[00:00:05]
          GOOD EVENING. I'M RENEE JACKSON, 
          [WORK SESSION #1 – 6:00 P.M]
EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR, AND I'M ALSO THE STAFF LIAISON TO THE BETTER TOGETHER ADVISORY BOARD. 
          AND THIS EVENING, I HAVE CLAIRE ANDERSON AND SHORITA CAMPBELL WILL BE HERE SHORTLY. 
          THEY THEY ARE THE CO CHAIRS OF THE BETTER TOGETHER ADVISORY BOARD, AND THEY ARE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT THE BOARD HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS LAST YEAR. 
          THANKS, RENEE. HI, EVERYONE. CLAIRE ANDERSON. 
          AS RENEE MENTIONED, I BEGAN AS CO CHAIR. 
          THERE'S SHORITA. H'S RITA. 
          THIS YEAR IN JANUARY, I JOINED THE BOARD A YEAR BEFORE THAT. 
          SO COMING UP ON TWO YEARS. 
          I AM ALSO COMING UP ON MY FOUR YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN THE CITY OF DECATUR. 
          I ESCAPED NEW YORK CITY DURING THE PANDEMIC. 
          I'VE BEEN SO HAPPY HERE. 
          MUCH MORE MY SPEED. SO IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU ALL. 
          SO WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHAT WE COVERED ACHIEVED IN 2024. 
          FREE TO INTERRUPT AT ANY POINT WITH QUESTIONS. 
          BUT PRIMARILY, WE WERE HOPING TO USE THE MAJORITY OF THIS WORKING. 
          OH, SORRY. MAJORITY OF THIS WORKING SESSION. 
          TO SOLUTION WITH YOU ON WHAT WE SEE AS OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS BOARD RECRUITMENT. 
          AND SO JUST TO SET THE STAGE THERE TO START. 
          WE, I THINK, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, WORKED WITH YOU TO UPDATE OUR ENABLING LEGISLATION, MADE SEVERAL CHANGES, BUT ONE OF WHICH WAS TO CHANGE THE ALLOTMENT OF BOARD SEATS FOR THE BETTER TOGETHER ADVISORY BOARD FROM NINE TO A RANGE OF 10-15. 
          CURRENTLY, WE HAVE EIGHT SITTING BOARD MEMBERS, BUT WE'LL SOON BE LOSING TWO TO THEIR TERMS ENDING. 
          SHORITA CAMPBELL AND ED LEE, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A WHILE, ABSOLUTELY INSTRUMENTAL TO OUR ACTIVITY, OUR VETERANS ON THE BOARD, IF YOU WILL. 
          AND SO, LOSING NOT JUST QUANTITATIVELY THE NUMBERS, BUT, LIKE QUALITATIVELY THE QUALITY THAT THEY ADD. 
          AND PART OF OUR ISSUE AS WELL. 
          IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERY, CITY BOARD TO BE DIVERSE, BUT WE THINK SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BETTER TOGETHER BOARD. 
          AND SO WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING DIVERSITY. 
          AND THE BOARD NOT AT LEAST VISUALLY REFLECTING OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY INCLUSION IN THE CITY. 
          AND THAT'S THE SUMMARY THERE. 
          WE'LL GO BACK TO YOU JUST GIVING YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR PAST YEAR ACTIVITY, AND THEN WE'LL SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT THE BOARD RECRUITMENT PROCESS. 
          FIRST, SHORITA, DO YOU WANT TO JOIN ME? WE WILL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE SPEAKER SERIES, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR PRIMARY SUBCOMMITTEE WORK GROUPS ON THE BOARD. 
          AND SO MY NAME IS SHORITA CAMPBELL, I'M THE OTHER CO CHAIR. 
          AND LIKE CLAIRE ANNOUNCED, I WILL BE ROLLING OFF SHORTLY, AND SO JUST HAPPY TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN. 
          THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. 
          GO TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ABOUT THE SPEAKER SERIES, AND THIS IS ALSO A PLUG. 
          WE WANT ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO ATTEND OUR UPCOMING EVENT, WHICH WOULD BE ON NOVEMBER THE 11TH AT 2:00 PM. 
          AND IT'S GOING TO BE IN FRONT OF THE JOHN LEWIS STATUTE THIS YEAR. 
          WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT EMPATHY AND COMMUNITY INDICATOR SURROUNDING THOSE THEMES, AS MOST OF JOHN LEWIS, HIS WORK AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR ABOUT 17 TERMS. WE'RE GOING TO HONOR HIS MEMORY CELEBRATE THE NEW STATUE IN OUR CITY, BUT ALSO HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT ACKNOWLEDGE HUMANITY, COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY AND EMPATHY. 
          AND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE NOVEMBER THE SECOND. 
          THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. 
          OUR PREVIOUS WORK HAS INCLUDED SPEAKER SERIES THAT HAVE BEEN HOSTED ONLINE DURING COVID AND AFTER. 
          AND SO THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST IN PERSON IN A WHILE. YES, SIR. 
          CLARIFY YOU SAID NOVEMBER 11 YOU SAID NOVEMBER 2. 
          NOVEMBER 11. 
          AT 2:00 PM. TRYING TO MAKE SURE I GET THIS. YES. 
          ON A MONDAY. 
          ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10 AT 2:00 PM. 
          THAT'S A SUNDAY, CORRECT? THAT'S A SUNDAY. OKAY. YES, THAT WE'RE SUPER EXCITED FOR THAT AND ALSO TO JUST GATHER AROUND THE STATUTE. 
          [00:05:02]
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS TERMS OF SUCCESS FOR THAT IS MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE GATHERING. 
          HOPEFULLY AROUND FIVE OR UP, IT'S GOING TO BE TWO INDIVIDUALS FROM THE BETTER TOGETHER ADVISORY BOARD HOST. 
          THAT CONVERSATION IN EACH MONTH, THE CONVERSATION OR EACH SESSION, THE CONVERSATION WILL CHANGE AND EVOLVE. 
          BUT ULTIMATELY, IT'S GOING TO BE AROUND EMPATHY AND COMMUNITY INDICATOR AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE IN THOSE AREAS. 
          AND JUST TO STICK TO OUR RUNNING THEME TO BOARD RECRUITMENT, PRIMARY PURPOSE IS EVERYTHING SHORITA JUST SAID. 
          BUT IN THE YEAR AHEAD, WE ARE LOOKING TO BE MUCH MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT ADVERTISING THE BOARD ITSELF AND THESE EVENTS WE HELP CREATE. 
          JUST KNOWING THAT WITH HOW IMPACTFUL WE HOPE THIS WILL BE, THAT'S GOING TO BE POSITIVE ADVERTISING FOR THE BOARD ITSELF AND HOPEFULLY ENCOURAGE MORE STATEMENT OF INTEREST FORMS TO BE SUBMITTED MOVING FORWARD. 
          COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR SUBCOMMITTEES, WHICH I'D SAY HAS PRIMARILY BEEN A PROJECT WE'VE HAD TO SHELVE A BIT THIS YEAR. 
