQUEST OF YOUR LOCAL STAFF, THE ELEMENTS THAT WE'RE REALLY REQUIRED TO ASSIST WITH ARE HERE ON THE SCREEN. WE DO A LOT MORE THAN THIS AS INCLUDED IN OUR SCOPE OF WORK. AND AND AGAIN, WE, LIKE I MENTIONED, TAKE THE FEEDBACK AND THE INPUT THAT WE RECEIVE THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT MECHANISMS, WHETHER THAT'S AN OPEN HOUSE WITH THE, WITH THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL, OR STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS, DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF SURVEYS, SURVEYING EXISTING CONDITIONS, THAT KIND OF THING, AND REALLY FIT IN THAT INPUT WHERE IT MAKES SENSE TO DO SO. SO WE, WE, WE INCLUDE A LOT MORE IN OUR, IN OUR SCOPE THAN JUST THE BARE MINIMUM HERE. OUR ROLES ARE REALLY TO SUPPORT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS. THERE'S A COUPLE, ONE OF WHICH IS RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY EMILY AND I ARE HERE TONIGHT. WE DEVELOP AND MANAGE A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT KIND OF A PROJECT WEBSITE AND AN ONLINE SURVEY. SO WE'LL WORK WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND STAFF TO REALLY FLESH THAT OUT.

WE FACILITATE TWO STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. ONE KIND OF BIG GENERAL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENT. BACK IN 2022, WE HAD THAT HERE IN THIS ROOM. WE HAD A LOT OF

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AGAIN, WE USE ALL OF THAT INPUT TO UPDATE THE KEY ELEMENTS AND PRODUCE THE DRAFT PLAN, IMPLEMENT ANY REVISIONS IF WE NEED TO ON THE BACK END, AND THEN PROVIDE THE FINAL PLAN TO THE CITY STAFF AND LEADERSHIP, THE CITY ON, ON THEIR SIDE. SO KIMBERLY AND, AND, AND LEE AND, AND THE TEAM WILL HELP US FACILITATE KIND OF A SITE VISIT, TOUR TO CHECK OUT SOME KEY AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY, TAKE SOME PICTURES, UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE GROUND, WHAT IS GOING ON, WHAT'S DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO, ETC. THAT PROVIDE A LOT OF KEY INFO FOR PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND SORT OF A A MORE DIRECT LIAISON TO THE MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE MANAGING PUBLIC AWARENESS FOR EVENTS AND MEETINGS, WHETHER IT'S A HEARING OR SOMETHING ELSE, PROVIDING LOCATIONS FOR IN PERSON MEETINGS, AND THEN CONDUCTING ANY ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT BEYOND THE ARC SCOPE.

OUR PLAN IS FREE OF CHARGE. IT'S A FREE SERVICE. AND SO IT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, AS IN-DEPTH AS WHAT YOU WOULD GET FROM, LET'S SAY, A CONSULTANT WHERE YOU MIGHT GET A REALLY WIDE RANGE OR REALLY A LOT OF DEPTH OF, YOU KNOW, ENGAGEMENT, TOUCH POINTS. AND SO OURS IS MORE SIMPLIFIED THAN THAT. WE FEEL WE DO A GREAT, A GREAT JOB AND A GREAT SERVICE. BUT YOU ARE FREE TO CONDUCT ADDITIONAL MAYBE LIKE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, IF, IF Y'ALL CHOOSE WITH ANY INFO THAT WE CAN SUPPLY TO, TO SUPPORT THAT ENDEAVOR, JUST SOME KEY MILESTONES. THIS IS A VERY GENERAL LEVEL. WE JUST HAD OUR FIRST PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM MEETING WITH THE CITY TEAM HERE TODAY, THIS AFTERNOON. AND SO WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN FLESHING OUT A LOT OF THE DETAILS OF THESE KEY MILESTONES IN TERMS OF TIMING. BUT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE THE ITERATIVE FLOW THROUGHOUT THE, THE, THE SCHEDULE OF THE PROJECT. SO HAVING OUR FIRST HEARING TONIGHT, GATHERING A LOT OF DATA AND REVIEWING OTHER RELEVANT PLANS, REVIEWING THE PREVIOUS PLAN, REVIEWING OTHER REGIONAL INITIATIVES AND THINGS THAT WE CAN BRING INTO THIS THIS PLAN, WE'LL CONDUCT THE ONLINE SURVEY AND DO A STEERING COMMITTEE MORE LIKE IN QUARTER ONE OF NEXT YEAR. CONDUCT A PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE, LIKELY IN THE SECOND QUARTER, AND THEN WE MOVE INTO A SECOND STEERING COMMITTEE AND REALLY TAKING EVERYTHING WE'VE LEARNED AND HEARD AND FILTERING THAT INTO THE PLAN DOCUMENT ITSELF. AND THEN THERE WILL BE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING AT THE END. AND THEN THERE IS A KEY STATE REVIEW PERIOD NEAR THE END OF THE PLAN HORIZON HERE, WHERE THE STATE TAKES KIND OF THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE COMMUNITY'S PLAN AND REALLY JUST REVIEWS IT FOR COMPLIANCE WITH SOME BASIC REQUIREMENTS. IN TERMS OF, DID YOU INCLUDE THE RIGHT ELEMENTS THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DID YOU DISCUSS THEM AT THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF, OF DEPTH AND, AND KIND OF CHECK SOME OF THOSE BOXES, BUT IT REALLY IS THE COMMUNITY'S PLAN HERE IN EAST POINT. AND THEN IT COMES BACK TO THE CITY FOR FINAL REVIEW, ANY FINAL EDITS AND THEN LOCAL ADOPTION HERE BY THIS BODY BEFORE THE END OF OCTOBER OF NEXT YEAR. SO IT'S ABOUT A YEAR LONG TIME FRAME, JUST SOME EARLY DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THE STAFF SO FAR AND WHAT WE'RE THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT ON OUR TEAM AT ARC. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CURRENT DATA TELL US AROUND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE DEMOGRAPHICS, LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT, TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, LAND USE DEVELOPMENT, SUSTAINABILITY, THINGS LIKE THAT. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TRENDS AND FORECASTS LOOKING LIKE FOR FOR THE FUTURE FROM THE PREVIOUS PLAN? KIND OF WHAT STILL RESONATES IN THE COMMUNITY? WHAT IS POTENTIALLY LESS RELEVANT NOW? WHAT'S MORE RELEVANT? WHAT THINGS ARE CONTINUING, WHAT THINGS ARE COMPLETED? THAT'S A LOT OF WHERE WE CONNECT WITH THE STAFF TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE THINGS. AND IN TERMS OF WHAT'S STILL RESONATING IN COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHERE WE GET THAT'S WHERE WE TAKE THE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AT LARGE THROUGH THINGS LIKE THE SURVEY STEERING COMMITTEE, OPEN HOUSE NEXT YEAR. AND WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, ANY OTHER EFFORTS THE CITY'S UNDERTAKEN IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

ANYTHING NEW, ANY ISSUES THAT THAT WE NEED TO BRING FORWARD AND PULL INTO THIS PLAN AND, AND WEAVE TOGETHER. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF GROUPS ARE YOU TYPICALLY ABLE OR UNABLE TO ENGAGE WITH? HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY REACH FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY? HOW ENGAGED ARE THERE? ARE THEY ARE THERE ANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS OR NON-PROFITS, LOCAL ARTISTS, OR ANYBODY THAT WE CAN TAP INTO OR LEVERAGE TO TRY TO CONNECT US TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS? SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME KEY THINGS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT. ALL THESE LINKS SHOULD BE ACTIVE, AND THAT'S JUST SOME GENERAL REFERENCE INFO FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE AND FOR ANYBODY, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO, WHO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE SLIDES ON THE BACK END AFTER TONIGHT, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

I BELIEVE THERE'S A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IF ANYBODY HAS PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT I JUST

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AND SO WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING AND THEN MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. OKAY, SO JUST KEEP.

UP. HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC, OKAY? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC ON WHETHER THEY ARE OPPOSED OR FOR THE THIS PRESENTATION. SO ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK FOR OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS JUST PRESENTED. OKAY. DIRECTOR SMITH, DID YOU WANT TO DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE BEFORE? WE KNOW THAT THAT'S THAT'S THAT THAT'S ALL WE DIDN'T THAT WAS THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION. WE HAD ONE QUESTION. THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING, SIR. YOU CAN COME ON. COME UP HERE. I WAS SEEING ONE PRESENTATION. I SAW THAT I GUESS THE RESIDENTS OR THE PUBLIC COULD HAVE AN OPINION OR SHOW UP OR GET INVOLVED. WE IT SINCE THE THIRD THE FOURTH QUARTER, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FOURTH QUARTER NOW. SO HOW DO WE GET INVOLVED TO HAVE QUESTIONS OR INQUIRE ABOUT THE THE PLAN. OKAY. SO WE CAN TAKE NOTE OF THAT. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT LIKE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE FOR OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION? OKAY, SO HEARING NONE, DIRECTOR SMITH.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, JUST TO ANSWER THE QUESTION IN REFERENCE TO PARTICIPATION, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO BE ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE, BUT IF THEY ARE INTERESTED, THEY ARE MORE THAN. WELCOME TO EMAIL US AT ZONING AT EAST POINT CITY.ORG, AND WE WILL ADD THEM TO THE LIST OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF THE PROCESS. BUT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY PUBLICIZED. WE ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY INPUT AT ALL LEVELS. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE JUST STARTING THE PROCESS. SO IT'S IT'S NOT FAR INTO THE PROCESS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNT, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE THE PRESENTATION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING? COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL AND THEN COUNCILMAN ATKINS? THANK YOU. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS WILL BE PUBLICIZED. WHAT HOW ARE WE GOING TO COMMUNICATE THIS OUT? WHAT CHANNELS ARE WE GOING TO USE TO REACH RESIDENTS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED? WE ARE GOING TO ADVERTISE THROUGH THE OUR SOCIAL NETWORK AS WELL. SEND EMAILS OUT TO ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PRESIDENTS. WE ARE ALSO USING SOCIAL MEDIA. WE'RE USING EMAIL. WE'RE USING OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO COMMUNICATE OUT IN OUR WEBSITE. AND THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO HAVE ITS OWN WEBSITE AS WELL. OKAY.

AND THAT WILL INCLUDE DATES, TIMES, EVERYTHING. YES, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN ATKINS. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND MR. SMITH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

AND DIRECTOR SMITH, THANK YOU AS WELL. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. ONE, I KNOW THAT IN YOUR PRESENTATION, MR. SMITH, IN SLIDE 13, IT TALKS ABOUT EXISTING CONDITIONS. AND THAT WOULD BE DEMOGRAPHICS, LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION. WITH THAT, DO YOU GUYS START FROM SCRATCH OR WOULD YOU USE THE CITY'S NEWLY ADOPTED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WE JUST ADOPTED IN 2025? THE ANSWER THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.

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BUT THAT'S A GREAT POINT. AND WE WILL ADD THAT PART OF OUR REVIEW OF EXISTING PLANS AND OTHER RELEVANT INITIATIVES THAT ARE MAYBE NEW OR MAYBE HAVE BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2022, WOULD BE LOCKING IN ON THINGS LIKE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, THE GIST OF WHERE THE ZONING CODE WORK IS GOING, AND ANY OTHER ADOPTED PLANS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, UPDATED THAT THE CITY HAS TAKEN ON IN THE LAST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. SO IN A SIMILAR VEIN TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, FOR SURE, AND AS WELL, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF DATA, BUT I'M SURE IN TERMS OF POLICIES AND GOALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THOSE WILL FIND A WAY TO, TO FILTER INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT'S REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE SORT OF LIKE AN UMBRELLA THAT'S OVER. THAT KIND OF CONNECTS AND LINKS TOGETHER. ALL OF YOUR MORE LIKE SUBJECT MATTER FOCUSED PLANS IN THE COMMUNITY. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU ALSO JUST MENTIONED IN TERMS OF THE GIST OF WHERE OUR UPDATING OF OUR ZONING CODE IS GOING, WILL YOU GUYS ALSO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME INPUT ON THAT AT CERTAIN LEVEL? GENERALLY, WHEN I THINK OF A COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN LIKE YOUR SLIDE SEVEN SPEAKS TO, IT'S THE GOAL AND THE VISION OF THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND GENERALLY THE ZONING LAWS THEN SUPPORT THAT. SO EVERY TIME WE APPROVE SOMETHING, IT FEEDS UP TO THAT VISION. RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT THERE THAT REWRITE WILL BE DONE BEFORE THIS PROJECT, THIS UPDATE WILL BE DONE, RIGHT. SO IS THERE A LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER THE VISION IS, IT'S SUPPORTED BY OUR ZONING LAWS SO THAT WHENEVER WE ARE GOING THROUGH ANY TYPE OF REZONING OR USE PERMITS OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT IT SUPPORTS THE VISION. YEAH. SO SHORT ANSWER IS WE, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO, WE, I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO LIKE A DEEP DIVE CODE AUDIT OF WHAT, SINCE WE HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED TO DATE WITH, WITH THE, THE ZONING CODE WORK, BUT IT'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT INPUT INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, KIND OF THEORETICALLY, IF YOU HAD A BLANK SLATE, YOU WOULD DO YOUR PLAN FIRST, THEN DO YOUR ZONING, AND YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE TO UPDATE EITHER EITHER ONE. BUT AS WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT HOW THE WORLD WORKS. SO OFTENTIMES YOU DO YOUR UPDATE AND THINGS DON'T COMPLETELY LINE UP. AND SOMETIMES YOUR ZONING, WHICH IS REALLY AN IMPLEMENTATION ARM OF YOUR PLAN VISION AND YOUR PLAN GOALS, SOMETIMES THAT ENDS UP FEEDING BACK INTO YOUR PLAN EXACTLY LIKE YOU SAID. SO WE'LL TAKE KIND OF THE HIGHLIGHTS TO, TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. AND THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE YOUR NEXT FIVE YEARS WORK PROGRAM TO DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, LOOK FOR GRANTS OR LOOK FOR SUPPORT FROM ARC TO DO SOMETHING LIKE A, A CODE AUDIT WHERE YOU REALLY GO THROUGH IN A, IN A REALLY DETAILED WAY TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE KIND OF WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DISPARITIES BETWEEN LIKE OUR LEGACY ZONE? YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE ZONE ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF PARTS OF YOUR ZONING ORDINANCE THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR DIFFERENT PERIODS OF TIME. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST AT DIFFERENT LEVELS. BUT SHORT ANSWER IS WE'RE NOT VERY FAMILIAR YET WITH KIND OF WHERE THE ZONING WORK HAS HAS GONE AND, AND WHERE IT'S HEADED. BUT UNDERSTANDING ONCE THAT IS, IS COMPLETED AND ADOPTED, UNDERSTANDING KIND OF WHAT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT, WHAT THE, WHAT THAT SIGNALS IN TERMS OF THE FUTURE LAND USE SECTION OF THE PLAN, WE WILL WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND CONSIDER IT. OKAY. AND THE LAST QUESTION, THIS IS JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.

THE GENTLEMAN FROM THE AUDIENCE WAS ASKING ABOUT THE SCHEDULE, AND I THINK HIS QUESTION WAS AROUND Q FOUR AND HE WAS STATING THAT WE'RE IN Q4. BUT IS THIS SCHEDULE THAT YOU PRESENTED ON THE FISCAL OR THE CALENDAR YEAR? BECAUSE IN THE FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE JUST IN Q2 CALENDAR, THIS IS CALENDAR. SO REALLY, WE WILL DO THE MAJORITY OF OUR ENGAGEMENT IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2027. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE WE'LL HAVE THE STEERING COMMITTEE, THE ONLINE SURVEY, THE PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE, AND PROBABLY WE'LL GET TO THAT SECOND STEERING COMMITTEE A LITTLE BIT LATER, PROBABLY IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2027. SO AGAIN, IT'S CALENDAR YEAR BASED.

BUT THERE WERE LIKE DIRECTOR SMITH MENTIONED, THERE WILL BE CONNECTIONS TO ALL OF THE WAYS THAT THE CITY COMMUNICATES IMPORTANT INFORMATION CURRENTLY. SO THAT'S WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WE WILL, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH, WITH YOUR TEAM TO LEVERAGE, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO PUSH OUT INFORMATION AND ADVERTISING, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT'S

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[00:35:05]

ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. NOW, AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN. I'M SORRY, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES. THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR. DO WE NEED ACTION ON THIS? THIS WAS AN THIS WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT. SO NO, IT WAS A WHAT NOW? THIS WAS THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE CITY GOING INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS. BUT THEN IN YOUR LITERATURE, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT THE APPOINTING THE BOARD MEMBERS. WE'RE GOING TO SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO FOR THE COUNCIL TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO US IN THE NEXT COMING WEEKS. DOES NOT NEED TO GO ON OUR WORK SESSION AGENDA. WE'RE GOING TO SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. AND THEN IF THERE IS A NEED FOR IT TO BE DISCUSSED DURING THE WORK SESSION, THEN WE'LL DO IT THAT WAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, OKAY, BECAUSE THAT'S A PRETTY HEFTY BOARD. SO I WANTED US TO START. NOW. I KNOW WE APPOINTED ONE PERSON AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM COUNCIL, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ASKING FOR US TO APPOINT RESIDENTS AS WELL. THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. IT LOOKS LIKE WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH THE RIGHT INFORMATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL DIRECTOR SMITH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON

[IX. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

[00:40:04]

ACQUISITION DEMOLITION FOR THIS PROGRAM UNDER FEMA. ORIGINALLY, IT'S BEEN SINCE THE PANDEMIC HAS JUST BEEN SITTING THERE, SITTING THERE. I SENT A REQUEST IN ON THE 23RD. THEY RESPONDED BACK TO ME AND THEY SAID, EXCUSE ME, THANK YOU. AND THE RESPONSE I GOT FROM FEMA WAS AS READS. I'M SORRY, I'M MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OVER THREE MINUTES, BUT THIS IS VERY VITAL INFORMATION FOR YOU TO KNOW. I APOLOGIZE. WHEN I DROPPED MY PHONE, I LOST MY PLACE. OKAY.

FEMA HEADQUARTERS CLEARED FUNDING ON OCTOBER 26TH, 2026, FOR HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM. HPHMPG4501-012, WHICH INCLUDES THE PROPERTY AT 2416 WOODHILL LANE IN EAST POINT, GEORGIA. THE AWARD IS CURRENTLY BEING PROCESSED ONCE FEMA ISSUES THE FINAL AWARD LETTER.

THE GEORGIA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY AGENCY WILL CONTACT THE CITY OF EAST POINT TO COORDINATE NEXT STEPS AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE REGARDING PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LASTLY, WE HAVE MISS CHERYL WOODRUFF. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, I'M CHERYL WOODRUFF.

AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN COMING HERE LATELY. EVERY MEETING. I AM HERE REGARDING LONG STANDING STORM, THE STORM STORMWATER NUISANCE AT 2932 DOGWOOD DRIVE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR NOW FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, TWO DECADES. AND IT'S MORE. AND IT CONTINUES TO CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE. HARDSHIP TO ME, STRESS. AND MY PROPERTY AND IT THREATENS MY SAFETY. I HAVE FOLLOWED EVERY PROCESS THE CITY HAVE ASKED OF ME, AND I'M STILL WAITING FOR A REAL SOLUTION.

REALLY. RECENTLY, I SPOKE WITH COUNCILWOMAN CUMMINGS, WHO TOLD ME SHE WOULD SPEAK WITH THE CITY INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND FOLLOW UP WITH ME. THIS WAS ON A WEEKEND, SHE SAID, I'LL CALL

[00:45:02]

I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE RESIDENTS DESERVE TIMELY RESPONSES, ESPECIALLY WHEN DEALING WITH ISSUES THAT AFFECT HEALTH, SAFETY AND PROPERTY. I ALSO NEED TO ADDRESS A PUBLIC STATEMENT MADE BY THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER ON LIVE TV. SHE SAID. THE CITY AWKWARDLY $400,000 BACK IN 2013, AND THAT I TURNED IT DOWN. THAT STATEMENT WAS INCOMPLETE AND MISLEADING. IT DOES NOT REFLECT THE FULL CIRCUMSTANCES, AND IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT THE STORMWATER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS TODAY, 13 YEARS LATER, IN 2026, THAT HERE AT RESOLVE.

SO THAT. SO TODAY I'M ASKING TO TO FOR A CLEAR ANSWERS ON THE RECORD, WHAT'S THE CITY'S CURRENT PLAN TO ADDRESS THE STORMWATER NUISANCE AT 2932 DOGWOOD. NUMBER TWO, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXECUTING THAT PLAN? NUMBER THREE, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR ACTION, INCLUDING INSPECTIONS, ENGINEERING REVIEW AND AND MITIGATION. AND NUMBER FOUR, WHEN WILL I RECEIVE DIRECT FOLLOW UP FROM THE CITY MANAGER OR INTERIM CITY MANAGER OR THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT? AND I ASK AGAIN, NUMBER FIVE. WILL THE CITY PROVIDE THE STORMWATER ASSESSMENT, DRAINAGE STUDIES, OR ENGINEERING DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THIS PROPERTY? I'M NOT ASKING FOR GENERAL STATEMENTS OR PROMISES. I'M ASKING FOR SPECIFIC STEPS, SPECIFIC TIMELINES, AND SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITY. THIS ISSUE HAS GONE ON FOR TOO LONG AND I AM THE COUNT. I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO TO ENSURE THAT THIS MATTER IS PROPERLY AND PROPERLY IS ADDRESSED PROMPTLY AND TRANSPARENTLY AND WITH THE SERIOUSNESS IT DESERVES. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I APPRECIATE IT. TO GOD BE THE GLORY. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WE HAVE THIS EVENING. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. OKAY,

[X. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL]

WE HAVE SOMEONE ELSE THAT'S IN THAT PLACE BECAUSE MISS MELISSA IS NO LONGER WITH US. SO WE HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH THE SCHEDULE AS WELL, AND ALSO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, SO THAT WE CAN BRING EVERYBODY DOWN TO SIT WITH YOU AT THE TABLE. SO SHE DOES HAVE YOUR NUMBER. SHE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU THIS WEEK FOR A SIT DOWN THAT YOU CAN BRING ALL PARTIES TO THE TABLE, AND WE CAN COME TO SOME SORT OF RESOLVE. I WANT TO THANK. NEXT THING IS, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT THIS PAST LAST WEEKEND FOR THE INAUGURAL PINK STRIPE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS. I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR THRIVERS, MISS SHIRLEY FOSTER, CHERYL BROWN, JACKIE LABAT, KAREN KING, AND MAYOR PITTMAN IS OUR 2026 THRIVERS. THANK YOU TO MARTIN BROWER TO PROVIDE ADVISORS FOR ALL OF OUR STRIDERS. MISS ANGEL WASHINGTON FROM VICTORY BAPTIST CHURCH. HE DID A LOT OF HEALTHCARE INFORMATION AND PORSHA WILLIAMS FOR INTRODUCE.

ALSO THANKS TO OFFICER FLOWERS FOR DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB ON THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVITIES THAT

[00:50:02]

WORKED WITH HER WHEN I WAS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE AND ALSO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION. AND WHAT I'LL SAY IS THAT MISS GUFFEY ALWAYS APPROACHED HER WORK WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM. SHE WAS A WONDERFUL ANALYST AND ALWAYS TRIED TO PROVIDE A SOUND AND REASONABLE SOLUTION, AND SHE WAS THOROUGH IN HER EXECUTION. SHE WILL BE SORELY MISSED. SHE WAS A JEWEL AND A GREAT ASSET TO THIS CITY. AND I'M VERY SADDENED TO HEAR THE NEWS OF HER PASSING. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS AND I YIELD. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

JUST WANTED TO ADD TO COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS POINT ON ELECTION DAY TOMORROW. A COUPLE OF BITS AND PIECES OF INFORMATION. TOMORROW, OF COURSE, YOU WILL HAVE TO GO TO YOUR ASSIGNED PRECINCT TO. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ASSIGNED PRECINCT, SAMPLE BALLOTS, TIMES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. YOU CAN FIND THAT INFORMATION ON GEORGIA, MY VOTER PAGE, WHICH IS M AS IN MY V AS IN VOTE, P AS IN PETER, OR PAGE DOT SOS.GA.GOV. SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD THE RESOURCES TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT TOMORROW'S ELECTION. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MARTIN ROGERS. THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO GIVE A TREMENDOUS SHOUT OUT TO THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS FOR A FUN, FANTASTIC FALL FESTIVAL IN EAST POINT. I WANT TO BRIEFLY ADDRESS THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY OF OUR CITY. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO WATCH THE OCTOBER 19TH COUNCIL MEETING AND REVIEW THE RECENT MEMORANDUM SHARED IN THAT MEETING. ALSO, REVISIT EVERY MEETING WHERE THE 27 BUDGET WAS DISCUSSED. DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. REVIEW THE PUBLIC RECORD FOR YOURSELF. I WANT TO REVISIT A FEW FACTS. IN MARCH, WE LEARNED THAT WE NO LONGER HAD A BOND RATING. COUNCIL WAS NOT FORMALLY NOTIFIED IN APRIL. A FEW COLLEAGUES ASKED ABOUT THE HIRING OF ADDITIONAL STAFF, IN WHICH SOME OF US FELT THAT WAS NEEDED. HOWEVER, SOME MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WOULD NOT SUPPORT THE MOTION. DURING THE MONTHS OF JUNE AND JULY, A FEW COLLEAGUES WORKED TO DEVELOP A BUDGET DOCUMENT IN AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS FINANCIAL CONCERNS. AND

[00:55:03]

[XI. PRESENTATIONS and ANNOUNCEMENTS]

OKAY, SO WE'RE GOING TO READ IT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL HAVE ANY COMMENTS. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE MISS ECHEVARRIA COME UP AND SAY ANY COMMENTS THAT SHE HAS. SO THIS PROCLAMATION PROCLAMATION IS TO HONOR MISS MELISSA ECHEVARRIA. WHEREAS WATER IS THE QUIET COVENANT BETWEEN THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE, POURED INTO EVERY KITCHEN, CARRIED TO EVERY CLASSROOM, ENTRUSTED IN EVERY HOME. AND FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES, MISS MELISSA ECHEVARRIA, DIRECTOR OF WATER AND SEWER AND WATER RESOURCES, HAS KEPT THIS COVENANT WITH EASTPOINT WITH DEDICATION, EXCELLENCE AND GRACE. HER STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE BECAME THE CITY'S SIGNATURE, EARNING GEORGIA. THE GEORGIA ASSOCIATION OF WATER PROFESSIONALS WATER DISTRIBUTION GOLD AWARD THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS FROM 2024 TO 2026, ALONG WITH THE 2026 WATER TREATMENT GOLD AWARD. PROOF THAT EVERY DROP DELIVERED MET ITS HIGHEST MEASURE OF QUALITY OPERATIONS AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE. SHE CHAMPIONS THE MUNICIPAL OPTION SALES TAX, MOST APPROVED BY VOTERS IN 2022, AND HELPED BRING HOME MORE THAN 20 MILLION OF FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE, $20 MILLION IN FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS

[01:00:01]

AND JUST BECAUSE I ALWAYS MISSED YOUR LAST NAME. BUT. BUT ECHEVERIA, I THINK I GOT IT RIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME. BUT, MELISSA, I JUST WANT TO WISH YOU JUST ALL THE BEST. SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE THESE FIVE YEARS. I COULD ALWAYS JUST PICK UP THE PHONE YOU ALWAYS ANSWERED. AND ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY CONCERNS, ANYTHING THAT I HAD, YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN RIGHT ON TOP OF EVERYTHING. SO WE ARE TRULY GOING TO MISS YOU. I MEAN, YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH FOR THE CITY, MOVED US FORWARD AND YOU DEFINITELY LEFT SOME HUGE, HUGE, HUGE SHOES THAT NEED TO BE FILLED NOW. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU LEFT US IN A IN A VERY, VERY GOOD PLACE. AND WE WILL CONTINUE YOUR LEGACY ON. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, YOUR NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN ADKINS. YES, DIRECTOR ECHEVARRIA, I JUST WANT TO SAY MY TIME HERE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER HAS NOT BEEN AS LONG AS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH YOU ON SEVERAL INITIATIVES. AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE, BUT NOT ONLY RESPONSIVE, BUT YOU ALWAYS CAME WITH A SOLUTION THAT WOULD WORK FOR THE SITUATION. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT YOU WITH COMMUNITY.

WHEN THEY HAD QUESTIONS AND THEY HAD ISSUES THAT NEEDED TO BE RESOLVED, YOU ALWAYS PROVIDED GREAT INFORMATION AROUND THAT AND WAS ABLE TO MANAGE COMPLEX WATER AND SEWER PROBLEMS AND ISSUES AND PROJECTS, WHETHER THEY WERE PLANNED OR EMERGENCY. AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT LEADERSHIP AS WELL. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING A VALUE ADD TO THIS CITY AND WISHING YOU ALL THE SUCCESS IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR ECHEVARRIA, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT. I JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU FROM MY PERSONAL LEVEL. THE FIRST TIME I MET YOU, I WAS NOT A COUNCIL MEMBER. I WAS A RESIDENT WORRIED ABOUT MY OWN BACKYARD.

AND I REMEMBER TELLING MY HUSBAND, MAN, THIS IS LADY IN EASTPOINT, AND SHE KNOWS THE WHOLE WATER SYSTEM IN HER HEAD. AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE THAT LITTLE BLUETOOTH CLIP ON AND DOING LIKE FIVE THINGS AT ONE TIME, BUT STILL SOMEHOW GIVING EACH PERSON THEIR INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION. SO I THANK YOU FOR THE INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION THAT YOU GIVE AND THAT YOU GAVE TO EACH OF US. AND I ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE BIG IDEAS THAT YOU BROUGHT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR IS YOU BRINGING THAT WATER INSURANCE PROGRAM. I'VE HAD MEMBERS IN MY COMMUNITY WHO USE THAT LEAK PROTECTION PROGRAM WHEN THEY RECENTLY HAD A CHALLENGE, AND IT WAS YOUR VISIONARY LEADERSHIP THAT BROUGHT THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR

[01:05:03]

BECAUSE WHAT THE WORK WE DO IN THE CITY IS JUST SO IMPORTANT. AND SO EVERYTHING BOILS DOWN TO THE RELATIONSHIPS WE BUILT AND ALSO OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT IT'S THE FOUNDATION OF WHO I AM AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND AS A PERSON. AND SO I SAY THIS, THAT THE TITLES AND POSITIONS WE HAVE THEIR TEMPORARY. WHAT MATTERS MOST IS THE IMPACT WE HAVE ON THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE AND THE LEGACY WE LEAVE BEHIND. I'M HOPING THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THE CITY OF EAST POINT. AND SO FOR THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

SO PRETTY. I LIKE THAT DRESS. NICE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. JUST A LOVELY CONGRATULATIONS. THANK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT. TO HONOR. YES. CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SEE YOU AROUND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

[XII. COMMITTEE REPORTS]

[01:10:11]

OKAY. SO WE'RE ON. OKAY. COMMITTEE REPORTS. NOW WHAT? OH, NO. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS AT THIS TIME? NO. OKAY. AND THEN SO ITEM NUMBER THREE. YES. SO THIS THIS IS UNDER

[XIV.3. Council Discussion and Possible Action on 2026 Millage Rate (Part 1 of 2)]

COUNCIL, DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TABLE THIS ITEM? YEAH. I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL WE RECEIVE FURTHER INFORMATION. SECOND OKAY. WE HAVE A I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN MITCHELL, WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION? I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. MIKE WASN'T I'M SAYING I'M SAYING MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL WE RECEIVE FURTHER INFORMATION.