          BUT THAT IS THE WORK GROUP THAT FOCUSES ON THAT COMMUNITY ASSET MAP. 
          LAST YEAR, WE HAD WORKED ON BUILDING A BETTER, MORE TECHNOLOGICALLY FORWARD PROCESS AROUND HOW DO WE KEEP THAT UPDATED? HOW DO WE ENSURE AN OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN US AND THESE COMMUNITY GROUPS. 
          SO WE HAVE A GOOGLE SURVEY THAT WE'VE BEEN TINKERING WITH, BUT HOPEFULLY MORE TO COME ON THAT. 
          NEXT YEAR. DID I MISS ANYTHING ON THAT FRONT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO OUR OTHER SUBCOMMITTEE WORK GROUP LIAISING WITH THE CITY, VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, WHICH I THINK PRIMARILY WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT HR, BUT POLICE IS SO FAR THE DEPARTMENT THAT WE'VE REALLY ESTABLISHED A RELATIONSHIP WITH TWO OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, AMY PALDER AND AMY LEWIS, HAVE BEEN REGULARLY MEETING WITH CHIEF RICHARDS ALL YEAR. 
          I MOST RECENTLY, THEY SAT TOGETHER WITH HIM AND THEY REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CATEGORY OF THE CERTIFIED CITY OF DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION CERTIFICATION, FIGURING OUT FROM A B TIME PERSPECTIVE, HOW MIGHT WE BE ABLE TO HELP, WHETHER THAT'S ADVISING OR IN A MORE ACTIVE WAY. 
          BUT I THINK FROM OUR INITIAL DISCUSSION IN THE LAST BOARD MEETING, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT COULD CERTAINLY BE A FOCUS AREA FOR US NEXT YEAR. 
          AND I'M NOT SURE HOW FAMILIAR YOU ALL ARE WITH THAT PARTICULAR SECTION OR ANYTHING, FROM YOUR SIDE THAT YOU FORESEE A NEED FOR BTAB YOU BEING INVOLVED WITH. 
          SO RENEE, DO YOU WANT TO JUST COME AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT CERTIFICATION BECAUSE I'M MORE FAMILIAR WITH IT THAN PROBABLY THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS, IT IS THE GMA CERTIFICATION FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSION THAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS BEING ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES IN GEORGIA TO RECEIVE THAT? YES. SO THE GMA GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION'S CERTIFIED CITY OF DIVERSITY INCLUSION, EQUITY AND BELONGING. 
          AND IT'S PROBABLY IN A DIFFERENT ORDER. 
          IS FOR GEORGIA CITIES. 
          THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CATEGORIES, AND I BELIEVE THERE ARE EIGHT CATEGORIES AND WE ARE GOING FOR SEVEN OF THOSE. 
          THE CATEGORY THAT WE ARE NOT PURSUING THIS GO ROUND IS THE EDUCATION CATEGORY. 
          WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GOALS THAT WE HAVE TO REACH IN ORDER TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT. 
          THERE ARE DEPENDING ON THE SECTION, THERE ARE UP TO MAYBE FIVE OR SIX REQUIRED GOALS, AND THEN THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE OPTIONAL. 
          WITH THAT, WE HAVE TO DO THE REQUIRED ONES AND ONE OPTIONAL. 
          AND WE BROUGHT A GROUP TOGETHER LAST YEAR, AROUND THIS TIME LAST YEAR TO SIT THROUGH AND GO THROUGH THE REQUIREMENTS THAT GMA HAS SET FORTH FOR THIS CERTIFICATION, TO LOOK TO SEE, ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING? ARE THERE THINGS WE'RE PLANNING TO DO? OR ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO? AND IT'S REALISTIC FOR US TO PURSUE THIS IN THIS WAY. 
          AT FIRST, I WAS LIKE, OH, WE'RE BEING VERY AMBITIOUS. 
          AND QUITE NATURALLY, I WANTED TO DO THAT. 
          BUT AFTER TALKING WITH THE GROUP, IT WAS CLEAR THAT WE WERE LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE HAPPEN. 
          YES, IT IS A TASK. 
          AND WE ARE ONE OF TWO CITIES WHO HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED OUR INTENT TO PURSUE THIS CERTIFICATION, 
          [00:10:04]
AND WE HAVE SUBMITTED. 
          WE HAD TO SUBMIT OUR LIKE THE ENTRY INTO THE CERTIFICATION. 
          SO WE HAD TO HAVE COMMUNITY EVENTS. 
          WE HAD TO HAVE TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS OR EVENTS THAT INCLUDED VARIOUS FOLKS, AND THERE WERE SOME REQUIREMENTS AROUND THAT AND THEN THE INTENT TO DO THE CERTIFICATION. 
          SO WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY, AND THEN WE HAVE EACH DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION THAT'S RELATED TO A SPECIFIC TOPIC AREA, LOOKING THROUGH THOSE THINGS AND FIGURING OUT WHAT DO THEY ALREADY HAVE, WHAT THINGS THAT THEY NEED. 
          SO WE HAVE TO COLLECT PICTURES, FLYERS, SIGN IN SHEETS FOR VARIOUS MEETINGS AND THEN BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THESE THINGS. 
          AND THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CITY COMMISSION AS WELL, WHICH INCLUDES TRAINING. 
          AND SO THERE ARE SOME TRAINING THINGS. 
          SO IF YOU RECEIVE AN E MAIL FROM ME AND SAY, HEY, THERE'S THIS HOUSING TRAINING HAPPENING. 
          PART OF THAT IS A PART OF THE CERTIFICATION. 
          I WILL BE CHECKING IN WITH YOU PRETTY OFTEN TO SEE WHICH TRAININGS YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN. 
          SOME ARE GIVEN THROUGH GMA, SO THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT EASIER. 
          THEN THERE MAY BE SOME IN THE BEGINNING, I ASKED YOU, HOW MANY TRAININGS HAVE YOU TAKEN AROUND THIS SUBJECT? I HAD TO SUBMIT THAT AS PART OF THE INITIAL REQUIREMENTS TO START THIS PROCESS. 
          IT IS A TASK, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE HELPS US STAY ON THE PATH OF OUR EQUITY WORK AND BEING THOUGHTFUL AND BEING VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. 
          I THINK ALSO DMA IS LOOKING TO US TO SET AN EXAMPLE AND TO HELP PAVE THE WAY FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE KNOW IF THERE ARE TWEAKS TO THE PROCESS OR AND I THINK STAFF HAS TRIED TO WORK REALLY HARD WITH RENEE FOR HER TO IDENTIFY LIKE REALLY THIS IS TOO MUCH OR IT'S HARD TO DOCUMENT SOME OF THIS OR JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE DOING WHAT THAT YOU HOPE THAT THEY WILL DO AND NOT GIVING CITIES A PASS IF THEY JUST SAY, OH, YEAH, WE TALK ABOUT THINGS SOMETIMES BUT ALSO HOW WE CAN ENCOURAGE OTHER CITIES TO DO IT AND TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SAY NOT ONLY DID WE ACHIEVE THE CERTIFICATION, BUT WE ALSO HERE'S WHAT WE LEARNED IN THE PROCESS, AND THIS IS HOW IT'S BENEFITING US TO HAVE DONE THIS. 
          THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THAT. 
          THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT TO BE BECAUSE WE ARE IN A POSITION TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT'S REALISTIC AND FEASIBLE, AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE ROAD BLOCKS THAT WE HAVE RUN UP AGAINST THAT OTHERS MAY RUN UP AGAINST. 
          BEING ABLE TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS DURING THIS PROCESS, I ALSO THINK THAT GOING THROUGH THIS CERTIFICATION PROCESS HELPS US WITH THE MEASUREMENT PIECE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, HOW ARE WE MEASURING OUR SUCCESS AND HOW ARE WE DOCUMENTING THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE THIS REQUIRES US TO HAVE THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION IN PLACE. 
          BECAUSE WE'RE ALL DOING A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE LIKE, OH, YES, WE'RE DOING THOSE THINGS, AND THEN WHEN WE REFLECT ON IT, WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE DOING ALL OF THESE THINGS AND HAVING THAT IN A PLACE WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WELL, AFTER HEARING RENEE ELOQUENTLY EXPLAIN THAT EXTREMELY COMPLEX PROCESS, I REALIZED THAT WAS AN UNFAIR QUESTION TO ASK. 
          YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON THIS PARTICULAR PIECE. 
          SO FORGIVE ME. 
          BUT WE'LL BE WORKING ON IT. WHAT'S NEXT. 
          WELCOME. YEAH. WELCOMING BUSINESS AWARD, HAD A GREAT PROCESS LAST YEAR WHERE YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE WELCOMING BUSINESS AWARD PROCESS. 
          GREAT YEAR LAST YEAR, RECEIVED SEVERAL NOMINATIONS. 
          WE AWARDED THREE WINNERS, COSA, REBEL T HOUSE, AND THE SERIAL LB. 
          A BIG GOAL LAST YEAR WAS, WE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR PROMOTION OF THIS AWARD IN ORDER TO HOPEFULLY GET MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO NOMINATE THESE BUSINESSES, WHICH SO MANY OF THEM DESERVE IT. 
          BUT HOW DO WE GET THE NEWS OUT THERE? HEY, THIS AWARD EXISTS, IT'S WORTH PARTICIPATING IN. 
          WE MADE PROGRESS ON THAT LAST YEAR, BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE STILL WORKING TOWARD. 
          ONE OF THE NEW LEVERS, I'D SAY WE IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR TOWARD THAT. 
          WE'VE ALWAYS ADVERTISED IN THE DICATOR FOCUS. 
          THIS YEAR, WE ADDED A SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION. 
          [00:15:02]
WE WORKED WITH THE CITY COMMUNICATIONS TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER FOUR VIDEOS, WHICH WERE POSTED ON ALL THE SOCIALS. 
          THE FIRST, DID ANYONE HAPPEN TO SEE ANY OF THESE? OKAY. 
          >> GOOD. YOU'RE NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          THAT'S GREAT. [LAUGHTER] NONE OF US REALLY SHOULD BE. 
          >> ONE MOMENT, PLEASE. 
          >> MY ALGORITHM IS BROKEN CLEARLY. 
          >> IF SHE DIDN'T SEE IT. 
          >> I DIDN'T SEE IT. THERE'S A PROBLEM. 
          >> YOU GUYS ARE JUST GETTING CAT VIDEOS LIKE ME. 
          >> AND FOOD. [LAUGHTER] 
          >> THE FIRST VIDEO WAS MEANT TO EDUCATE. 
          HERE'S WHAT THIS AWARD IS, WHY IT MATTERS, THE SELECTION CRITERIA, AND HERE'S HOW TO NOMINATE THE BUSINESS. 
          THEN WE FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS AND SPLICING TOGETHER THESE NICE VIDEOS WITH EACH WINNER FROM LAST YEAR, GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS, AND THEN SPECIFICALLY, WHAT THEY DO INTENTIONALLY TO MAKE THAT BUSINESS WELCOMING, DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND TO THEIR EMPLOYEES. 
          I THINK THIS ACHIEVES TWO THINGS. 
          ONE, WE REALIZED, HISTORICALLY, THIS AWARD HAS BEEN A BIT OF A ONE AND DONE BECAUSE WHEN YOU WIN ONCE AND MAYBE WE'LL REACH A TIME WHEN SOMEONE CAN WIN TWICE. 
          BUT YOU WIN ONCE AND EVEN IF YOU'RE NOMINATED AGAIN, YOU CAN'T WIN. 
          HOW CAN WE MAKE THE AWARD FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT JUST A ONE AND DONE. 
          ALSO JUST USING THE BUSINESSES THEMSELVES TO ADVERTISE THE AWARD AND BY GIVING THEM A PLATFORM TO TALK ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS, THAT ENCOURAGES THEM TO TALK PEER TO PEER AND SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT ON OUR NEWS FEED, BUT HOPEFULLY A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE. 
          WE INTEND TO KEEP DOING THAT, PROMOTING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, AND FINDING A WAY TO BRING PAST WINNERS ALONG IN THE PROCESS. 
          >> SORRY. I BELIEVE NOMINATIONS FOR WELCOMING BUSINESSES AS WELL AS, FOR THE HOMETOWN HEROES, THOSE ARE DUE BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, I BELIEVE? 
          >> NO. 10/11 WAS THE DEADLINE. 
          WE ALREADY REACHED OUR DEADLINE. 
          THESE WERE POSTED A LITTLE WHILE AGO. 
          >> DID WE HAVE A GOOD RESPONSE? 
          >> NOT AS GOOD OF A RESPONSE AS LAST YEARS. 
          THAT'S LEADING INTO SOME OF OUR OTHER IDEAS WHICH WE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS YEAR AND NOW ABSOLUTELY NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTING. 
          ONE IS WORKING MORE DIRECTLY WITH THE DBA TO GET THERE, BUY INTO THIS AND USE THAT BODY TO HELP PROMOTE THE AWARD. 
          THAT ONE WAS ON ME BAD TIME MANAGEMENT. 
          I GOT IN TOUCH TOO LATE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS YEAR. 
          THEN WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO BRAINSTORM IDEAS AGAIN FOR, HOW CAN WE UTILIZE OUR PAST WINNERS AND A WAY TO CONTINUALLY PROMOTE. 
          WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO PUT TOGETHER SOME ADVERTISING COLLATERAL THAT WE COULD PLACE IN THE BUSINESSES THEMSELVES, SO THAT WHEN A CUSTOMER IS THERE PATRONIZING THE BUSINESS, IT'S FRONT AND CENTER AND TOP OF MIND. 
          BUT WE DON'T WANT TO PUT THE ONUS ON THE BUSINESS TO GET THOSE FORMS SUBMITTED TO US. 