OKAY. WE HAVE WE HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THE MOTION PASSES. WE WILL TABLE THIS UNTIL WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IT BACK TO THE FLOOR. OKAY. SO NEXT WE WILL GO TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION

[XIV.4. Discussion and Possible Action for Consideration of Reengaging KB Advisory Group and Charles Johnson ]

COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS. YES, MADAM MAYOR AND ALSO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I PLACE THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA SO THAT WE COULD CONSIDER REENGAGING THE CPRB ADVISORY GROUP AND CHARLES JOHNSON TO FINISH THE DISCUSSIONS FOR TAD'S THREE AND FOUR. IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET BACK IN DECEMBER 2025, THE EASTPOINTE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TAX ALLOCATION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, WHICH WAS THE WILLINGHAM INNOVATION DISTRICT IN TAX ALLOCATION. DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR, SYLVAN OAKLEY. THE PROPOSED DISTRICTS WERE DESIGNED TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ATTRACT PRIVATE INVESTMENT, FACILITATE REDEVELOPMENT OF UNDERUTILIZED PROPERTIES, AND SUPPORT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE. ALTHOUGH REDEVELOPMENT PLANS WERE PREPARED AND PUBLIC HEARINGS CONDUCTED, THE PROPOSED DISTRICTS WERE NOT ADOPTED BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, 2025. AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS RE-ENGAGEMENT TO OCCUR. WE

[01:15:05]

AND ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR POTENTIAL ADOPTION BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, 2026, WITH AN UPDATE HAPPENING TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL BY NOVEMBER 9TH. BUT WE CAN DISCUSS IT. YEAH. BEFORE YOU PUT THAT IN A MOTION, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS TO ENGAGE REENGAGE MR. JOHNSON AND THE CPRB ADVISORY GROUP, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RERUN ALL THE NUMBERS FOR THE PARCELS THAT WERE GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN BOTH OF THOSE TAD'S. IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT THEY WILL HAVE AN UPDATE TO YOU ON THE NINTH. SO DO WE WANT TO GO WITH THE THIRD MEETING IN NOVEMBER? I THINK YOU NEED TO ALLOW ME TO ENGAGE THEM TO SEE WHAT THEIR SCHEDULE IS LIKE TO OKAY, AS TO NOT ASSUME THAT THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY. OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW THAT MOTION AND SIMPLY SAY TO DIRECT THE ACTING CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO REENGAGE THE CPRB ADVISORY GROUP AND ATTORNEY CHARLES JOHNSON TO REVIEW AND UPDATE THE PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT FOR TAD NUMBERS THREE AND FOUR. SECOND, AND I'LL END IT RIGHT THERE, BECAUSE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GATHER ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT. IS THAT SUFFICIENT, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY? THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? YES.

WE HAVE COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING AND THEN COUNCILMAN ATKINS. I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE. BUT MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS WOULD APPLY TO THIS SITUATION OR NOT. SO BECAUSE CHARLES JOHNSON IS AN ATTORNEY, HE'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND HE'S ALREADY BEEN ENGAGED. HE'S ALREADY ENGAGED WITH THE CITY FOR OTHER MATTERS. HE WORKS ON THE CURRENT TAD, THE CLEVELAND AVENUE TAD CABE ADVISORY GROUP IS SOMEONE HE CONTRACTED OUT. NOT THAT THE CITY HIRES CABE ADVISORY GROUP DIRECTLY. AND SO WE PAY CHARLES. CHARLES PAYS THE ADVISORY GROUP. SO THEN WE JUST NEED TO ENGAGE HIM, AND THEN HE WILL BRING IN THE CONSULTANTS AS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THIS. THAT IS CORRECT.

AND BECAUSE IT'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS LANGUAGE APPLIES OR NOT, BUT WOULD HE FOR THE PUBLIC WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW WHO CHARLES JOHNSON IS, WOULD HE BE CONSIDERED A LIKE SOLE OR SINGLE SOURCE BECAUSE HE HAS THE BACKGROUND, THE KNOWLEDGE WORKED WITH THE CITY ON THE MULTIPLE TASKS THAT WE'VE PREVIOUSLY HAD. HE WOULD BE.

AND THE LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT THERE BE A COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. OKAY. THANK YOU, I YIELD. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN ATKINS. YES. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM. I KNOW THAT WE HAD GREAT DISCUSSION JUST IN 2025 REGARDING BOTH OF THOSE TABS, WHICH ARE ACTUALLY BOTH IN PARTS IN IN WARD B, ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES WAS THE LARGE SWATH OF LAND IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE WARD, THE 50 PLUS ACRES, AND GETTING A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT OWNER AND DEVELOPER WAS TRYING TO DO WITH THAT. REALLY, IN MY ESTIMATION, AS A WARD B REPRESENTATIVE, BEFORE ATTACHING THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL TO IT. AND SO THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THAT DEVELOPER, I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE. AND SO RESIDENTS IN BOTH EAGAN PARK AND EAST WASHINGTON AND SOME OF THE OTHER SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES HAVE CONTINUED TO ASK. AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWERS FOR THAT. AND SO WITH THE TAD, WHICH IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL, I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT BEING DEVELOPED INTO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WISHES IT TO BE. AND SO I WISH THAT THERE WERE A LITTLE MORE DIALOG AND

[01:20:04]

AND IT ALSO INCREASES THE VALUE BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL THAT WE'RE RUNNING WITH IT. AND SO I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE GREATER CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEVELOPERS SO THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO USE THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL, BECAUSE THERE COULD BE OTHER AREAS, IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION FORTHCOMING, WHERE WE MAY BE ABLE TO SPUR AND JUMP START ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO AT THIS POINT, I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. BUT AND I THINK THAT THERE'S AN AGENDA ITEM IN TERMS OF A STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT, IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE COUNCIL TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THOSE ISSUES AND WHERE WE'D LIKE TO SEE SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE CITY. AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL YIELD. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS, I THINK. WERE YOU IN COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL? YES. AND SO LET'S LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT TAD IS A TAX ALLOCATION DISTRICT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE STARTED THESE TALKS BACK IN 2025, AND BASED UPON THE RESEARCH THAT I HAVE HERE, ALTHOUGH REDEVELOPMENT PLANS WERE PREPARED AND PUBLIC HEARINGS CONDUCTED, THE PROPOSED DISTRICTS WERE NOT ADOPTED BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, 2025. AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO YIELD BECAUSE I WAS ON COUNCIL DURING THAT TIME. WE HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS, NUMEROUS TALKS, AND AGAIN, FOR EVERYONE WATCHING AND LISTENING AT HOME, THIS HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT BACK UP THIS ENTIRE YEAR. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN COUNCIL TALKS ABOUT USING RESERVES TO PAY A COLA. THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE NEEDS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND I THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD START JUST TO REENGAGE, BECAUSE THE MOTION SIMPLY SAYS TO DIRECT THE CITY ACTING CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO REENGAGE, WE NEED TO FIRST REENGAGE SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CITY. AND AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO SIMPLY YIELD. THIS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THOSE TALKS WITH CHARLES JOHNSON, TO TALK ABOUT THE SWATHS OF LAND AND TO CONTINUE THOSE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THAT WE SIMPLY WE SIMPLY LEFT OFF IN DECEMBER OF 2025. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THIS IS WHAT THIS IS MY TEN. WE'RE IN MONTH TEN. AND THIS PARTICULAR ITEM HAS NOT BEEN PLACED ON OUR AGENDA. SO I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REENGAGE. AND I WOULD LIKE COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY SO THAT WE CAN SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT WHAT IS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. I'LL YOU, MADAM MAYOR. COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? OKAY, SO I DO HAVE ONE. SORRY, MADAM MAYOR, GO AHEAD. I JUST WANTED TO ASK COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS THE MOTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR. THIS IS NOT AN ADOPTION OF ANY TYPE OF. IT'S NOT A COMMITMENT. IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY. DO WE HAVE THE FUNDS AND THE BUDGET, I GUESS, TO REENGAGE? CHARLES JOHNSON WHERE WOULD THOSE LOCATED? WHERE ARE THOSE FUNDS? I'M SORRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR QUESTION. THIS IS A REENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE. AND NOW, MADAM MAYOR, MAY I DIRECT THAT QUESTION TO OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER? BECAUSE I BELIEVE THOSE FUNDS WERE WERE THEY A PART OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUDGET? AND IT MAY DIRECT YOUR QUESTION TO THE ACTING CITY ATTORNEY, MANAGER, THE ACTING CITY MANAGER, THE ACTING CITY MANAGER. I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE. NO, MA'AM. THAT'S FINE, THAT'S FINE. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET

[01:25:02]

OKAY. SO, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, WILL THERE BE A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS BECAUSE WE ALREADY ARE ENGAGING HIM BECAUSE HE DOES PROVIDE US WITH OUR TAD QUARTERLY STATEMENTS THAT WE ALREADY RECEIVE. SO WILL THERE BE A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS? YES, BECAUSE HE WILL THEN TURN AROUND AND HIRE THE CONSULTANT. OKAY. AND WHERE HAVE THOSE FUNDS COME FROM? IN THE PAST? I'M NOT SURE. OKAY. WELL, MADAM, I, I, I'M INTERESTED IN THE OPPORTUNITY TO REENGAGE, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT NOT KNOWING WHAT THE COST IS, WHAT THE SCOPE OF WORK IS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO COULD WE CHANGE YOUR MOTION MAYBE TO GET MORE DETAILS SO COUNCIL CAN MAKE A FULL CONSIDERATION? LIKE WHAT WOULD IT COST US TO GO BACK TO CHARLES JOHNSON? WHAT WOULD THE SCOPE OF WORK LOOK LIKE? WHAT IS THE EXPECTED DELIVERABLE, THAT SORT OF THING, SO THAT WHEN WE VOTE ON IT, AND I GUESS THE, THE, THE, THE THIRD PART OF THAT IS WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM. SO THAT WHEN WE VOTE ON IT, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GETTING.

THE WORD REENGAGE IS SO BROAD TO ME THAT I'M HAVING A HARD TIME KNOWING WHAT I'M SUPPORTING. SO I SUPPORT THE CONCEPT, BUT I JUST, I WANT A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICITY SO THAT WHEN I VOTE, I KNOW THAT I'M WHAT I'M VOTING TO SUPPORT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU.

COUNCILMAN MARTIN ROGERS. IT DOES. AND I THINK IN ORDER FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, WHAT I CAN DO IS WITHDRAW THE MOTION TO REDIRECT THE ACTING CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO COMMUNICATE WITH CHARLES JOHNSON, IDENTIFY FUNDS FOR THE RE-ENGAGEMENT. I FEEL LIKE I'M MISSING SOMETHING ELSE. AND THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE RE-ENGAGEMENT FOR TABS THREE AND FOUR. YOU HAVE THAT, MADAM MAYOR. YOU HAVE THAT MOTION. NO, I DO NOT. YOU NEED TO REPEAT THE WHOLE MOTION. WHAT IS? I KNOW KEISHA GOT IT. SO WHAT IS? WE HAD THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT WAS WITHDRAWN. YEAH. I WITHDREW MY ORIGINAL MOTION. MADAM CITY CLERK, DO YOU HAVE THAT MOTION? NOT THE ORIGINAL. OH MY GOD. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS A NEW MOTION. I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW THAT MOTION. THE MOTION IS TO DIRECT THE ACTING CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO REENGAGE WITH TO COMMUNICATE WITH CHARLES JOHNSON. POSSIBLE RE-ENGAGEMENT. FOR REVIEW AND UPDATE FOR TASK NUMBER THREE AND FOUR. IDENTIFY FUNDS. COST AND SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDED. OKAY. SECOND. OKAY.

ANY DISCUSSION? AMEN. YES. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? BECAUSE I HEARD TO SOMETHING A CONVERSATION WITH MR. JOHNSON. AND MY QUESTION TO THE THE CITY ATTORNEY, DO WE EVER STOP ENGAGING WITH MR. JOHNSON? SO THAT'S I WAS ALSO CONFUSED BY THAT. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE. THAT WAS ONE PROJECT. THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, THE TAD'S.

BUT I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE STOPPED ENGAGING WITH MR. JOHNSON. HE'S ENGAGED FOR THE CLEVELAND AVENUE TAB. RIGHT. HE'S ENGAGED FOR THE CLEVELAND AVENUE TAB. WHEN THERE WAS ALL OF THE TALK AND THE DISCUSSIONS AND THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND THE WORK DONE, THE MAPPING FOR THE THE INNOVATION TABS, WE WERE CALLING THEM THREE AND FOUR, THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL COST.

AND SO HE HAS BEEN ON RETAINER WELL BEFORE I'VE GOTTEN HERE FOR THE WORK HE'S DONE FOR THE TAD'S, FOR VIDA, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. HE'S WORKED FOR THE CITY FOR YEARS.

AND SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS, YES, HE'S A PERPETUAL ENGAGEMENT. BUT NOW YOU'RE ADDING A NEW PROJECT, IF YOU WILL, THAT I DID SEE THE INVOICES DOUBLE DURING THAT

[01:30:04]

IT'S A RE-ENGAGEMENT FOR A NEW PROJECT OR FOR AN OLD PROJECT THAT'S BEING REVITALIZED. AND IT'S NEW IN THE SENSE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WAS DONE IN 2025 IS NO LONGER VALID.

CORRECT? RIGHT. NEW ASSESSMENTS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE OF DIGEST IS GOING TO CHANGE.

EXACTLY. ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO PLAY INTO THIS. CAN YOU CAN WE RESTATE THE MOTION? BECAUSE NOW I'M CONFUSED ON THE MOTION. MADAM CITY CLERK, CAN YOU RESTATE THE MOTION, PLEASE. I DON'T I DON'T HAVE THE WHOLE MOTION. I KNOW, OKAY, CAN I CHIME IN FOR A SECOND? NO, UNTIL WE ESTABLISH. RESTATE THE MOTION. RESTATE THE MOTION. ARE YOU READY, MADAM CITY CLERK OKAY. AND I ALWAYS SAY LIKE PAPER AND PENCIL, NEVER FORGET. TAKE GOOD NOTES. AND HERE WE GO.

DIRECT THE ACTING CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO REENGAGE, ATTORNEY CHARLES JOHNSON TO REVIEW AND UPDATE THE PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR TAD NUMBERS THREE AND FOUR. AND I BELIEVE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL WANTED TO ADD A SCOPE OF WORK AND COST. YES. IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. THAT'S THE MOTION. MADAM CITY CLERK, DO YOU HAVE THE MOTION? SO. YES.

OKAY. CAN YOU CONFIRM IT? PLEASE DIRECT THE ACTING CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO COMMUNICATE WITH CHARLES JOHNSON TO REVIEW THE UPDATE FOR THE TASK NUMBER THREE AND FOUR WITH SCOPE OF WORK AND COST. MITCHELL, DOES YOUR SECOND STILL STAND? OKAY. SO THEN IF HE'S ALREADY ENGAGED AND WE'RE ALREADY PAYING A RETAINER, HE'S JUST PROVIDING TO US WHAT A SCOPE OF WORK WOULD BE AND WHAT THE COST WOULD BE. AND HE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO INCREASE COSTS AND ENGAGING ANYONE ELSE, BECAUSE WE ALREADY ARE PAYING HIM. AND SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT INFORMATION. SO, SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS JUST THAT, THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO HIM AND SAY, HEY, FOR YOU TO WORK ON REVITALIZING THE THREE AND FOUR TABS, WHAT IS IT GOING TO COST? GIVE US A PROJECT TIMELINE AND A SCOPE OF WORK NOT TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK, BUT JUST TO TELL US THOSE THINGS. OKAY, WE'LL BRING THAT BACK TO YOU. YOU GUYS THEN CAN MAKE A DECISION OF WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM IF YOU STILL WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S COST NEUTRAL OR IT'S NOT REALLY COST BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY PAYING HIM. HE'S ALREADY ON RETAINER, AND I DON'T THINK HE WILL GIVE ME A BILL TO EVENTUALLY BILL US FOR MORE WORK. THANK YOU. EXPLORATORY. YEAH, WE HAVE COUNCILMAN MITCHELL AND. I KNOW I'M OUT. SO, COUNCILWOMAN. ONCE OR TWICE ON THE GROUND. SO YOU'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE. YEAH. I DON'T THINK I ACTUALLY HAVE TO MAKE THE COMMENT. IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION AS TO WHAT THIS WAS.

AND I THINK IT'S JUST TO START THE CONVERSATION OVER. IT'S BEEN OVER TEN MONTHS SINCE THE LAST TIME THIS WAS BROUGHT UP, AND IT BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN PUT ON THE AGENDA, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY CONVERSATION AROUND IT. SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS MOTION, LIKE CITY ATTORNEY MENTIONED, IT'S NOT TO MAKE A DECISION, BUT IT IS TO RESTART THE CONVERSATION AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE EQUIPPED WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION NEEDED SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROCESS. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO ARE WE GOING TO SHE'S GOING TO ENGAGE IN I'M SORRY, WHAT IS THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS FOR HER TO ENGAGE AGAIN WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND BRING BACK A SCOPE OF WORK. THE BUDGET IS NOT A PART OF THIS BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACTOR IS ON RETAINER. SO WE'RE JUST CALLING FOR A MEETING TO REENGAGE. ABOUT TASK THREE AND FOUR. OKAY,

[01:35:02]

AND THIS IS MORE LIKE AN EXPLORATORY. VIEW OF WHAT WHAT IT WOULD COST TO SCOPE. AND I THINK WE STILL HAVE TO DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO PAY HIM OR RETAIN THEIR SERVICES AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT WOULD COME FROM. SO THIS IS MORE LIKE WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE DETAILS OF IT RIGHT NOW. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A DO WE HAVE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I OKAY, ALL THOSE OPPOSED THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. WANT TO ASK REALLY QUICK. HOLD ON FOR A SECOND.

OKAY. CAN WE JUST HAVE A ROLL CALL FOR TO CONFIRM THAT THE MOTION HAS PASSED? COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING. I COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. CUMMINGS. COUNCIL MEMBER. MITCHELL. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. CALDWELL. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MARTIN. ROGERS. AYE.

THE MOTION PASSES. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO WE ARE READY TO MOVE ON FOR. I WAS GOING TO ASK I KNOW WE HAD TABLED ITEM. YES. I WAS GOING TO WANT TO RETURN BACK TO THE TABLE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO. OKAY TAKE ITEM NUMBER THREE OFF THE TABLE. SECOND. OKAY. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO

[XIV.3. Council Discussion and Possible Action on 2026 Millage Rate (Part 2 of 2)]

I WOULD RECOMMEND TO YOU TO NOT ADVERTISE AT 13 MEALS. I WOULD RECOMMEND TO YOU TO ADVERTISE AT A HIGHER AMOUNT. AND THEN AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, IF YOU GUYS SO CHOOSE TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE, YOU CAN. BUT IF YOU ADVERTISE AT 13 MEALS AND THEN YOU GET MORE INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING MORE, YOU CANNOT. AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE TAX DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WAITING ON IS SOME DIRECTION. IT IS MY. RECOMMENDATION, IF YOU WILL, THAT THEY GO AHEAD AND ADVERTISE AT THE. 13113.156 THAT'S NOT YOU SETTING IT AT THAT, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SET IT UNTIL THE ADVERTISEMENT IS COMPLETE. FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE COMPLETE. AND THEN YOU WOULD GO INTO A MOTION TO SAY, WE MOVE TO SET THE MILLAGE AT WHATEVER NUMBER IS BENEATH THE ADVERTISED NUMBER. CORRECT. SO WHEN YOU SAY MORE INFORMATION. SO WE'VE BEEN SITTING ON STAFF RECOMMENDED THIS 13.156 MEALS.

HOW LONG AGO WAS THAT? LIKE 3 OR 4 WEEKS AGO OR THREE WEEKS AGO. I THINK IT WAS LIKE A WORK SESSION. SO YOU SAID YOU NEEDED MORE INFORMATION THAN THAT. OH, I DON'T NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION. OKAY. I, I SAID THAT THE STAFF WAS WAITING ON DIRECTION ON WHETHER SHE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. 13.156 I ACTUALLY THINK THAT THAT DIRECTION COULD HAVE COME FROM THE ACTING CITY MANAGER, NOT NECESSARILY COUNCIL. AND THEN YOUR VOTE, YOUR AUTHORITY COMES POST THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO HOW DO WE DETERMINE OR COME TO A CONSENSUS ON I BELIEVE THAT WOULD THAT BE ON COUNCIL TO TO COME TO THE DECISION ON WHAT WANTS TO BE ADVERTISED? CORRECT.

IT WILL BE ON COUNCIL TO VOTE ON THE FINAL MILLAGE AFTER THE ADVERTISEMENT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN AFTER HOLDING THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO. IT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING. SO WE'RE THREE WEEKS IN. WE HAVE OUR RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF. I'M JUST I'M I JUST THINK THE SCHEDULE GOT MUDDLED. I THINK WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IS THAT THE ADVERTISEMENT SHOULD

[01:40:02]

THANK YOU. NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU. SO AFTER WAIT I HAVE I HAD COUNCILMAN MITCHELL, COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS AND COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING, THEN COUNCILWOMAN CUMMINGS, COUNCILMAN MARTIN ROGERS. I THINK I WAS LAST I'M SORRY, DO YOU. BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND. GO ON THE PUBLIC RECORD. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL, IF OUR LAST MEETING IS NOVEMBER 16TH, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PROBABLY RUN THIS ADVERTISEMENT LIKE YOU WERE SUGGESTING IN SCHEDULE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING FOR THIS ITEM. IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING? CAN I DIRECT THIS QUESTION TO MADAM CITY ATTORNEY? I DIDN'T SUGGEST A SPECIAL CALL MEETING. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL DID, BUT THAT'S NOT A BAD IDEA. IT'S JUST THAT IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AFTER THE 18TH OF NOVEMBER. THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING NEEDS TO HAPPEN AFTER THE 18TH OF NOVEMBER. YES. OKAY.

I WILL SUPPORT A SPECIAL CALL MEETING COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL FOR THIS ONE ITEM. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN STATED EARLY ON FROM THAT DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. OKAY.

COUNCILWOMAN HEMMINGS, AND THEN IF I IF I CAN LET ME JUST SAY THAT AT THE LAST TIME IT WAS ON THE AGENDA, IT WAS SCHEDULED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT THE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE DID NOT GET PUBLISHED. AND SO THE DEPARTMENT DID STATE MEET, PRESENT AND DO THE THINGS THAT WERE NECESSARY, BUT THE ADVERTISEMENT WAS NOT DONE. SO IT COULDN'T HAPPEN AT THAT MEETING WHERE IT APPEARED ON YOUR AGENDA. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING AND COUNCILWOMAN CUMMINGS AND COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL. SINCE WE'RE CONSIDERING A PUBLIC SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, I'LL GOING TO WITHDRAW, BUT I WILL SAY THAT IT WOULD. THAT WEEK, I TRAVEL FOR WORK, AND SO I WOULD ONLY BE AVAILABLE FOR NOVEMBER 23RD.

[01:45:05]

IT IS NOT IT'S IT'S FOR YOU GUYS TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. I BELIEVE YOU CAN VOTE THAT SAME NIGHT. BUT A, THE LEGAL PART OF THAT MEETING IS FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME OUT TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION AND TO HEAR YOUR DISCUSSION ON WHERE THE MILLAGE SHOULD BE SET. BUT. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT COMMENT. NEXT, WE HAVE COUNCILWOMAN CUMMINGS. YES, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. SO AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THIS TAX YEAR, THIS ARE BASED ON CALENDAR YEAR. YES.

SO SO FOR THIS, IF WE DO AT 13.156 THAT'LL BE FOR THE TAXES FOR THIS YEAR. THAT'LL BE YOUR MILLAGE FOR 2026 FOR 2026. WELL THE THING IS THIS MY MORTGAGE COMPANY IS ALREADY PAID MY ESCROW. I MEAN, MY ESCROW, THEY'VE ALREADY PAID MY TAXES FOR THIS YEAR. SO IF WE'RE GOING IN AND TAXES HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID BY SOME OF THESE MORTGAGE COMPANIES, SO THEY MAY ADJUST, THEY MAY HAVE TO ADJUST IF THEY DIDN'T PAY ENOUGH OR IF THEY PAID TOO MUCH, YOU'LL GET A REFUND BECAUSE THEY DO AN ESTIMATE. AND YOU REMEMBER, THE REASON WHY THIS IS LATE IN THE FIRST PLACE IS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET THE DIGEST FROM FULTON COUNTY UNTIL LATE. RIGHT? REMEMBER THE LAWSUIT I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT WHERE THEY HAD TO DO THE REQUEST OF THE SUPERIOR COURT TO USE 2025 AND THAT WHOLE THING? SO WE WERE GOING TO BE LATE ANYWAY. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SO THE THING IS YOUR SUGGESTION, ADVERTISE IT AT 13.156 BECAUSE WITH THAT YOU ONLY NEED ONE WEEK FOR ADVERTISEMENT. CORRECT. WELL, YOU ONLY NEED ONE WEEK REGARDLESS OF WHAT NUMBER YOU PUT. BUT IF YOU DECIDED YOU WANT IT TO DO SOMETHING, LOWER YOUR GOOD. BUT IF YOU ADVERTISE IT AT 13 AND YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING HIGHER, YOU CAN'T DO THAT. I, I GET THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY SAID BEFORE, IF THEY WENT, I THINK THEY'D LIKE 13.5. 13 THEN IT HAS TO BE THREE WEEKS. YES. 13. OKAY. SO THAT'S FINE. I'M, I'M TRACKING NOW. SO YOU DO. THREE IF WE ADVERTISE IT AT 13.156, WE'RE FINE. JUST IT'LL GO, IT'LL GO THAT ONE WEEK. WE CAN EITHER PUT IT AT 13.156 OR KEEP IT AT 13. IT DOESN'T MATTER. WE CAN ALWAYS DROP DOWN. YOU GOT IT. OKAY, COOL. I'M TRACKING NOW. THANK YOU, I YIELD.

ALRIGHT, COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL, THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION AT THE LAST MEETING THAT NOT ONLY WAS IT NOT ADVERTISED, WHICH IS WHY IT WAS PUSHED BACK, I THINK THERE WAS WE NEEDED TO CONFIRM THE FULL PROCESS. I READ AN EXCERPT FROM THE MILLAGE RATE PROCESS MANUAL.

IT SAYS THAT IF WE WERE TO ADOPT THE AT OR BELOW THE FINAL ROLLBACK RATE, WHICH IS EITHER THE 13 MILLS OR THE 13.1561 ADVERTISED MEETING NOTICE TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATE PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER WITH THE CURRENT PROPERTY TAX DIGEST AND FIVE YEAR HISTORY OF LEVY AND AND POSTED ON THE CITY WEBSITE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE ADVERTISE THIS, THAT WE'RE NOT JUST ADVERTISING THE MILLAGE RATE, THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE, WE ALSO HAVE THIS FIVE YEAR HISTORY THAT WE ARE POSTING WITH IT SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY VOTE ON THIS. SO YOU'RE CORRECT. THAT'S THE FORM PT32-1. AND THAT'S A PROCESS THAT WILL BE BETWEEN THE CLERK AND THE STAFF. RIGHT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ALL IN THE KNOW OF WHAT WAS REQUIRED, SO THAT WE CAN GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN PROGRESS. AND SO IT WASN'T JUST THE ADVERTISEMENT, IT WAS THE ADVERTISEMENT PLUS THAT FIVE YEAR HISTORY. AND I GUESS THE IF WE'RE SAYING THAT THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED US WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED, THEN AT THIS POINT IT IS ON THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO COMPLETE THIS ADVERTISEMENT PIECE. YES. ON THE FIVE YEAR HISTORY THAT CAN GO UP NOW. RIGHT. THAT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT OF YOUR FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO 2026 AND WITH THE MILLAGE WITH THE DIGEST HAS BEEN. BUT YOU'RE CORRECT THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADVERTISED. AND TRADITIONALLY THAT'S DONE BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE. AND, MADAM MAYOR, MAY I, TO THE CLERK, JUST WANT TO GET CONFIRMATION FROM THE CLERK THAT WE HAVE THIS INFORMATION THAT WE CAN POST. AND WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE THIS WILL BE ADVERTISED? THAT'S INFORMATION THAT I GET DIRECTLY FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WILL COME FROM THEM TO ME TO IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT MY OFFICE KEEPS.

SO HAVE WE MADE A REQUEST TO THEM OR I HAVE NOT. YOU HAVE WHAT I HAVE NOT, OKAY. OKAY. I

[01:50:05]

AND, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, DO WE HAVE ANY ESTIMATE OR IDEA WHEN THE COUNTY IS GOING TO HAVE THE NEW ASSESSMENTS DONE? IT'S DONE. IT'S DONE. SO WE HAVE A DIGEST. DEBORAH STARTED HER PROCESS LATE, RIGHT, BECAUSE WE WAITED FOR IT. GOT IT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO AT THIS TIME WITH THIS ITEM, WE DO NOT. I'M SORRY. OH, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? OKAY, YOU'RE BACK IN. SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH FOR ATTENDANCE FOR A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING. I DON'T KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE. THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT IT'S A TRAINING. SO WE SHOULD FIGURE OUT WHO'S GOING AND WHO'S NOT GOING. I MEAN, IF I'M THE ONLY ONE GOING, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE ENOUGH. SO I HOPE THAT THAT COMMENT DIDN'T KNOW. NO I'M SORRY. I JUST WALKED BACK IN. I THOUGHT IT WAS SAID, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. I'M PULLING UP MY CALENDAR. SO SHE SAID THE 18TH, THE EARLIEST WE COULD HAVE THIS WOULD BE MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, REALLY QUICK. YOU SAID YOU SAID THE 18TH WOULD BE THE EARLIEST. YES. YOU COULD. THEY COULD HAVE IT ON THE NIGHT OF THE 18TH, THE NIGHT OF THE SEVENTH DAY. THEY CAN HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING THE NIGHT OF THE 18TH, WHICH IS THE SEVENTH DAY. OKAY. AND THEN WE CAN ALSO DO FRIDAY, SATURDAY. WE CAN ALSO DO WEEKENDS AS WELL. I'M JUST I'M JUST CHECKING. SO I KNOW WE HAVE DIFFERENT SCHEDULES. I, I DON'T SEE THE ATTORNEY. IT'S. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING IN THE LAWS THAT SAY YOU CAN'T DO THE WEEKEND. I'VE, I'VE ACTUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT HER PEOPLE SCHEDULING STUFF ON SATURDAYS. THERE. THERE ARE SOME REQUIREMENTS THAT REQUIRE YOU TO DO IT AFTER A CERTAIN TIME AND ALL OF THAT. I DON'T THINK IT APPLIES TO THAT, BUT I CAN LOOK IT UP. OKAY. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. SO I'M JUST I WANT TO GET THIS DONE THIS MONTH, HOPEFULLY, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY FACED A COUPLE DELAYS. SO THE WEEK OF THE 18TH. WE HAVE WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY. THEN WE HAVE, I BELIEVE COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING SAID SHE'S GOING OUT OF TOWN ON THE 23RD, WHICH IS MONDAY. NO, I RETURNED, I'LL BE BACK. I'M SORRY. SHE'S GOING TO LEAVE FOR WORK ON THE 18TH AND I'VE RETURNED ON THAT SUNDAY, SO I WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THE 23RD, WHICH IS THE MONDAY. BUT I ALSO HAD A QUESTION WHY IS IT NOT? WHY COULD WE NOT DO IT? AT THE NOVEMBER 16TH MEETING, I WAS TRYING TO LISTEN TO HOW YOU WERE PLANNING OUT THE MATH. THAT'S NOT SEVEN DAYS FROM THE AD RUNNING ON THE 11TH. OH I SEE, OKAY. THANK YOU. IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING. OKAY, SO I GUESS WE CAN COORDINATE AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A QUORUM AT SOME POINT. I GUESS THAT'S A DISCUSSION WE CAN HAVE AMONGST OURSELVES. SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO CATCH UP. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT, Y'ALL. THANK YOU. LET'S GO. OKAY.

COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THESE. THE TIMELINE AND DATES. WE MENTIONED THAT THE AD COULD POSSIBLY START ON THE FOURTH, WHICH IS. NO, I THOUGHT I HEARD THE FOURTH. IT'LL GET SENT TO THEM ON THE FOURTH SINCE TOMORROW'S THE HOLIDAY AND

[01:55:01]

SO, COUNCILMAN ATKINS, WHEN ARE YOU LEAVING TOWN AND HOW LONG YOU BE OUT OF TOWN? I'M NOT BACK UNTIL THE 22ND. SO THE 23RD AND THEN. OKAY. AND THEN COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING SAID SHE'LL BE BACK ON THE 23RD. SHE'S BACK ON THE 20. SO THAT'S A MONDAY 23RD. SO I THINK TWO OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ABSENT. SO DO WE WANT TO SET IT FOR THE MONDAY FOR LIKE A REGULAR, REGULAR SCHEDULED TIME? YES. OKAY. SO. I WOULD LIKE. SHIT. EXCUSE ME. SO THE TUESDAY COUNCILWOMAN CUMMINGS SAYS SHE WILL NOT ON THE MONDAY THIS TUESDAY WORK FOR EVERYBODY.