          WE COULD DO A LITTLE QR CODE, BUT WE THINK PHYSICAL COPIES, WHERE SOMEONE CAN JUST SEE HOW SHORT THE FORM IS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALLERGIC TO FILLING OUT FORMS AND SURVEYS AND STUFF. 
          BUT IF THEY COULD PHYSICALLY SEE IT, THAT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A BETTER ROUTE THAN ASKING SOMEONE TO GO ONLINE. 
          >> COMMISSIONER WALSH ALSO HAD A QUESTION. 
          >> WHERE DO THESE VIDEOS RESIDE? THEY SOUND LIKE THEY'RE NOT PERISHABLE. 
          WE COULD CONTINUE TO SHARE OUT THE ONES WITH THE INTERVIEWS WITH THE BUSINESSES. 
          WHERE ARE THOSE RIGHT NOW? 
          >> INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, ON THE CITY'S ACCOUNTS. 
          >> DO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PAGE OR? 
          >> NO. 
          >> [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] YOU PUT THEM ON THE CITY'S PAGE THEN. 
          >> YOU WORK WITH COMMS TEAM. 
          >> THE VIDEOS THEY'RE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL. 
          THEY'LL ALSO BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL. 
          I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO COMMUNICATION COORDINATOR GRANT PERRY, WHO WORKED REALLY HARD TO GO OUT AND DO THESE INTERVIEWS AND PUT THE VIDEOS TOGETHER. 
          BUT THE GOAL IS TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT THE AWARD IS AS WELL. 
          I'M NOT SURE IF PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE AWARD IS ABOUT. 
          IF WE CAN GET A GOOD START ON THE EDUCATION PIECE OF LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IT IS, AND LIKE CLAIRE AND SERITA MENTIONED, GETTING THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE WON THE AWARD TO BE ABLE 
          [00:20:01]
TO TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN THIS AWARD? THAT'S WHAT THE VIDEOS ARE ABOUT THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE. 
          THEY'RE EXPRESSING TO US WHAT IT MEANT TO THEM TO RECEIVE THE AWARD. 
          >> I'M SURE ALL OF US WOULD LOVE TO HELP GET THOSE OUT IN ANOTHER PASS AND THEY'LL FLOURISH OUT THERE IN THE WORLD IN DIFFERENT WAYS, NOT ALL OF US DO THE SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT DEFINITELY SOUNDS LIKE THEY WOULD BE WELL RECEIVED. 
          THERE'S NOTHING THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THESE PERSONAL NARRATIVES OF HOW THEY GOT THE AWARD IS GREAT. 
          THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT TO LIGHT BECAUSE USE US. 
          ONE OF US IS AT EVERY DBA MEETING TOO. 
          IF YOU CAN'T GET THERE, THAT'S FINE. WE TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. 
          YOU'VE GOT THE OTHER MEETINGS YOU DO, BUT JUST SHIP IT OVER TO US AND ONE OF US WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TOO AT THE MEETINGS. 
          >> AWESOME. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> DID WE PUT IT IN THE FOCUS? 
          >> WE DID. 
          >> I REMEMBER SEEING IT IN THE FOCUS. 
          ALONG THAT SAME LINE JUST BEFORE WE GET IN TERMS OF THE NOVEMBER 10TH, SINCE WE NOW KNOW THE CORRECT DATE FOR THAT, HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE ADVERTISED SO THAT PEOPLE WILL KNOW ABOUT THE EVENT? 
          >> FOR THE NOVEMBER 10TH EVENT, IT WILL BE IN THE NOVEMBER FOCUS. 
          WE WILL ALSO GET IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          THEN RIGHT NOW THE IDEA FOR THE BOARD IS TO CATCH PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE SQUARE, THE GOAL IS THAT WE WILL DO SOME PROMOTION, BUT NOT A LOT OF FLYERS OR DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE IS TO GET THE ORGANIC CONVERSATION GOING. 
          >> PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE SQUARE [INAUDIBLE] 
          >> YES. WE'RE PILOTING THAT ASPECT OF THIS CONVERSATION. 
          >> I THINK ARE WE IN A GOOD PLACE IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. 
          >> WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME SOLUTIONING OR NOT THERE YET. 
          >> WELL, WE HAD A FEW MORE THINGS, BUT I THINK WE COVERED THE MOST IMPORTANT. 
          WE DO NEED TO GET TO THE SOLUTION AND GIVEN OUR TIME. 
          >> REAL QUICK. WE'LL JUMP DOWN, BUT THE OTHER PART OF WHAT WE DO IS ADVISING. 
          WE DID MEET WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, GREG WHITE AND CARLOS PEREZ TO TALK ABOUT THE EPSTER TEAM AREA PROJECT. 
          I WANTED TO SHOUT THAT OUT. 
          THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF INTENTIONAL WORK ABOUT EQUIPMENT AND SPACES AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR TEAM POPULATION AND NEURODIVERSE COMMUNITY HAVE A SPACE TO PLAY TOGETHER OR SIT TOGETHER, TALK TOGETHER. 
          ALL THAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR HAS REALLY BEEN AROUND COLLABORATION AND EMPATHY FOR OTHERS AND INCLUSION. 
          I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE ON TO THE SOLUTIONING ASPECT, AND WE CAN SEND YOU WHATEVER NOTES YOU NEED. 
          >> AGAIN, TO RECAP OUR CHALLENGE WITH BOARD RECRUITMENT, BOARD MAKEUP. 
          WE HAVE 10-15 BOARD SEATS AVAILABLE. 
          RIGHT NOW, EIGHT SEATS ARE FILLED SOON TO BE ONLY SIX. 
          WHAT I FAILED TO MENTION AT THE TOP WAS ANDREA PUT US IN TOUCH WITH LENGSTON FROM THE CITY FOR AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE RECEIPT OF THOSE STATEMENT OF INTEREST FORMS LOOKS LIKE THIS YEAR FROM A B TAB PERSPECTIVE, AND WE JUST HAD ONE CANDIDATE APPLY FOR THE BOARD. 
          THAT AND SERITA, DO YOU REMEMBER OFFHAND WHEN YOU HAVE TO ROLL OFF THE BOARD AND WHEN ED HAS TO ROLL OFF? 
          >> JANUARY, AND ED IS JANUARY, WE'RE BOTH JANUARY. 
          >> WHAT WE HAVE STARTED TALKING ABOUT AND ANDREA WAS KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE US SOME OF HER TIME SO THAT WE COULD, START TALKING THROUGH THIS. 
          IS THERE A WAY AND WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE TO EXTEND THAT APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR STATEMENT OF INTEREST FORMS FOR B TAB IN PARTICULAR? SECOND, WE TALKED ABOUT DOING SOME MORE TARGETED PROMOTION OF B TAB SPECIFICALLY AS A BOARD, JUST GIVEN WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST AND ESPECIALLY THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE, REALLY WANTING TO MAINTAIN OUR FOCUS ON THIS AS A CITY AND MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T FALL BY THE WAYSIDE. 