IT'S THE 24TH. HOLD ON. HOLD ON. YEAH. NO I'M NOT SURE THAT'S THANKSGIVING WEEKEND. I'M FLYING OUT. I JUST GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DAY I'M LEAVING. NO. I MEAN, IF WE CAN HAVE TWO.

I. I MEAN, WE CAN TRY. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU GUYS HAVE SPOKEN WITH COUNCILMAN FREELEY OR COUNCILMAN ZIEGLER, BUT IF WE HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, IF WE CAN GET ONE OF THOSE TO ATTEND THAT MEETING, I BELIEVE I BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE A QUORUM IF COUNCILMAN CUMMINGS NOT GOING TO BE HERE. SO DO I MEAN, WE CAN ALWAYS. WELL, WE CAN PROPOSE A DATE. I MEAN, I KNOW IT TAKES THREE TO CALL A MEETING. BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THAT SEEMS THE 23RD. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S THE DAY THAT MOST PEOPLE CAN BE AVAILABLE. THE 30TH. OKAY. OH, THAT'S THE NEXT MONDAY. HOW ABOUT THE 30TH? EVERYBODY BE AVAILABLE ON THE 30TH. WE HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE AVAILABLE. ON THE 30TH. WE HAVE FIVE MONDAYS IN THIS MONTH. THIS IS 30TH WORK FOR EVERYONE.

I'M AVAILABLE ON THE 23RD. I JUST DON'T KNOW. THE 24TH, THE 30TH. YEAH. I DON'T HAVE TRAVELER. I DON'T HAVE A CONFLICT. SO. OKAY, SO THAT'S 1234. OKAY. SO MY MOTION WOULD BE THAT. HOLD ON ONE SECOND GUYS. YES. MAMA WOULDN'T BE THAT. WE HAVE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING ON NOVEMBER 30TH TO ENTERTAIN THE FIRST HEARING FOR. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE 26TH. I MEAN, 2026 MINUTES. RIGHT? YES. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE. OH, WAIT, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. SHOULD I INCLUDE THE TIME, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY? SURE. 630 OKAY, SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO AMEND THAT TO CAN WE JUST CONFIRM THAT THE CHAMBERS ARE OPEN? BECAUSE I KNOW ONE TIME WE HAD A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AND PLANNING AND ZONING WAS IN HERE. SO NOVEMBER 30TH AT 630 IS, ARE THESE CHAMBERS OPEN? YEAH. AND IT'S NOT A HOLIDAY ANYTHING IS IT? SURE. THANK. I DON'T HAVE IS THERE ANY REASONS WHY THEY CAN'T BE OPEN. I GUESS IS A BETTER QUESTION. IT'S NO ONE ON MY CALENDAR FOR THE 30TH FOR THAT EVENING TIME. IT'S NO REASON THAT IT CAN'T BE OPEN. WE CAN GO ON AND WE CAN CONFIRM IT. IF WE CAN'T USE. IF WE

[02:00:10]

I I'M ON MY CALENDAR RIGHT NOW. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT EVENING ON THE 30TH. SO THE 30TH IS AVAILABLE FOR THAT EVENING TIME. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. YEAH. SO THE MOTION IS I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO HOLD THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING ON NOVEMBER 30TH AT 630 IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS TO DISCUSS. DISCUSSING, ON DISCUSSING POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE 2026 MILLAGE RATE, SECOND. SECOND. OKAY, HERE WE GO. YOU HAVE A SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WE HAVE DISCUSSION AND UPDATE ON

[XIV.5. Discussion and Update on FY27 Budget Amendment Process and December Amendments ]

OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS NEW APPARATUSES, DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. SO AS WE GO THROUGH THOSE LINES, WE KIND OF SEE WHERE THEY CAN UNDERSPEND TO TRY TO FUND THE OTHER AREAS. WE ALSO, ONCE WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE MILLAGE RATE WILL BE, WE'LL SEE IF WE NEED TO ADJUST OUR REVENUE NUMBERS TO SEE IF MAYBE ADDITIONAL REVENUE FUNDS WILL COVER THOSE EXPENSES, OR IF THERE WE NEED TO FIND ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES. OKAY. I GUESS THEN WE CAN WAIT JUST TO GET A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE FROM FUNDING SOURCES AND ALL OF THOSE LINE ITEMS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED IN DECEMBER, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE HAVE THOSE MEETINGS PLANNED GOING NOW. SO I THINK I HAVE TWO OF THEM PLANNED NEXT WEEK. AND THEN THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE JUST KIND OF GETTING ON THE CALENDAR AS AVAILABLE. SO ONCE WE HAVE ALL THOSE MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY ONCE THE MILLAGE RATE IS FINALIZED, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PULL IT ALL TOGETHER AND SUMMARIZE IT. OKAY. I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THIS LOOKED LIKE AS FAR IN ADVANCE, WHICH IS WHY I BROUGHT IT UP TODAY. BUT AT LEAST JUST UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT MENTIONED, HEY, THIS WILL GO ON THE DECEMBER AMENDMENT. SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE. RIGHT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE TIED TO DECEMBER, WE JUST KIND OF WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE

[02:05:03]

THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL, COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS, YES. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. BUT I KNOW THAT ACTING CITY MANAGER, YOU SAID THAT WE DO HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF THAT COULD PROVIDE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT I, TOO, AM LOOKING AT A SCREENSHOT OF MAYBE WHAT THOSE PROJECTED AMENDMENTS WILL LOOK LIKE IN DECEMBER. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT, PLEASE? SO. I THINK THE DIFFICULTY IS THIS, AND I, I CAN SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO SALARIES. THE PROBLEM WITH GIVING YOU A SPECIFIC ANSWER IS THAT WE ARE STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE. WE HAVE DEFICITS IN POLICE SALARIES. WE HAVE OVERAGES IN FIRE. WE HAVE A FEW DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY BUDGETED PROPERLY. SO IN DOING OUR MEETINGS WITH FOLKS, WE'RE GOING LINE BY LINE, LOOKING AT WHERE THEY ARE SALARY WISE. AND THEN HOPEFULLY BEFORE WE WE CAN DO A TRANSFER WITHOUT HAVING TO MOVE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND OR THE RESERVES, OR EVEN CUTTING CAPITAL. HOPE IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD SHORE UP THE FUNDS WITH THE OVERAGES, BALANCING OUT THE DEFICITS. SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY TO YOU, THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE LOOKING AT. I'M I FEEL LIKE WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA. AND BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF A LOT OF BALLS IN THE AIR, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO JUST SIT WITH EACH DEPARTMENT BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS, YOU KNOW, GETTING ON EACH OTHER'S SCHEDULE. SO JOSEPH IS MEETING WITH PEOPLE. I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH PEOPLE. I DO THINK THAT I WILL HAVE A BETTER IDEA AS FAR AS WHERE WE'RE STANDING WITH OUR SALARIES BY THIS WEEK AT THE END OF THE WEEK. AND AS HE MENTIONED, WE SHOULD WE HOPE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO BETTER ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AS FAR AS HOW MUCH OF AN AMENDMENT WE'RE LOOKING AT, BECAUSE THERE ARE ALSO CAPITAL AND OPERATIONAL ITEMS THAT WE'RE MOVING AROUND THAT WE HAVE NOT. WE HAVEN'T ADDED THAT UP YET. SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LONG ANSWER, BUT WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO GIVE YOU A SOLID RESPONSE AT THIS TIME. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR OKAY. JUST A I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, MADAM ACTING CITY MANAGER. WITH THE HELP OF THE NEW HR PERSON COMING ONLINE, DO YOU THINK THAT THAT WILL HELP IN ANY WAY WITH SOME OF THE RESOURCES TO HELP STREAMLINE AND QUICKEN SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN THE CITY? I'M SORRY, MADAM MAYOR, CAN YOU BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC AS TO WHAT WORK YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT? YES. SO SINCE WE HAVE A NEW HR PERSON COMING IN AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MAY BE A LACK OF RESOURCES AND TIMING AND STREAMLINING OF THE INITIATIVES, I KNOW WHAT I'M ASKING IS, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE THAT YOU HAVE THE STAFF AND THE SUPPORT TO KIND OF EXPEDITE OR RUN, RUN THINGS EFFICIENTLY SO THAT YOU CAN GET THESE TASKS AND STUFF EXECUTED? BECAUSE WHAT I'M I'M SORRY, WHAT I'M SAYING IS I HEAR THAT YOU HAVE TRYING TO HAVE MEETINGS AND, AND THAT THE MEETINGS ARE HAPPENING AND THINGS. AND I'M THINKING IN MY MIND, LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, LIKE, DO WE HAVE A PROJECT MANAGER OR A SCRUM MASTER THAT IS ACTUALLY THERE LOOKING AT THE TIMELINES, LOOKING AT THE, THE DELIVERABLES AND THOSE THINGS TO KIND OF PUSH THINGS ALONG.

I'M JUST AND I'M ASKING THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY PER SE, BUT IF IT'S IN A HUMAN RESOURCES OBJECTIVE TO GET SOMEONE IN TO HELP STREAMLINE THAT WORK.

THAT'S MY QUESTION. OKAY. I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION NOW. WE ARE REVIEWING WE ARE REVIEWING A BUDGET. WE ARE REVIEWING SALARY LINES. WE'RE REVIEWING ITEMS. SO FIRST AND

[02:10:02]

THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE WORK ISN'T BEING DONE. I'M SAYING THAT I KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE. AND I RESPECTFULLY AM SAYING THIS NOT TO ATTACK YOU BY ANY MEANS AT ALL, BUT ALL I'M ASKING IS THAT THERE'S A DISCIPLINE IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT THAT WILL ALLOW CONSTANT COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENCY. AND THEN WHEN WE GET TO THESE ITEMS, THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE MEAT ON THE BONES FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHERE THINGS ARE. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ONE PERSON, ONE PERSON WHO IS COMMITTED TO EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE ALREADY DOING AND THAT YOU ARE DOING WELL. I THINK THAT'S STILL A LOT FOR ONE PERSON. THIS IS MY OPINION. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT. I'M JUST GOING TO STOP THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CITY ACTING CITY MANAGER FOR ENTERTAINING THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR THAT? I THINK WE'RE ON ITEM

[XIV.6. Discussion and Update on Remaining 2026 Community Events ]

[02:15:05]

THOSE ARE THE TWO EVENTS. THE TURKEY. OH I'M SORRY, THE TURKEY DRIVE. YES. I THINK I SPOKE WITH COUNCIL PERSON CUMMINGS. I IDENTIFIED MONEY, I THINK IT WAS $15,000 FOR THE TURKEY DRIVE. HOWEVER THAT IS ALSO ACCOUNTS THAT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST A COUNCIL INITIATIVE.

SO. IT IS UNCLEAR AT THIS TIME IS WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS GOING TO BE A CITY WIDE. I KNOW IN THE PAST SOMETIMES IT WAS AWARD SPECIFIC, SO THAT WOULD BE A DIRECTIVE THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, COME FROM YOU ALL. THANKS. OKAY. AND IF IT IS US, THEN WE NEED TO GET ON BOARD WITH FINDING THE TURKEYS. COUNCILMAN ATKINS. YES. SO FOR SOME OF THE HOLIDAY, THE TURKEY AND THE HAM DRIVES OR GIVEAWAYS, WOULD THE CITY ALSO. OR IS THE CITY LOOKING AT PARTNERS? BECAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS. I KNOW THAT CANDY CARES HAS DONE TURKEY GIVEAWAYS, KANDI BURRUSS FOUNDATION, WE'VE DONE THAT OVER AT MILNER PARK BEFORE, AND THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO GIVEAWAYS. AND SO ARE WE TRYING TO LEVERAGE ANY OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS? I MEAN, WE'RE ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MILLAGE RATE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS. AND SO JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING GREAT STEWARDS OF THE DOLLAR SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY INCREASES. SO IS, IS THE CITY LOOKING AT ANY TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS AROUND THESE INITIATIVES? WE ARE HAPPY TO TO WORK AS DIRECTED. AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT STAFF HAS DONE IN THE PAST. SO THIS IS A NEW DIRECTION AS FAR AS. EVEN, YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE TO ALLOCATE SOMEBODY TO WORK ON THAT. AND ACTUALLY THE PERSON THAT WOULD COME TO MIND WOULD PERHAPS BE MISS JOHNSON, BECAUSE SHE HAS A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS AND, AND. WITH MANY OF THOSE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING. SO AM I GOING TO TAKE IT THAT THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR STAFF TO LEAD? I WAS JUST ASKING THE QUESTION AROUND IT, JUST AS A FIDUCIARY IN TERMS OF THE DOLLARS. AND IF WE'RE IF WE'RE NOT LEVERAGING, I THINK IT'S A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. SO I WAS JUST REALLY ASKING A QUESTION AROUND IT. SO I'M OPEN TO WHATEVER THE THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WANTS TO DO WITH IT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE JUST BEING GOOD STEWARDS AND MAKING SURE WE CAN PROVIDE SERVICES, BUT ALSO JUST SPENDING WISELY AND LEVERAGING WITH ORGANIZATIONS AS WE CAN. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, I YIELD. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MITCHELL. AND THEN ARE YOU IN, COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS? THANK YOU. SO I JUST JUST FOR CONTEXT, I KNOW IN THE PAST, I KNOW AT LEAST IN C. WE'VE HAD OTHER PEOPLE CONTRIBUTE DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE PAST. WE TEND TO, YOU KNOW, THE BURDEN IS NOT TOTALLY ON THE CITY. SO HAPPY TO REACH OUT TO THOSE PAST CONTRIBUTORS AND DIFFERENT RESOURCES AND MAYBE WE COULD SAVE THE CITY SOME MONEY AND GET SPREAD THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE. BUT I JUST WANT TO NOTE, HISTORICALLY, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER PEOPLE TO HELP SPONSOR THESE EVENTS ALSO. AND THAT WAS USUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD KIND OF SOURCE THOSE THINGS. I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS. YES, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT BOTH INITIATIVES I'VE BEEN ASKED ABOUT END OF YEAR INITIATIVES. SO I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION. TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL HAS STATED. YES, WE DO HAVE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN DONATE TURKEYS. AND I BELIEVE LAST YEAR THE TURKEY AND HAM GIVEAWAY WAS SPONSORED AT JEFFERSON PARK, BUT THERE WAS A MENTION OF CANDY CARES, AND THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT ALREADY PARTNERS WITH CANDY TO DO A TURKEY GIVEAWAY. I BELIEVE THAT THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT ALREADY PARTNERS

[02:20:06]

AND AS YOU SAID, THESE WERE COUNCIL LED INITIATIVES. SO COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL AND CALDWELL, ARE YOU TWO WILLING TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY ON THESE EVENTS? SURE. IF YOU WANT TO DO A SAD THING. MOTION. YEAH, WE COULD DO C AND D CITY WIDE. I MEAN, HOWEVER, I DON'T WANT TO SPECIFICALLY A CITY WIDE INITIATIVE FOR YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL TO WORK ON FOR THOSE END OF YEAR. YES. TURKEY AND HAM GIVEAWAY. AND ALSO, I DON'T KNOW, WE PROBABLY HAVE JUST A SENIOR EVENT. WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO REBRAND. I'M FINE WITH THAT. THAT'S MY MOTION. THE MOTION WAS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL AND COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO ON END OF YEAR EVENTS FOR THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE. SURROUNDED AROUND A TURKEY AND HAM GIVEAWAY AND ALSO A CULMINATING SENIOR EVENT. I HAD DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SENIOR EVENT AND REBRANDING THAT, AND I THINK WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT HAPPENING IN FEBRUARY AND MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE A SNEAKER BALL OR SOMETHING FOR THE SENIORS HAPPENING IN FEBRUARY, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL BE INTERESTED IN AND REBRANDING IT, AND MAYBE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PUT ON THE CALENDAR THAT'S COOL AND HELP OUT WITH. AND THAT'S AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE CLERGY, WELL, NOT THE CLERGY, BUT THE MINISTERIAL COUNCIL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FORM. AND I WAS AT THE LOVE LOVE CENTER ON SUNDAY, AND THEY OFFERED TO KIND OF HELP ASSIST WITH THAT. SO I WILL HELP AND PUT ANY RESOURCES THAT I CAN COME UP WITH AND SHARE THAT WITH COUNCILMAN MITCHELL AND COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL TO HELP THOSE TWO INITIATIVES. BY THE THE ROUNDING OUT THE END OF THIS YEAR AND INTO NEXT YEAR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR SURE. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR COUNCILMAN MITCHELL, COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL, TO PREPARE FOR THE END OF YEAR EVENTS FOR THE TURKEY AND HAM GIVEAWAY, AND THEN LOOKING INTO THE NEW YEAR. WELL, WHENEVER WE DECIDE TO HAVE OUR SENIOR INITIATIVE. SO AND THEN YOU CAN ADD THE MAYOR TO THAT IF YOU WANT TO JUST HELP ASSIST. OKAY. OR NO, THAT'S NOT HER MOTION. DID YOU WANT YOU SAID NO. OKAY, ALRIGHT, FINE. WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE THE MAYOR. ALRIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER. MITCHELL, COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL OKAY, IF THAT WORKS. OKAY. YEAH. SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

SECOND. WE HAD A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES. AND

[XIV.7. Discussion and Update on City Website Redesign and Communications Strategy ]

[02:26:13]

SECONDARILY, THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE REDESIGN. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WEBSITE REDESIGN ALONG WITH THE INTRANET PROJECT. WHAT THE INTRANET PROJECT WILL DO IS TO GIVE US AN INTERNAL WORKFLOW MECHANISM, FOR INSTANCE, FOR PERMITTING AND ZONING, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT IN THE WORKFLOW WHERE, LET'S SAY, IF THERE'S SEVEN STEPS INVOLVED IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS, THE WORKFLOW SHOULD IDENTIFY THAT IT SHOULD IDENTIFY MISSING DOCUMENTS. IT SHOULD ALSO NOTIFY TIME FRAMES AS WELL WHERE CERTAIN PERMITTING PROCESS SHOULD BE COMPLETED. ANOTHER APPLICATION FOR THE INTRANET WOULD BE HR. SO LET'S SAY WE'RE LOOKING AT ONBOARDING NEW STAFF. AND THAT TAKES 9 OR 10 STEPS. INTERNAL WORKFLOW FOR INTRANET SHOULD BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE STEPS AND GIVE STAFF THE ABILITY TO TIME THAT OUT. AND WHEN THEY'RE BEHIND THE WORKFLOW SHOULD NOTIFY THEM THAT, HEY, LISTEN, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY NEED TO JUMP ON THIS. SO THOSE ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES THAT I THINK WILL GAIN IN ADDITION TO THESE, THIS HIGHLIGHTED ON THE SCREEN. SO NEXT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO APPROACH THESE TWO PROJECTS. SO WHAT WE DO IN IT IS ALL OF OUR WORK OUTSIDE OF TECH SUPPORT IS PROJECT BASED. SO WE HAVE A PROJECT INITIATION FORM THAT'S ON THE DESK OF ALL OF OUR DIRECTORS. IF A DIRECTOR OR LEADERSHIP, IF THEY HAVE A PROJECT REQUEST THAT COMES TO ME AND WE WILL ACTUALLY PUT THAT ON A PROJECT PORTFOLIO, MY TEAM MEETS EVERY TWO WEEKS AND WE TALK ABOUT PROJECTS AND. THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT PORTFOLIO.

SO IF YOU LOOK IN THE TOP LEFT HAND CORNER, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 23 ACTIVE PROJECTS. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT. A LOT OF THOSE ARE BASED ON INFRASTRUCTURE. OUR DATA CENTER, WHAT WE DO, SERVERS, CLOUD COMPUTING, BACKUPS, THINGS OF THAT SORT. MY GOAL IS TO

[02:30:02]

ONCE WE DO THAT, THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT KICK STARTING THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. THE VENDOR HAS PROPOSED SOME PROJECT TIMELINES. SEE IT WILL COVER THAT STAFF. WE NEVER LET VENDORS COME IN AND MANAGE PROJECTS. I MEAN, THEY WILL MANAGE AND ENGAGEMENT, BUT WE MANAGE THE VENDORS SO THEY'LL HAVE THE IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE. WE MEET WITH THEM ON A WEEKLY BASIS, BI WEEKLY BASIS, BUT WE MANAGE THE VENDORS. THIS PROJECT IS CURRENTLY IN THE PLANNING PHASE, 25% COMPLETE, AND YOU SEE THAT IT'S TRACKING RESOURCE WISE IN THE RED BECAUSE WE ARE ANTICIPATING BRINGING IN A CYBER SECURITY ANALYST. SO THAT'S KIND OF HIGH LEVEL WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ATTACK THIS PROJECT. I'LL LET SID TALK ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND NEXT STEPS AND TIMELINE FOR THIS. THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR ROMAN SID ROBINSON, SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, I.T REPORTS. WHAT WE SEE IN FRONT OF US ARE SOME DIFFERENT PORTIONS THAT WE'VE DONE ALREADY IN THE PROJECT. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH AND KIND OF VETTED HIGH LEVEL, AS WELL AS SOME MEDIUM LEVEL REQUIREMENTS BASED ON THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO FOR THE WEBSITE AS AND THE DOJ INVOLVEMENT, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THOSE THINGS LISTED THERE. ON TO THE SIDE OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT. THERE WERE SOME THERE WERE 1 OR 2 POINTS THAT WE WANTED TO REALLY VET THROUGH WITH THE DIFFERENT VENDORS. AS WE DID A VENDOR SEARCH ON THIS. SO SOME OF THE PIECES ON THERE ARE NOT JUST NECESSARILY, DOES THE VENDOR HAVE A GOOD PRODUCT? NO. WE WERE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL PIECES THAT THE VENDOR COULD OFFER THAT WOULD BE PERTINENT IN THIS INFORMATION. ONE THING I'LL HAVE DIRECTOR WELLMAN POSSIBLY SPEAK ON, BUT THERE WAS 1 OR 2 PIECES THAT THE VENDOR THAT WE HAVE VETTED OUT CAME OUT WITH HIGHER STANDARDS OTHER THAN JUST, WE COULD DO THE JOB, WE CAN DO THE JOB ON A TIMELINE. AND, YOU KNOW, AND OUR PROJECT GOES, WE AND WE, YOU KNOW, AND HIS BELLS AND WHISTLES, THAT IS NOT THE ONLY THING FOR THAT.

SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS YOU SEE ON HERE THAT WE'LL BE DOING WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD NEXT IS THE CYBERSECURITY PERSON, BECAUSE THAT WILL BE AN INTEGRAL PART INTO WHAT WE NEED TO DO. BUT ALSO FROM THERE, WE'RE LOOKING TO FINALIZE SOME SCHEDULES WITH THE VENDOR AND OTHER PORTIONS IN THERE. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME KICKOFFS, AND WE HAVE SOME OF THE OUTLINED PIECES ON THE KICKOFF THAT WILL NOT ONLY JUST HELP THE PROJECT, BUT GET INVOLVEMENT FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES AND FOLKS IN THERE, YOU SEE. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE

[02:35:01]

THIS IS THE PROPOSED VENDOR PROJECT SCHEDULE. THE VENDOR HAS KIND OF TO LISTEN TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE CAME AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, AND THEY PROPOSED THIS SCHEDULE THAT YOU SEE RIGHT HERE AND KIND OF SEEING HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL WORK WITH THEM AND THE INITIATION PORTION, THE ANALYZE DESIGN AND AND CONFIGURATION, AS WELL AS THERE'LL BE SOME TRAINING PIECES OUT THERE, COMMUNICATION DURING THAT TRAINING AND EDUCATION PIECES, BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY OFF OF A LAUNCH PIECE GOING FORWARD. AND THEN OVERALL TIMELINE, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LIKE A STRAW STICK FIGURE ON IT, THIS WAS PROPOSED BY THE VENDOR THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, LOOKING AT IT, IF WE WERE LOOKING TO DO BOTH, AND THIS IS FOR BOTH THE WEBSITE REDESIGN AND INTRANET ON THERE.

IT IS VERY KIND OF AGGRESSIVE FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO PUSH THE VENDOR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE DON'T WANT TO SIT BACK TOO MUCH ON LAURELS, BUT IT DOES ALLOW FOR. AND THE FIRST PORTION YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, I'M GOING TO GO BACK. SORRY FOR THE QUICK JUMP, FOLKS. THE TIMELINE OF THE DEADLINE OF APRIL 28TH, 2028. SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS NOT NECESSARILY BUILD IN FULL ON PADDING, BUT IN A SENSE, BUILD IN SOME PADDING ON THAT BECAUSE WE ANTICIPATE OR I ANTICIPATE THE POTENTIAL OF HIDDEN GOTCHAS HERE AND THERE.

OBVIOUSLY, WHEN YOU DO A PROJECT, THE TARGET IDEA BEST YOU CAN WALK IN AND START WITH IS 80/20 RULE. 80% OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS SOLIDIFIED 20% OR HIDDEN THINGS AND GOTCHAS THAT ARE GOING TO SURFACE BECAUSE SOMETHING IS GOING TO COME UP. NOTHING RUNS 100% WELL, NOTHING OF THIS WORLD. SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE PLAN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR THAT CONTINGENCY OF THE 20%. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION WILL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU. FIRST, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. SURE, COUNCILWOMAN CUMMINGS, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. SO THE THE SLIDE THAT'S BEFORE US NOW, THIS IS THE PROJECT IS ON HOLD BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING FOR A VENDOR TO ACTUALLY DESIGN THE WEBSITE, CORRECT? NO, MA'AM. SO WE HAVE SELECTED A VENDOR.

WE'RE WE ARE WAITING TO BRING ON A CYBER SECURITY ANALYST. AND THAT THAT'LL BE INCORPORATED IN THE WEBSITE DESIGN. YES. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WEBSITE DESIGN AND THE INTRANET CREATION. YES. TWO PROJECTS AND DECEMBER 2027. EVERYTHING WILL BE UP AND RUNNING. YES. THAT'S THE GOAL. WE HAVE TO BE COMPLIANT BY APRIL 2028. SO WE FIGURED ALL OF NEXT YEAR AND WE HAVE A CONTINGENCY OF ONE QUARTER. SO THINGS GO WELL. WE SHOULD ANTICIPATE BEING DONE BY DECEMBER OF NEXT YEAR. WE GIVE A THREE, MAYBE A TWO, TWO AND A HALF MONTH CONTINGENCY. SO WE SHOULD BE ON TARGET TO BE COMPLIANT BY APRIL OF 2028.

OKAY. AND THEN I NOTICED A STATEMENT THAT YOU MADE. YOU SAID YOU DON'T. THE VENDORS WANTED TO ACTUALLY MANAGE THE PROJECT, BUT YOU GUYS MANAGE THE VENDOR. YEAH. JUST BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DESIGNING WEBSITES. SURE. SO WE'RE GOING WITH THE OUTSIDE PERSON WAS THERE. WE DID WE NOT HAVE ANYONE IN-HOUSE THAT COULD HAVE DONE THIS? OR IS THIS JUST KIND OF TOO LARGE OF A SCALE OF SOMETHING TO TAKE CARE OF? FAIR QUESTION. SO TWO THINGS. ONE IS WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE THE IN-HOUSE SKILL SET, RIGHT. OKAY.

SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE TAKES A COMPANY THAT IS SKILLED IN WEBSITE DESIGN AND INTERNET.

[02:40:09]

WE'LL BE RUNNING THE PROJECT AND THE VENDORS WILL WILL REPORT OUT TO US. OKAY. AND I KNOW WE WERE SAYING WE'RE MAKING IT USER FRIENDLY. YES. SO IF YOU NEED TO GO IN AND PULL PERMITS OR DOCS OR WHATEVER, HAS THERE BEEN ANY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OR ANYTHING JUST FOR I MEAN RESIDENTS? I MEAN, BECAUSE GOOD QUESTION, GREAT QUESTION. SO THERE IS A COMMUNICATION COMPONENT TO THIS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY ENGAGED, I GUESS COMPLAINTS COME TO US FROM THE WEBSITE, PHONE CALLS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT. SO THAT KIND OF WINNING AS OUR INITIAL REQUIREMENT, BUT WE WILL WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A FOCUS GROUPS MAYBE GOING OUT TO DIFFERENT WARDS TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND GET INPUT FROM THEM. SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE CONSIDERING AS A PART OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. OKAY. AND JUST A SUGGESTION, I KNOW WE HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WILL BE COMING UP TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN MAYBE DO SOME SORT OF A QR CODE AND WE CAN JUST HAVE IT THERE AT THE MEETING. PEOPLE CAN SORT OF JUST CLICK ON THAT AND, YOU KNOW, ANY SUGGESTIONS? BECAUSE I MEAN, I'M IN THE PROCESS OF DOING A PROJECT AND I'M CATCHING THE DEVIL. JUST KIND OF NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT. I'M SURE. YEAH. I'M SO OKAY. LET US THINK ABOUT THAT AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU SHORTLY. OKAY? ALRIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. OKAY, I YIELD, MADAM MAYOR. PARDON ME MA'AM, I JUST ALSO WANTED TO STATE ONE OF YOUR OTHER PORTION OF YOUR QUESTION YOU ASKED IN THE SELECTION OF ONE OF THE OTHER REASONS THAT'S ON HOLD, WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POTENTIAL CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN THE UPKEEP OF THE WEBSITE, BECAUSE WHEN WE DID OR I DID AN INITIAL LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROCESSES HERE. THERE'S A AN EMAIL PATH IS NOT A POSITIVE PROCESS FLOW FOR UPKEEP. AND IF WE ARE GOING TO BUILD SOMETHING, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BUILDING IT IN THE RIGHT MANNER SO THAT IT WILL BE SUSTAINABLE GOING FORWARD IN A BETTER SITUATION THAN WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE. OKAY. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN ATKINS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WELLMAN. AND THANK YOU, MR. ROBINSON, FOR THE PRESENTATION. IF YOU COULD JUST TALK ABOUT, I THINK ON SLIDE SIX, THERE WERE SOME PROJECTS THERE. WE HAD THAT SLIDE UP AND THERE'S SOME DOLLAR AMOUNTS. THEY'RE NOT HUGE DOLLAR AMOUNTS, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WERE TWO PROJECTS WHERE THEY'RE EITHER CLOSED OR COMPLETED. THEY ACTUALLY WERE OVER THE BUDGETED AMOUNT. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF COST CONTAINMENT, PARTICULARLY FOR A LARGE PROJECT LIKE THE WEBSITE AND THE INTRANET? GOOD QUESTION. SO THE TWO PROJECTS, WASHINGTON ROAD POLICE STATION AND WATER PLANT, THEY WERE BOTH OFFICE RENOVATIONS. SO WHAT HAPPENS. WE ENGAGE THE VENDOR BASED ON WHAT THE DIRECTOR OF THAT DEPARTMENT NEEDS. FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT. AND AND A LOT OF RENOVATION PROJECTS, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL THINGS NEEDED. SO ONCE WE GO IN, WE PUT IN DATA DROPS, SWITCHES, SERVERS. A LOT OF TIMES STAKEHOLDER WILL SAY, OH, WE WANT AN ADDITIONAL CONFERENCE ROOM. WE WANT MORE OFFICE SPACE. SO THE VENDOR HAS TO COME BACK

[02:45:02]

AND THAT WAS A SELLING POINT OVER THE THE OTHER VENDORS, JUST ONE. BUT WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE CURRENTLY DO BUSINESS WITH THEM, THAT THEY HAD GREAT REFERENCES AND THEY LAID OUT THEIR PRESENTATION AND PROPOSAL VERY WELL. AND THE FACT THAT THEY DO BUSINESS WITH US, IT IT WAS AN ADDED VALUE IN THEIR SELECTION PROCESS. SO GIVEN THE FACT THAT THEY'VE DONE SOME WORK WITH SOME OF THE OTHER WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, ARE YOU ABLE TO SHARE THOSE SO THAT WE CAN JUST SEE THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THEY DO AND HOW INTUITIVE AND INTERACTIVE SOME OF THOSE WEBSITES ARE? YEAH, I CAN MAKE I WILL TAKE A NOTE TO SHARE THAT WITH THE, WITH YOU ALL AND OR I'LL SEND IT TO THE CITY ACTING CITY MANAGER SO THAT SHE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL. I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THEM PER SE, BY OFF OF MEMORY, BUT I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SUPPLY THAT RATHER SOON. OKAY, GREAT. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. I YIELD, COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. DEFINITELY ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS AROUND WHEN THIS PROJECT WOULD START, WHEN WE COULD EXPECT TO SEE A FINAL PRODUCT, A FINAL, I GUESS, WEBSITE, REDESIGN OF THE WEBSITE. AND ALSO JUST WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT HERE? BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP QUITE OFTEN AROUND OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH RESIDENTS. WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY,

[02:50:01]

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT DID. THE OTHER PIECE WAS JUST WHAT COULD WE EXPECT FROM. AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT. I WAS JUST ASKING LIKE, WHAT COULD RESIDENTS EXPECT FROM THE INTERNET SIDE BY INVESTING MORE ON THAT SIDE VERSUS NOT? BUT I GOT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. OKAY. I, I'M GOING TO SAY I CAN GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IF YOU WISH. OKAY. THE HIGH LEVEL ANSWER WOULD BE IS WHEN WE ARE REDESIGNING THE PAGES, THE PAGES WILL HAVE A NEW LOOK AND FEEL THAT WILL BE MORE IN LINE TO ONE INDUSTRY STANDARD, AS WELL AS NOT JUST NECESSARILY MUNICIPALITY. IT COULD JUST BE DESIGN STANDARDS SO THAT, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT AN INTERNET PAGE, THERE IS WHAT THEY CALL THE FOLD LINE. AND THAT'S WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN WITH TOO MUCH INFORMATION TOO FAR DOWN THE PAGE BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO SCROLL. AND IF I HAVE TO SCROLL TO FIND CERTAIN INFORMATION, WE WOULD BE REDESIGNING NOT JUST THE SINGLE PAGE, BUT YOU GOT TO REMEMBER WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IT'S ONE OF THE POINTS ON HERE. CAN YOU. THERE WE GO. WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING. ALIGNING DEPARTMENT INVOLVEMENT.