          I THINK THIS IS SECONDARY BECAUSE WE NEED MORE FOLKS TO APPLY FOR THE BOARD IN THE FIRST PLACE. 
          BUT THEN THINKING ABOUT THE INTERVIEW PROCESS IS A WAY TO, WHAT ARE SOME IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN MAKE TO THAT? SOME FEEDBACK SHARED BY RECENTLY ONBOARDED BOARD MEMBERS. 
          THE 15 MINUTES FEELS VERY SHORT, AND IT MIGHT BE A GOOD WAY FOR THE COMMISSIONERS 
          [00:25:03]
CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW TO GET A SENSE OF THE INTERVIEWEE. 
          BUT IDEALLY WE WANT THAT TO BE A TWO WAY STREET AND FOR THE INTERVIEWEE TO HAVE A CHANCE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOARD. 
          MAKE SURE IT'S THE RIGHT FIT AND MAKE SURE IT'S A COMMITMENT THEY HAVE BOTH THE TIME AND THE WILLINGNESS TO MAKE. 
          ONE THING WE TALKED ABOUT, AGAIN, IF WE JUST HAVE ONE PERSON INTERVIEWING THIS YEAR, NOT QUITE APPLICABLE YET, BUT COULD WE AS A BOARD OR, IN COLLABORATION WITH YOU COME UP WITH SOME, A FEW INTERVIEW QUESTIONS STANDARDIZED THAT YOU COULD ASK EACH CANDIDATE THAT WE COULD HELP TAILOR IN A WAY TO ENSURE THAT THE FOLKS WE'RE GETTING ONTO THE BOARD ARE, FULFILLING THE SKILL SETS AND SO FORTH THAT WE REALLY NEED. 
          >> THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, OTHER BOARDS WILL TELL US WHAT THEY NEED, WHETHER IT'S A LAWYER OR SOMEONE THAT HAS HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE. 
          WE HAVE AN IDEA WHEN WE'RE GETTING THOSE APPLICATIONS, WHAT SKILL SET YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, OR AS WE GO OUT AND ASK OUR NETWORK OF FRIENDS AND PEOPLE, HEY, I KNOW YOU HAVE THIS SKILL SET, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN SO THAT THAT WAY, IT HELPS US TARGET AN AUDIENCE A LOT BETTER. 
          >> TONY IS GOING TO BE OUR REFERRAL PERSON. 
          NO, WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT AS A RESOURCE AND DEFINITELY LEVERAGING YOUR NETWORKS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. 
          WORD OF MOUTH DEFINITELY GOT ME HERE, I BELIEVE IT GOT CLAIRE HERE TOO. 
          >> ACTUALLY NOT DECATUR 101. I TOOK THAT THIS YEAR. 
          >> OKAY. 
          >> ALSO WORD OF MOUTH. 
          >> WORD OF MOUTH, REFERRALS WHEN LEANNE WAS HERE. 
          THOSE THINGS ARE VERY HELPFUL, BUT AS WE LOSE DIVERSITY OR IT CHANGES, WE'RE NOT LOSING AS MUCH AS WE WERE, BUT IT'S CHANGING, THEN WE'RE LOSING SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS. 
          PEOPLE ARE HAVING VOLUNTEER FATIGUE, LEADERSHIP FATIGUE AND SO ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE WITH THAT. 
          >> OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY BOARD BROUGHT ON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. 
          HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THAT? 
          >> WE HAVE HAD SOME. 
          KEEPING THEM WITH THEIR SCHEDULES HAS BEEN THAT, BUT WHEN THEY ARE IN THE ROOM, VERY VALUABLE. WE HAVE HAD SOME. 
          >> I'LL ADD WHEN THE BOARD WAS FIRST PUT INTO PLACE, WE HAD A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ON OUR BOARD BACK IN 2016, AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR, WE HAD A COLLEGE STUDENT ON OUR BOARD. 
          WE DO HAVE A SPACE FOR A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. 
          IT'S JUST GETTING THEM TO APPLY. 
          WE'VE HAD HIGH SCHOOL VISITORS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT WOULD COME TO EVERY MEETING. 
          THEY HAVE BEEN TO OUR MEETINGS AND GIVEN INPUT AND JUST SHOWING UP AND SHARING THEIR PERSPECTIVES. 
          >> COMMISSIONER WALSH. 
          >> COUPLE OF THINGS I HAVE ON MY MIND AND I SERVED ON ACTIVE LIVING AND LOVED IT AND ALSO CO-CHAIRED AND IT GETS HARD AND YOU GO THROUGH CYCLES OF PARTICIPATION AND WAXES AND WANES. 
          I THINK THAT'S TOTALLY NORMAL. 
          I'M GLAD YOU DON'T SOUND LIKE YOU'RE TOO HARD ON YOURSELVES TODAY, YOU ONLY SEE OPPORTUNITY VERSUS BECAUSE THIS JUST HAPPENS WITH MATURE BOARDS TOO. 
          MY FIRST QUESTION IS, HOW OLD IS THE BOARD NOW? HOW MANY YEARS? 
          >> EIGHT. 
          >> 2016 
          >> THAT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE TO BE SMALL. 
          I JUST THINK IT'S A GREAT TIME TO CELEBRATE THE BOARD IF WE COULD DO AN ARTICLE TOO AND TO DO A NEAT EXIT INTERVIEW WITH THE CO-CHAIRS WHO ARE SO IMPORTANT WITH BUILDING IT FROM THE GROUND UP AND HAVE SEEN A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING ISSUES COME YOUR WAY. 
          I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT. 
          YOU ALSO HELPED US WITH THE TREE ORDINANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH IS A GREAT LENS TO SAY THIS BOARD IS NIMBLE AND FLEXIBLE AND BINDS TOGETHER SO MANY ISSUES, THAT WOULD BE A REALLY COMPELLING STORY TO BE TELLING IF WE GOT THAT OUT THERE, PARTICULARLY MAYBE IN A FOCUS ARTICLE AND GET TO HEAR FROM YOU TOO, YOUR MEMOIR. [LAUGHTER] 
          >> I LOVE THAT IDEA. 
          >> THEN WHEN WE WERE JUST IN THE JOINT SESSION WITH THE SCHOOLS LAST WEEK, I FELT LIKE THERE WAS AN APPETITE FOR OUR STORYTELLING, OUR JOINT SHARING OF WHAT WE WORK ON, POTENTIALLY, AND EVEN VISUALLY SHOWING THE COMMUNITY HOW WE WORK TOGETHER. 
          WE TALKED ABOUT TOWN HALLS. 
          WHAT IF BETTER TOGETHER WAS THE UMBRELLA OR AUSPICE UNDER WHICH A COUPLE OF US MET OUT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND TIES TOGETHER EVERYTHING. 
          YOU'VE GOT SCHOOL AND GOVERNMENT IN THE ROOM. 
          TALKING ABOUT CURRENT EVENTS, WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THIS GREAT HOST OF BETTER TOGETHER THAT GETS TO SAY, WE SOLVE PROBLEMS AND BRING A NEW PERSPECTIVE IN ALL THESE VENUES. 
          I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD BECAUSE WE'RE WORKSHOPPING, BUT THOSE ARE SOME IDEAS, AND I LOVE THE YOUTH PARTICIPATION. 
          I THINK THAT THE CITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS A YOUTH REPRESENTATION. 
          THEY PROBABLY WOULD JUST BE ON FOR A YEAR, AND THEN THEY GO OFF AND DO THEIR STUFF AFTER SCHOOL, 
          [00:30:02]
BUT HAPPY TO TALK MORE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO DOUBLE DOWN AND REINVEST IN TELLING THE STORY. 
          >> I JUST WANT TO SAY I KNOW SEVERAL OF US ALSO DID REACH OUT SOME LAST YEAR, I THINK AND TALKED TO PEOPLE ABOUT ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT BOARDS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE. 
          BUT I THINK WE REALIZE WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. 
          YOU MENTIONED, IF YOU COULD EXTEND THAT DEADLINE, ABSOLUTELY. [LAUGHTER] 
          >> I WOULD SAY WE CONSIDER IT AND EXTENDED. 
          AS WE TALKED, WE TALKED ABOUT IT JUST BEING AT THIS POINT, EVEN A ROLLING PROCESS. 
          WE DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS OR THINK ABOUT WAYS TO GET THIS IN FRONT OF GROUPS, WHETHER IT'S MAYBE IT'S PLACES OF WORSHIP THAT WE NEED TO GET INTO. 
          BUT YEAH, CONSIDER IT OPEN UNTIL WE GET IT FULL AGAIN. 
          >> I THINK YOU MENTIONED, THE EVENT IN FRONT OF THE JOHN LEWIS SCULPTURE. 
          IF THAT'S A TIME THAT WE JUST HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOARD TO USE THOSE AS OPPORTUNITIES IS LIKE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO AND IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE BETTER TOGETHER BOARD OR BECAUSE IF PEOPLE COME OVER AND LISTEN TO THAT CONVERSATION, I THINK IT FIRST OF ALL, TELLS YOU THERE'S AN INTEREST, AND SO MAYBE THAT WOULD BE A PERSON TO TALK ABOUT MORE WITH OPPORTUNITIES. 
          >> WE HAVE A FLYER AND DEVELOPMENT TO PUT ON OUR LITTLE TABLE, WHICH WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE HOT CHOCOLATE ON OR SOMETHING TOO. 
          THAT'S SOMETHING THAT BECAUSE THE ONUS IS ON US TOO, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR, THESE EVENTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING ON WE'RE PLAYING SOME MEANINGFUL ROLE IN, WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING MUCH MORE BOARD SELF PROMOTION. 
          SELFISHLY BUT NOT SELFISHLY. [LAUGHTER] 
          >> WELL, LIKE I SAID, GET US THOSE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STARTED DOING IS BUILDING A BULLPEN. 
          WHILE WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR A PARTICULAR BOARD, WE THINK THAT THEY MIGHT BE A CANDIDATE FOR ANOTHER BOARD. 
          WHEN WE'RE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS IN OUR 15 MINUTE SPEED DATING ROUND, IT GIVES US THAT WINDOW INTO WHAT THAT PERSON'S PASSION IS. 
          WE CAN START AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED DOING THAT IS DEVELOPING THIS BULLPEN. 
          WHEN SOMETHING DOES BECOME AVAILABLE, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND SAY, WE NEED TO HOLD ANOTHER ROUND. 
          WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WAITING ON THE SIDELINE. 
          THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN THIS ROUND OF INTERVIEWS THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO IF SOMEONE PEAKS A PARTICULAR INTEREST OR THEY SAY SOMETHING THAT CLUES US IN. 
          WE MIGHT MAKE THAT SUGGESTION AS WELL. 
          >> THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. 
          >> DO YOU ALL HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO BRING FORWARD? 
          >> JUST REAL QUICK. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CLARE AND SARITA FOR THEIR AMAZING LEADERSHIP. 
          THEY HAVE BEEN DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH LEADING THE BOARD. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP IS CREATING A WORK PLAN TO HELP GUIDE THE WORK OF THE BOARD, LOOKING AT OUR THREE FOCUS AREAS, AND THEN FIGURING OUT WHAT DOES THE YEAR LOOK LIKE. 
          WE'RE GETTING READY TO IN DECEMBER PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT WORK PLAN WITH ROOM FOR FLEXIBILITY, BUT BEING VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> GREAT POINT. AS PART OF THAT, ONE OF OUR GOALS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR CHALLENGE NOW WITH DWINDLING NUMBERS AND MAKING SURE WHAT ARE ALL OF THE WAYS WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THIS BOARD IS SUSTAINABLE WHEN SARITA LEAVES WHEN I LEAVE. 
          THE WORK PLAN, WE'VE STARTED BUILDING PROCESS DOCUMENTATION WHERE WE BOTH LEAD THE WELCOME BUSINESS AWARD. 
          PUTTING THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, WHICH AREN'T NECESSARILY FUN TO PUT TOGETHER, BUT THEN SOMEONE ELSE COMES ON AND YOU CAN HAND IT OFF AND NO ONE'S REINVENTING THE WHEEL, WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD WAY TO SPEND OUR TIME THIS COMING YEAR TOO. 
          >> PUTTING IN A LOT OF FRAMEWORK. 
          ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS THAT WE MAY BE DOWN IN NUMBERS, BUT WE'RE NOT DOWN IN PASSION. 
          WE WELCOME CONTINUED PROJECTS TO ADVISE ON AND JUST INPUT THAT YOU HAVE. 
          AS WE PLAN FOR THE YEAR AHEAD, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED BETTER TOGETHER TO FOCUS ON OR BE AWARE OF COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE, WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR THAT. 
          >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR LONG SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP. YOU CAN COME TO THE MEETING. 
          [00:35:05]
          >> I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE RIGHT AWAY. [LAUGHTER] 
          >> YOU CAN STAY ENGAGED. 
          >> I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE RIGHT AWAY. 
          MAKING SURE IT'S IN GOOD HANDS WHEN WE ROLL OFF. 
          >> BUT THANK YOU BOTH. 
          AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S BEHIND THE SCENES, AND WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DIFFERENT BOARDS, BUT CERTAINLY THE ROLE THAT BETTER TOGETHER NOW PLAYS WITH REVIEWING ORDINANCES, REVIEWING OUR PLANS AND MAKING SURE WE AREN'T MISSING SOMETHING AND THAT DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION IS THAT LENS AS MANY EYES AS WE GET ON THAT TO HELP US OUT, I THINK IS IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES BEFORE HER NEXT WORK SESSION BEGINS. 
          >> GOOD EVENING, CITY COMMISSION. 
          [WORK SESSION #2 – 6:45 P.M.]
I AM ANGELA TADGELL, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME TONIGHT FOR A WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS THE DECATUR SQUARE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT WHERE WE GIVE A DESIGN UPDATE. YES. 