SO OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE'RE REDESIGNING PAGES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EACH DEPARTMENT LOOK AT HOW THEIR INFORMATION IS AND WHAT THEIR INFORMATION, WHAT MESSAGE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET ACROSS SO THAT IT CAN BE DESIGNED APPROPRIATELY. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. ANY QUESTIONS? NO. OH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I APPRECIATE THE THE WORK, THE EFFORT AND THE COMMUNICATION OF HOW WE'RE GOING FROM ONE POINT TO THE NEXT. THAT IS SO HELPFUL TO SEE EVERYTHING ON A BIG PICTURE AND SEE IT BROKEN DOWN IN THIS WAY. SO I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU AND THE LEADERSHIP FOR BRINGING THIS TO US. AND DEFINITELY COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL, FOR BRINGING THIS UP, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO OUR RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING NOT JUST INTERNALLY, BUT THE INTERNAL WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, INCLUDING THIS PROJECT PLAN THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED. YES. IS A PART OF SMART CITY INITIATIVES THAT WILL HELP CONTINUE TO MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD. OKAY. SO I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT. MY OTHER QUESTION, MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, WHEN IT COMES TO THE VENDORS THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH, I KNOW YOU SAID WE WORK WITH THEM FOR SOME TIME NOW. I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THESE VENDORS GO THROUGH A SERIES WHERE THEY'RE DOING BETA TESTING FOR DIFFERENT NEW PRODUCTS AND ROLLOUTS. ARE WE A PART OF ANY OF THEIR TESTING CYCLES WHERE WE'RE NOT PAYING FULL PRICE FOR ANY NEW ROLLOUTS THAT THEY'RE HAVING FOR THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY A PART OF ANY LIKE IN, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTOOD AND FULLY. GREAT QUESTION. NO. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DIDN'T TAKE IS WE DID NOT WANT TO BE THEIR GUINEA PIG. OKAY. ON A APPLICATION OR WE ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE LOOKING AT WHEN WE LOOKED AT MULTIPLE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS FROM MULTIPLE DIFFERENT VENDORS, EVEN THE NEW THINGS THAT THEY SAID, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE IMPROVED ON. OKAY. HOW LONG HAS THAT BEEN OUT AND HAS THAT BEEN VETTED? AND DID YOU PUT THAT IN JUST LIKE THE GENTLEMAN ASKED ABOUT? THE COUNCILMAN ATKINS WANTED THE INFORMATION ON THE VENDORS, ON THE THE REFERRALS. DID THEY SEE IT? DID THEY HAVE IT? WE DIDN'T WANT YOU TO SAY, YEAH, WE'RE

[02:55:01]

OKAY. WELL, I'LL LET YOU GUYS GO. I COULD PROBABLY KEEP YOU HERE FOR PROBABLY ANOTHER HALF AN HOUR OF THE QUESTIONS I'D LIKE TO ASK, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT, SO I APPRECIATE

[XIV.8. Discussion and Possible Action on Scheduling a City Council Strategic Planning Retreat ]

THANK YOU. AND I'LL BE REALLY QUICK WITH THIS ONE. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST CONSIDER OR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER SCHEDULING A RETREAT. I KNOW WE GOT AN EMAIL THIS MORNING ABOUT IT, BUT AND MAYBE WE CAN HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT, BUT I JUST WANTED US TO ALIGN ON OUR PRIORITIES FOR THE REMAINING REMAINING PORTION OF FY 27. WE KNOW THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS WAS A LITTLE BIT LENGTHY THIS YEAR, AND SO LOVE TO GET AHEAD AND BE PROACTIVE IN PLANNING FOR FY 28. MY GOAL AND HOPE IS THAT WE COULD WALK AWAY WITH CLEAR, ACTIONABLE ROADMAP THAT IDENTIFIES OUR SPECIFIC PRIORITIES, HAVE SOME MEASURABLE GOALS IN THEIR TIMELINES THAT THAT WE CAN ALL KIND OF BE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT. SO. I KIND OF LIKE TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL ONE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE COLLECTIVELY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT THEN ALSO WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE CITY MANAGER AS TO WHAT WE'RE COORDINATING IN SCHEDULING AND JUST THOUGHTS AROUND THAT. YOU WANT HIM OR HER. WE COULD START OFF WITH ACTING CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU. SO THE FIRST PART OF THE RETREAT, WHAT WE ARE SUGGESTING IS TO GET A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE. AND THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT I HAVE REPORTED ON IN MY MY UPDATE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT.

THERE'S LEGISLATION THAT CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT OUR 30, 20, 30 CENSUS. WE WILL KNOW MORE, OBVIOUSLY, BY JANUARY, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE ELECTIONS WILL HAVE HAPPENED AND THE. THE CHANGE OUT OF WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE WITHIN THE LEGISLATURE WILL DEFINITELY IMPACT WHAT IS HAPPENING. I THINK THAT GIVEN IT, IT'S LOOKING LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE IN JANUARY. THIS WOULD ALSO WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY. IF YOU ALL WANT TO DO AN. THE OTHER HALF OF THE RETREAT DEDICATED TO BUDGET. THIS IS A PERFECT TIME BECAUSE AT THAT POINT WE SHOULD BE READY. STAFF SHOULD BE READY TO START THE PROCESS. BLESS YOU, GIVE YOU AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE, WHERE, WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT WHAT TO EXPECT AS FAR AS GOING FORWARD, HOW IT SHOULD BE OUTLINED. SO THAT'S THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION, MY RECOMMENDATION TWO HOURS OR SO, BECAUSE OUR FEDERAL LOBBYISTS ARE FLYING IN FROM DC. AND I THINK SOME OF YOU ALL MET THEM WHEN YOU WERE IN DC AS WELL AS WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO OUR STATE LOBBYISTS AS WELL. SO TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THAT LEVEL, AND THEN DEDICATE THE REST OF THE TIME TO DISCUSSING THE BUDGET AND ACTUALLY DO LIKE A WORKING LUNCH AND JUST GO STRAIGHT THROUGH. SO THAT WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN ATKINS. YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I GUESS IT'S A QUESTION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY. I WASN'T AWARE OF THE RETREAT BECAUSE IT'S A MEETING. DO WE HAVE TO VOTE ON HAVING A RETREAT FIRST AND THEN, LIKE WE DID WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING IN THE MEETING, THEN WE CAN DECIDE ON WHEN THE DATE IS GOING TO BE, BECAUSE WE WOULD NEED TO ADVERTISE IT TO THE PUBLIC. SO YES, IT WILL NEED TO BE ADVERTISED AS A SPECIAL CALL MEETING, SINCE IT'S GOING TO LIKELY BE A QUORUM OF YOU DISCUSSING CITY BUSINESS. THERE'S NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER ABOUT VOTING ON THE DATE. SPECIAL CALL MEETINGS, PER THE CODE, CAN BE CALLED BY, I THINK

[03:00:05]

THANK YOU. YEAH. SO I'M I KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY TIMES, NEW YEARS COMING UP. I THINK IT'S ALREADY ESTABLISHED. WE NEED TO HAVE A RETREAT. I'M NOT SURE IF I'M READY TO. I'M NOT SURE TO BE HONEST. I KNOW IT'S LIKE THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING UP. I'M NOT SURE IF I'M PREPARED TO THINK A COUPLE OF MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE RIGHT NOW. CAN WE WAIT ON THIS VOTE? I MEAN, I THINK WE AGREE. WE NEED IT NEEDS TO BE HAD. I KNOW WE JUST HAD TROUBLE WITH THIS LAST SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, BUT YEAH, I'M NOT SURE RIGHT NOW, TO BE HONEST. I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GIVE A DEFINITE ANSWER ON THAT. AND I YOU. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COUNCIL AND THEN COUNCILWOMAN COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL AND COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS. THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL. I DON'T THINK WE'VE SELECTED A TIME FRAME. AND I, I BELIEVE THE TIME FRAME THAT WE WERE INITIALLY LOOKING AT WOULD BE AFTER THE HOLIDAYS, LIKE JANUARY TIME FRAME IN REGARDS TO THIS PARTICULAR MOTION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT SPLIT UP JUST A LITTLE BIT. I THINK WE NEED TO DECIDE FIRST ON WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO HAVE THE MEETING SO THAT WE CAN SOLIDIFY A DATE, BUT THEN WE CAN POTENTIALLY DO A SECOND MOTION TO DIRECT THE CITY, THE ACTING CITY MANAGER, TO COME BACK WITH AN AGENDA THAT WE COULD REVIEW AND DISCUSS TO MAKE SURE IT ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEE DISCUSSED IN THIS RETREAT. COOL. WOULD YOU LIKE TO. I'M SORRY. YEAH. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE. YEAH, THE MOTION DOESN'T SPECIFY A DATE, AND IT'S REALLY JUST SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THE STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT. RIGHT. BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY WHAT SHE MENTIONED, SHE, SHE, SHE MENTIONED THAT, YES, WE SHOULD VOTE ON THE ACTUAL RETREAT AND WE COULD SELECT A DATE BASED ON THAT VOTE. WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS THAT WE DON'T MIX THE AGENDA IN THERE, AND WE KEEP TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS, ONE TO TO SELECT THE DATE, BUT THEN HAVE A SECOND MOTION TO DIRECT THE ACTING CITY MANAGER TO COME BACK WITH AN AGENDA THAT WE

[03:05:05]

DISCUSSION. SO TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL, DO WE WANT TO HAVE A SECOND? HOLD ON ONE SECOND. WE'RE STILL YOU HAVE I THINK WE WOULD JUST NEED TO EITHER WITHDRAW THE MOTION AND MAKE IT SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE DATE ITSELF. THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. THE FIRST MOTION WAS ONLY FOR THE THE FIRST MOTION WAS TO HAVE THE RETREAT, THE STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT. RIGHT. I HEARD YOU SAY AGENDA IN THAT MOTION AS WELL. AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS I WOULD THINK THAT WE WOULD DO THE THE AGENDA PIECE LATER. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT PART OF THE MOTION YOU WANT TO WITHDRAW, BUT THE AGENDA SHOULD BE A SECOND, A SEPARATE MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, BEFORE YOU HAVE ANY AMENDMENTS OR WITHDRAWALS, I THINK YOU SHOULD HEAR FROM ACTING CITY MANAGER. SO SINCE WE'RE IN DISCUSSION, LET'S GET IT ALL OUT BEFORE IT'S WITHDRAWN OR AMENDED SO THAT THE NEXT MOTION WILL REFLECT ALL OF THE INFORMATION. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MY APOLOGIES, MADAM CITY MANAGER. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN. WE DO HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH THE FEDERAL LOBBYIST. AND OUR LAST MEETING WE DISCUSSED, THEY ASKED ABOUT PRESENTING TO COUNCIL. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER DONE. BEEN DONE. THEY PROVIDED DATES FOR THEIR AVAILABILITY. NOW WE CAN PUSH IT OFF. THAT'S FINE. IF IF IF IT'S THAT, IT'S YOUR WILL TO FOCUS ON A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION THAT'S BUDGETING, THEN WE CAN DO THAT. BUT THE DATES THAT WERE SUBMITTED WERE DATES SPECIFICALLY AVAILABLE BY CAPRI AND CLAY. AS I SAID, THEY'RE FLYING DOWN TO MEET WITH YOU ALL. WE CAN ALSO ASK THEM TO COME TO A COUNCIL MEETING. THE ONLY THE HESITATION WITH THAT IS WE COULDN'T DEDICATE A WHOLE COUNCIL MEETING JUST TO THEM. AND I THINK THAT YOU ALL WILL WANT TO SPEAK WITH THEM FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES. WERE THOSE THE DATES THAT YOU SENT OUT VIA EMAIL? YES. SO MISS CHANEY HAD SENT THAT OUT. OKAY. SO THOSE WERE THE DAYS THAT WE'RE BACKING OFF. OKAY. SO, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE DATES ARE TECHNICALLY HARD DATES BECAUSE NOT ONLY WILL IT ALLOW THEM TO COME AND BE WITH COUNCIL, BUT IT WILL ALLOW THEM MORE TIME TO BE WITH COUNCIL IN ANY DATES OUTSIDE OF THOSE DATES MAY LIMIT THEM TO 15 MINUTES OR NOT AN IN-PERSON SITUATION. WELL, IT WOULDN'T BE IN PERSON. IT WOULDN'T BE IN PERSON. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SO BUT WE HAVE THREE DAYS THAT WE DECIDED ON. YES. AND THAT WAS FOR THE RETREAT BECAUSE THERE WERE SOONER DATES, BUT THEY WERE STARTING IN NOVEMBER. AND THAT WAS SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THAT WERE TWO THAT WERE OFFERED. YEAH. YEAH. WOULDN'T ALLOW ENOUGH TIME TO PREPARE. RIGHT. STILL. OKAY. SO HOLD ON. LET ME FINISH. COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS AND COUNCILMAN ATKINS AND COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL. SO COUNCILWOMAN YES, I WAS OH, ARE YOU GO AHEAD. OH, NO, I THOUGHT I GOT SKIPPED. SO YEAH. SO EVEN IN LOOKING AT THE DATES. SO I THINK THEY HAD 12, 12, 123 AND ONE AND ONE NINE. AND I WAS JUST WANTING FOR CONFIRMATION, MADAM CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU SAY THEY, WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO MEET IN PERSON OR THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO MEET IN PERSON ON THESE DAYS? THOSE ARE THE DATES THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO COME DOWN TO MEET IN PERSON. OKAY. ARE THOSE DAYS ANY OF THOSE DAYS NOT AVAILABLE? I MEAN, 1212 IS OFF FOR ME. THAT'S AROUND MY BIRTHDAY, BUT 123 OR 1 OR 1 NINE, I GUESS THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CHOOSING FROM JANUARY 20TH 3RD OR JANUARY 9TH. ANDREA. I MEAN, COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL, WERE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THOSE DATES? SO I BELIEVE JANUARY 23RD AND JANUARY 9TH ARE WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO MEET WITH OUR LOBBYIST. SO WOULD IT BE BEST TO PICK FOR ONE OF THOSE DATES, YOU THINK? YEAH, THAT WAS I THINK I SENT BACK AN EMAIL AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE DATES. I BELIEVE I SELECTED THE 23RD OF JANUARY. OKAY, THAT NARROWS IT DOWN FOR ME. SO I COULD BE ABLE TO I'M AVAILABLE FOR BOTH THOSE DATES. JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE. YEAH, I KNOW. OKAY. THANK YOU.

I'M SORRY, MADAM CITY MANAGER, WHEN YOU SEND OUT THE EMAIL AND YOU HAD THE RESPONSES, DID EVERYONE RESPOND TO THE EMAIL? AND DO YOU HAVE THE DATES FOR WHO WHO RESPONDED? AND DOES

[03:10:04]

SO. SO WITH THAT, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. SO I THINK THAT THE MOTION WAS FOR A STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT. IF I COULD JUST AMEND THAT MOTION AND THEN HAVE A SECOND TO INCLUDE THE THINGS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED WITH THE FEDERAL LOBBYIST, AND ALSO. THE DATE, THE FOR THAT TO OCCUR ON THE 23RD OF JANUARY. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. YEAH. SO THAT'S MY AMENDED MOTION.

SECOND. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION? YES. ALRIGHTY. COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS. YES. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY COUNCIL SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT I KNOW THOSE. THAT'S OUR FEDERAL LOBBYIST.

BUT WHEN I SAW THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA, I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A SPECIFIC CITY COUNCIL RETREAT AND NOT INVOLVE OUR FEDERAL LOBBYISTS. I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT, MADAM ACTING CITY ATTORNEY, BUT I THINK THAT THIS COUNCIL NEEDS TO PRESS THE RESET BUTTON AND LOOK AT OUR OWN PRIORITIES AND NOT HAVE US SO JAM PACKED SCHEDULE WITH OUR FEDERAL LOBBYISTS AT THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY. AND THEN WE GO INTO OUR COUNCIL RETREAT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR MUCH NEEDED COUNCIL RETREAT. SO THAT IS WHAT I WAS THINKING, THAT MAYBE THAT 23RD MEETING COULD BE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING WHERE IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THEY GET TO HEAR US DIALOG AND DISCUSS WITH OUR FEDERAL LOBBYISTS AND HEAR THOSE THINGS THAT ARE FORTHCOMING. BUT IN MY OPINION, COUNCIL NEEDS TO HAVE A SEPARATE RETREAT IN WHICH WE FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, FINANCES, HOUSING AND PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT IS WHAT I THOUGHT THE INITIAL AND THAT QUESTION PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR COUNCIL COLLEAGUE CALDWELL. BUT THAT IS WHAT I WAS EXPECTING WHEN I SAW THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA. AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPLITTING HAVING A STRATEGIC MEETING WITH OUR FEDERAL LOBBYISTS. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION WAS COUNCIL ALSO HAS A LEGISLATIVE

[03:15:05]

AND SO MY QUESTION IS ACTING MADAM CITY MANAGER, DO YOU THINK THAT WE'RE DO CAN WE LOOK AT THE DATE IN TERMS OF BACKING IT OUT FROM WHAT IS LIKE THE DROP DEAD DATE AND THEN BACK IT BACK? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? LIKE WORK BACKWARDS FROM ANY IMPORTANT DATE? SO IF. IT IS 123 FOR THE. LEGISLATIVE MEETING, IS THAT DATE LIKE WHAT'S DRIVING THAT DATE? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DON'T MEET IN DECEMBER OR IF WE DON'T MEET IN EARLY JANUARY? LIKE, WHAT IS THE WHAT'S DRIVING THE DATE? SO WITH RESPECT TO THE FEDERAL LOBBYIST, AND THAT WAS A CONVERSATION THAT ACTUALLY IT STARTED BEFORE THE RETREAT CONVERSATION. SO I'M HAPPY WE CAN SEPARATE IT. THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME. IF YOU WANT THEM TO COME IN MARCH, THEY CAN COME IN MARCH. WE'VE WE, THEY, THEY HAVEN'T PRESENTED. OKAY. SO SO MAYBE I THINK LAST YEAR THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AND COUNCIL EXPRESSED. SO THAT WAS THE ONLY DRIVING THING WAS TO ALLOW THIS BODY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THEM, TO QUESTION THEM, TO MAKE CERTAIN.

AND I THINK DEFINITELY THE THE LOCAL AND STATE, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT LEGISLATIVE ROUNDTABLE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR FEDERAL PEOPLE ARE SAYING, TYING THE THREAD, TYING IT ALL TOGETHER SO THAT THE MESSAGE IS RESONATING FROM THE STATE LEVEL TO THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AND PEOPLE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, UNDERSTANDING WHAT EASTPOINTE NEEDS AND WHAT THEY NEED TO BE ADVOCATING AS A WHOLE FOR US. SO THAT THAT THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON THAT WE THE SUGGESTION WAS MADE TO, YOU KNOW, THEY GAVE US DATES AGAIN. THEY CAN THEY CAN PRESENT TO COUNCIL, THEY CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT THEM TO DO. RIGHT. WITH RESPECT TO WORKING IT BACKWARDS, I, I DON'T, I, I UNDERSTAND DOCTOR MARTIN ROGERS, WE, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAD THE ROUNDTABLE LAST YEAR. THE PROBLEM IS WE CAN WE CAN START PULLING THAT TOGETHER FOR FOR NEXT FOR NEXT MONTH. I WOULD LIKE TO GET JUST A LITTLE BIT

[03:20:01]

OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT. I, I APPRECIATE THAT. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MY CONCERN IS THE OPPORTUNITY OF HANDLING IT. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY. WELL, THEN THEN MY MY SECOND

[03:25:02]

OKAY. ROBERT DAWSON THAT THAT'S WHAT I WAS ALLUDING TO. I WAS GOING TO SAY WHAT I WAS THINKING WAS MAYBE IF WE COULD PUSH THE ROUND TABLE AND HAVE THE LOBBYISTS COME IN AT THE SAME TIME, OR I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WERE ACTUALLY INCLUDED THE SAME PEOPLE AT THE ROUND TABLES.

BUT IF WE WANTED TO PUSH, POSSIBLY PUSH THAT BACK OR. I'M JUST THINKING RIGHT NOW. BUT WILL THE ROUND TABLE, I KNOW WE WANT TO MEET WITH OUR LOBBYISTS. WOULD THAT HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS I GUESS, THEM COMING TO THE WORK SESSION? I I'M I'M GUESSING WE JUST WANT TO MEET HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH OUR LOBBYISTS. MADAM. OH, GOD. IS IT WAS THAT THAT THAT THAT JUST HAVE US MEET WITH THEM. THE THE OBJECTIVE WAS FOR THEM TO MEET PRESENT UPCOMING MATTERS. OKAY. AND MAKE MAKE YOU ALL AWARE, ESPECIALLY OF CERTAIN THINGS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. OKAY. EVEN THAT SAID, SO I, I, I GUESS WE COULD, I'M GUESSING WE CAN DO THE ROUND TABLE AND HAVE THAT MEETING AT THE SAME TIME. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE AFTER THE FIRST. ACTUALLY, IT'D PROBABLY BE BETTER IF WE DID MEET WITH THEM BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. SO WE'RE NOT PLAYING CATCH UP, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT IF Y'ALL JUST WANT IF THAT OBJECTIVE IS JUST TO MEET WITH THEM. I BELIEVE THE ROUND TABLE COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN FIND A DATE FOR THE RETREAT THAT EVERYONE'S AVAILABLE FOR. BUT I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT POLICIES THAT ARE GOING TO COME INTO EFFECT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. SO I, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT TIME FOR US TO BE AWARE OF THOSE THINGS. AND I'M NOT SURE THAT I GET I'M NOT SURE IF A RETREAT IS NECESSARILY THE BEST PLACE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, SINCE WE HAVE OUR OWN OTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS. BUT MAYBE WE CAN COMBINE THE ROUND TABLE, AND SOME WOULD INCLUDE THOSE PRESENTATIONS IN THERE. SO. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS I YIELD.

ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER CALDWELL AND THEN COUNCILMAN ATKINS. THANK YOU. IT SOUNDS I JUST KIND OF WANT TO RECAP BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE DIFFERENT THINGS. THERE'S THE STATE LEGISLATION OR THE STATE LOBBYISTS THAT WE WOULD SPEAK WITH. THERE'S THE FEDERAL LOBBYISTS THAT WE WOULD SPEAK WITH. AND THEN THERE'S THE THE RETREAT. MY GOAL WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WAS TO COVER WAS TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RETREAT AND TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE WANTED TO DISCUSS. AND THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON I WANTED TO KEEP THESE MOTIONS SEPARATE. IF THERE IS A NEED TO VOTE ON JUST

[03:30:05]

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY, THE ACTING CITY MANAGER, COME BACK WITH A PROPOSED AGENDA THAT WE CAN DISCUSS TO ENSURE THAT IT COVERS EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT. AS COUNCIL MEMBER BRIAN ROGERS STATED. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN COVER THINGS LIKE HOUSING, COVER, THINGS LIKE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND MY FEAR IS THAT, YES, IF WE DO HAVE THE LEGISLATIVE ROUNDTABLE, WHICH IS A GREAT IDEA, IF WE SPEND 2 HOURS OR 3 HOURS DOING THAT, WE LIMIT THE, THE, THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO WALK AWAY WITH WITH ALIGNMENT AROUND. SO. MY PROPOSAL IS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THE TIMING NEEDED TO HAVE A FRUITFUL DISCUSSION AROUND THE RETREAT IS THAT WE AT LEAST SEE AN AGENDA AND AGREE ON THAT FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN DETERMINE IF THAT CAN BE DONE IN FOUR HOURS, AND WE CAN HAVE THE LEGISLATIVE ROUNDTABLE AND THE RETREAT THE SAME DAY, OR IF WE ACTUALLY NEED TO HAVE A RETREAT BY ITSELF. AND I'M NOT OPPOSED TO HAVING STATE AND FEDERAL ROUNDTABLES ON THE SAME DAY, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT IN THE RETREAT FIRST, BEFORE WE PAIR IT WITH ANYTHING ELSE. THANK YOU. DID YOU YOU KNOW, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE YOU. YEAH. GO AHEAD. HUSBAND ATKINS. YES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. COUNCILMEMBER CALDWELL, I AGREE WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT ON THOSE THINGS. I THINK THAT ATTEMPTING TO HAVE A MEETING WITH OUR STATE FOLK IN JANUARY, WE WILL BE HARD PRESSED BECAUSE THEY'LL BE IN SESSION. AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A MEETING TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIVE CONVERSATION. AND BECAUSE THEY'LL BE IN SESSION, THEY WON'T REALLY KNOW. IT'S SO EARLY IN THE SESSION WHAT'S GOING ON AND THE THINGS THAT THEY USUALLY UPDATE US ON, ANY PRESSING BILLS THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON US OR SOME OF THOSE THINGS. BUT I THINK THAT THE MOTION JUST STATES A STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT ON THE 23RD, AND IT DOESN'T SPEAK TO AN AGENDA ANY OF THOSE THINGS. THE INITIAL MOTION HAD THE AGENDA IN THERE. AND IN. THE ISSUE IS THAT THE CITY MANAGER, WHEN THE WHEN THE ATTORNEY TALKED ABOUT IT, I. I SAID I WAS FINE WITH TAKING OUT. THAT'S WHY WE AMENDED IT. AND I THINK THAT SOMEONE ON THAT END SECONDED IT. SO IT DOESN'T HAVE THE AGENDA. IT'S JUST A RETREAT AND A DATE.

AND SO FOR ME, IT DOESN'T MATTER THE DATE, AS LONG AS PEOPLE CAN GET THERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM. BUT THAT'S THE MOTION IS A STRATEGIC RETREAT, PLANNING RETREAT FOR THE 23RD BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE SAID THEY WERE AVAILABLE. RIGHT. AND I THINK THE OTHER CAVEAT TO THIS WAS THERE WAS A PROPOSAL TO BRING OUR FEDERAL LOBBYISTS IN ON THAT DATE. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MAY WANT TO PAIR THAT WITH THE STATE CONVERSATION AND POSSIBLY BRING THEM IN IN DECEMBER. YEAH, THE MOTION DOESN'T INCLUDE THAT. IT'S JUST A STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT FOR THE 23RD BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE SAID THEY COULD BE AVAILABLE. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU. SO MY OTHER QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN, I'M SORRY, MADAM MAYOR. GO AHEAD. SO THIS THAT YOU PASSED OUT FROM OUR STATE LOBBYIST. IT IS TITLED THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WATCH LIST FOR THE CITY OF EAST POINT. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DONE OR IS IT FOR THE UPCOMING SESSION? SO THE UPCOMING SESSION. SO I'VE NEVER SEEN THESE PRIORITIES. AND SO I WAS WONDERING HOW WOULD OUR LOBBYISTS KNOW WHAT IF THIS IS THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT, WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT'S PRIORITIES WOULD BE? I THINK IT'S WHY IT SAYS PROPOSED, BECAUSE IT MAY BE BASED ON THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF MAYBE WHAT CAN. AND. BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS ASK THEM AT SOME POINT. BUT I THINK THAT THE PROPOSAL IS WHAT MAKES IT NOT CONCRETE. BUT THIS IS WHAT THEY ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND. IT'S NOT CONCRETE. THAT'S WHY I READ THE TITLE, BECAUSE IT DOES SAY PROPOSED. I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHERE THE LOBBYISTS WOULD GET THAT INFORMATION. IF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT HAS NOT SHARED WITH THE LOBBYISTS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES. I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT PIECE. SURE. I MEAN, WE CAN SEND THEM AN EMAIL AND ASK BECAUSE HE'D BE BEST. HE WOULD BE BETTER PREPARED TO ASK THAT QUESTION THAN FOR ME TO

[03:35:05]

MADAM MAYOR. YES? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANOTHER MOTION. YES. I MOVED TO DIRECT THE ACTING CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP A PROPOSED AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL PLANNING RETREAT. AND ON JANUARY 23RD, 2027, INCORPORATING COUNCIL PRIORITIES AND TO BRING BACK TO COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? I KIND OF DO WANT TO ASK FOR A DATE. I MEAN, I, I WOULD SAY THE NEXT WORK SESSION, BUT LET ME GET YOUR TAKE ON WHEN YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING THAT BACK. SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING PROPERLY THE AGENDA, WHICH YOU'VE ACTUALLY GIVEN, ALL OF YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN ME A GREAT OVERVIEW ON THAT, THAT CAN BE THAT I CAN IRON OUT. I THINK THAT WHAT'S FUZZY IS, ARE WE JUST DOING A RETREAT OR ARE WE LOOKING AT DOING A LEGISLATIVE RETREAT? OR IS IT TWO SEPARATE THINGS? I THINK YOU CAN PROPOSE TWO OPTIONS, AND WE CAN JUST HAVE FURTHER DIALOG AROUND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE, THAT THOSE ARE INCORPORATED. AND SO I THINK YOU CAN PRESENT TWO OPTIONS. OKAY. AND YOU SAID BY THE NEXT WORK SESSION. YES. SO NEXT MONDAY. YES, I CAN DO THAT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. FOR THE SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY ITEMS TONIGHT FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION? THAT WAS CRAZY, ANDREA.

AND I'M. YES, MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE TWO LITIGATION, TWO PERSONNEL. I'M SORRY. ONE LITIGATION, TWO PERSONNEL. I HAVE ONE PERSONNEL. I HAVE ONE PERSONNEL. I HAVE I HAVE ONE PERSONNEL, ONE LEGAL. SO, MADAM MAYOR. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR. YOU HAVE ONE. I'M SORRY. THAT'S IT. I HAVE THREE REAL ESTATE AND ONE PERSONNEL. THREE REAL ESTATE AND ONE PERSONNEL. SO THREE. THREE, SIX, EIGHT. OKAY. MADAM MAYOR, MAKE A

[XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION]

[03:40:01]

OKAY. MOTION. THERE'S A MOTION TO PROCEED, AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING THE HAWA SILA CASE. SO MOVED. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. MOTION TO PROCEED AND DISCUSS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING PERSON. THE PERSONNEL INVESTIGATION. SO MOVED. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. MOTION TO PROCEED. MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETINGS FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE MINUTES SO MOVED. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.

MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED?

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.