          >> IS THAT WORKING? 
          >> WE DEFINITELY WANT THE PICTURES ON YOUR SCREEN. 
          [LAUGHTER] BEFORE I START IN WITH THE TOPIC, I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WHO IN THE AUDIENCE IS HERE WITH ME TONIGHT AND WHO HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING US TO THIS POINT. 
          I HAVE A COUPLE OF CO-LEADS, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER DAVID YOUNGER, AS WELL AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF PUBLIC WORKS CARA SHARE. 
          I DEFINITELY WANT TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT-OUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE DONE A LION'S SHARE OF THE WORK AS WELL AS ME. 
          THEN FROM THE JACOBS TEAM, WE HAVE PRINCIPAL MATT FRIESEN AND THEN ALSO SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, ARVIND NARAYANAN, AND SO THEY ARE SITTING HERE BEHIND ME. 
          THEY ARE PREPPED AND READY TO GO SHOULD THERE BE SOME MORE COMPLEX OR CHALLENGING QUESTIONS THAT I CANNOT ANSWER. 
          GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          THERE WE GO. TONIGHT'S TOPICS, WE'LL DO AN OVERVIEW OF THE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT. 
          WE WILL REVISIT THE CONCEPT DESIGN SITE PLAN THAT WAS IN THE TOWN CENTER PLAN 2.0. 
          WE'LL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'VE DONE THUS FAR. 
          THEN WE'LL DISCUSS OUR VISUAL PREFERENCE SURVEY AND THE RESULTS FROM THAT SURVEY. 
          THEN ALSO, WE'LL GIVE A SUMMARY OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT SOME OF THE HOT TOPICS THAT CAME UP FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. 
          THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ESTIMATE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COST, AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN UPDATE, AND THEN ALSO OUR SCHEDULE AND THEN OUR COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. 
          WHEN WE ARE THINKING ABOUT OUR DESIGN FOR THE SQUARE, THE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT, WE ARE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF PLANS. 
          YES, I CALLED OUT THE TOWN CENTER PLAN, 2.0, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT HOW DO WE INCORPORATE AND IMPLEMENT GOALS FROM OTHER PLANS SUCH AS OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR BETTER TOGETHER PLAN, THE DECATUR PATH PLAN, OUR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT. 
          WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE TOWN CENTER PLAN, WE'RE LOOKING HOLISTICALLY AT ALL OF THE CITY'S ADOPTED PLANS. 
          LOOKING BACK AT THE TOWN CENTER PLAN 2.0, BASED ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DURING THAT PLAN, THIS IS THE BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THAT SITE PLAN, THAT OUR PREVIOUS MKSK, THEY WERE OUR TEAM THAT HELPED US COME UP WITH THIS CONCEPT DESIGN, AND THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO ALL THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK AND INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED OVER A NEARLY YEAR-LONG MASTER PLAN PROCESS. 
          WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE DECATUR SQUARE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT, WHILE IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO DO EVERYTHING IN THIS PLAN, REALISTICALLY FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, FROM TIMELINE, AND WHAT OUR GOAL IS IS TO BE COMPLETE BY THE TIME THAT THE WORLD CUP ARRIVES IN ATLANTA IN 2026, WE HAD TO SET REALISTIC GOALS. 
          WE'RE BREAKING THE CONCEPT DESIGN SITE PLAN 
          [00:40:01]
THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN NOW INTO TWO DIFFERENT PHASES. 
          WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR DECATUR TOWN CENTER PLAN 2.0, THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR FIRST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. 
          WE'VE DONE SOME OTHER INITIATIVES IN PROGRAMMATIC IMPLEMENTATION FROM THE DECATUR TOWN CENTER PLAN 2.0 BUT THIS IS OUR FIRST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, AND THIS IS THE LARGEST, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING OUT OF THE TOWN CENTER PLAN 2.0. 
          WE'RE ULTIMATELY LOOKING AT ENHANCING THE VIBRANCY AND PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES OF THE DECATUR SQUARE, AND WE'RE ALSO SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY'S VISION FOR A WELCOMING SPACE FOR RESIDENTS, VISITORS, AND BUSINESSES. 
          THERE'S CERTAIN KEY COMPONENTS OF THE SQUARE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT THAT SUPPORTS THIS COMMUNITY VISION. 
          OUR SCHEMATIC DESIGN BEGAN IN JULY 2024 WITH JACOBS, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR NEW STAGE AND A BANDSHELL, WHICH REQUIRES THE REMOVAL OF OUR EXISTING BANDSTAND. 
          WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT NEW RESTROOM FACILITIES, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT PLAZA EXPANSION ONTO NORTH MCDONOUGH AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE RELOCATION OF THE CELEBRATION SCULPTURE. 
          THE FOGGER SYSTEM OF THAT SCULPTURE HAS NOT WORKED FOR PROBABLY MORE THAN 10 YEARS. 
          BY MOVING IT, THAT ALLOWS US TO BRING IT CLOSER TO THE WATER SYSTEM, AND ALSO TO GET THAT WORKING AGAIN. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT A NEW PLAY AREA ON THE SQUARE, AND THAT IS IN RESPONSE TO AGAIN, HEARING FROM OUR YOUTH DURING THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE TOWN CENTER PLAN 2.0. 
          THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT LANDSCAPING AND HARDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS AND THE NEW SITE FURNISHINGS. 
          HERE IS THE INITIAL DESIGN. 
          WHEN WE WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AT OUR OPEN HOUSE. 
          THIS IS WHAT WE INITIALLY PRESENTED, THE LOCATION OF THE NEW STAGE, AND THEN ALSO THE EXPANSION INTO NORTH MCDONOUGH, WHICH ALSO DECREASES SOME OF THE PARKING, BUT WE'RE ALSO ADDING OPEN SPACE AS WELL AS THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE OPPORTUNITIES. 
          WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE PLAY AREA JUST IN THIS PLAN VIEW. 
          IT'S TO THE TOP RIGHT OF THE SCREEN. 
          THEN YOU'LL SEE THE ADDITIONAL SITE FURNISHINGS IN THAT AREA, WHICH INCLUDE THE SHADE STRUCTURES AS WELL. 
          ONE AREA THAT HAS BEEN A COMPLEX ISSUE TO LOCATE IS OUR PUBLIC RESTROOMS, AND I'LL GO INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          BUT THAT IS SHOWN JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE NORTH MCDONOUGH PARKING AREA. 
          BUT WE'RE STILL IN COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT WHERE THAT SHOULD BE LOCATED. YES. 
          >> QUESTION. IS THERE ANY REASON TO KEEP THAT EXISTING PARKING ON THAT NORTH MCDONOUGH? I KNOW IT'S CONVENIENT FOR SOME, BUT I THINK IT'S MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE COURTHOUSE THAN IT IS, ANY OTHER. 
          IS THERE ANY LOGICAL REASON WHY WE STILL NEED ANY PARKING THERE? 
          >> ALONG NORTH MCDONOUGH, THERE IS DEFINITELY A NEED FOR DELIVERY TRUCKS. 
          WE HAVE A NUMBER OF RESTAURANTS ALONG SYCAMORE, THAT'S ONLY OPEN TO PEDESTRIANS, BUT TO HAVE DELIVERY TRUCKS, BRING IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGES FOR THESE RESTAURANTS, OUR RETAIL SHOPS, BRINGING IN THEIR GOODS AND WARES. 
          THERE IS A NEED FOR DELIVERY. 
          >> I USUALLY JUST SEE THEM IN PARTS. 
          >> WELL, THAT TOO, BUT THERE ARE DELIVERY TRUCKS THAT ARE GOING TO RESTAURANTS THAT ARE RIGHT HERE. 
          SIVAN IBERIAN PIG. 
          I DO HEAR YOU WITH THE PARKING DEFINITELY BENEFITS THE COURTHOUSE. 
          BUT ALSO THE COURTHOUSE IS UNDERGOING RENOVATIONS TO THEIR PARKING DECK. 
          IN A MONTH OR SO, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A REPORT OF DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY. 
          YOU WILL SEE SOME ADDITIONAL PARKING OPPORTUNITIES IN DOWNTOWN THAT HAVE OPENED UP FOR PUBLIC PARKING IN PARKING DECKS AND WHATNOT. 
          THE NEED TO HAVE PARKING IN THIS VERY LOCATION IS PROBABLY NOT AS NECESSARY AS WE THINK. 
          YES, IT'S VERY CONVENIENT, BUT NOT AS NECESSARY AS WE THINK. 
          >> PIGGYBACK ON THAT. 
          >> YES. 
          [00:45:01]
          >> THERE IS A LOT THAT SERVES AS PARKING THERE. 
          WOULD WE STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THAT LOT? 
          >> AT THIS TIME, YES. 
          THAT'S WHY WE HAVE NORTH MCDONOUGH PRETTY MUCH ENDING ADJACENT TO THAT PARKING LOT AND YOU CAN SEE THE ENTRYWAY. 
          WE'RE NOT BLOCKING OR PREVENTING THE USE OF THAT PRIVATE PARKING LOT BY THAT PROPERTY OWNER. 
          SOMETHING TO CONTEND WITH IN THE FUTURE IF WE EVER DECIDE TO FULLY CLOSE NORTH MCDONOUGH, BUT CURRENTLY, THAT IS NOT IN THE WORKS, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT CLOSING JUST A PORTION OF IT FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE OPEN SPACE. YES. 
          >> JUST TO UNDERSTAND THE DEFINITION OF WHERE WORK MAY HAPPEN IS WITHIN THE RED LINES? 
          >> THAT IS CORRECT. 
          >> WE WON'T ADDRESS EAST COURT SQUARE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER YET. 
          >> NOT YET. THAT'S PHASE 2. 
          >> YES. I SHOULDN'T ASSUME IT'S WHAT IT IS. 
          IT JUST ISN'T GETTING A FIRST-PHASE TREATMENT. CORRECT? 
          >> CORRECT. 
          >> RED DOTTED LINES ALSO INDICATE THE PROPERTY LINE ON THE NORTH SIDE FOR WHAT BELONGS TO THE CITY OF DECATUR VERSUS THE COUNTY, IS THAT THAT? 
          >> ROUGHLY YES, IT DOES. 
          >> I DO IT. 
          >> I WOULD ALWAYS DEFER TO THE SURVEY. 
          ROUGHLY, IT IS A LINE. 
          YES. THE NEXT IS OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. 
          ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, WE HAD AN OPEN HOUSE, AND WE HAD OVER 60 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTEND, AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE ALSO IN ATTENDANCE FOR A SHORT WHILE. 
          BUT WHAT WE DID WAS SET UP VARIOUS BOOTHS, IF YOU WILL, TO GATHER FEEDBACK ON PREFERENCES FOR THE STAGE ROOF, HOW THE STAGE INTERACTED WITH THE GROUND PLAY EQUIPMENT. 
          WE DEFINITELY WANTED TO HEAR FROM THE CHILDREN THAT SHOWED UP THAT EVENING ABOUT THE PLAY EQUIPMENT. 
          WE HAD DIFFERENT WAYS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK. 
          WE ALSO HAD GENERAL COMMENT CARDS AS WELL. 
          WE HAD A LOT OF COMMENTS COME IN ABOUT SOME OF THE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES, SOME OF THE LOCATIONS FOR THE FEATURES THAT WERE BEING PROPOSED. 
          WE TOOK ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION THAT EVENING. 
          FOR THOSE THAT WERE NOT AT THE OPEN HOUSE, WE OPENED UP AN ONLINE COMMUNITY SURVEY. 
          IT WAS SET UP VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE HAD THE OPEN HOUSE. 
          THEY WERE ABLE TO COMMENT ON THE EXACT SAME BOARDS THAT WERE AT THE OPEN HOUSE. 
          WE HAD 179 RESPONSES, AND 82% OF THAT WAS OUR DECATUR RESIDENTS. 
          OVERALL IT WAS A GOOD TURNOUT FOR THIS PROJECT. 
          WE DID HAVE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES. 
          THERE WAS A POP-UP AT PLACITA LATINA, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A POP-UP AT THE DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL. 
          THEN FOLLOWING THAT MORE RECENTLY, WE ENGAGED OUR SITE DIRECTORS OF THE WIZ KIDS AND THE ANIMAL-CRACKERS AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. WE HAD NEARLY 1,100 VOTES CAST. 
          WE SET IT UP LIKE A VOTING SYSTEM. 
          I'LL SHOW THE BOARDS THAT WE USE. 
          BUT THERE WERE 13 CHOICES THAT THE STUDENTS IN THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM COULD CHOOSE FROM AND THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE THEIR TOP 3 OR THEY COULD DRAW WHAT THEY WERE THINKING AS WELL. 
          BUT WE HAD 1,100 VOTES CAST, AND SO I'LL GIVE YOU THE RESULTS OF THAT TOO. 
          BUT OVERALL, THE SITE DIRECTOR SAID THAT THE KIDS HAD A GREAT TIME CHOOSING WHAT PLAY EQUIPMENT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE PLAY AREA. 
          THEN WE WILL BE ENGAGING WITH DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES. 
          DECATUR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, WE MET WITH THE BOARD TO GIVE THEM AN OVERVIEW OF THE UPCOMING TRANSFORMATION PROJECTS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASSISTING US WITH COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BUSINESSES AND ALSO COMING UP WITH INITIATIVES TO HELP THESE BUSINESSES THRIVE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION AS WELL. 
          THEN WE WILL BE HAVING OUR RETAIL AND RESTAURANT GROUP MEETING NEXT WEEK, WHERE WE'LL BE GIVING THIS PRESENTATION TO THE BUSINESSES AROUND THE SQUARE AS WELL. 
          A LOT OF THEM DID COME TO THE OPEN HOUSE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE MORE ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS DIRECTLY WITH OUR RETAILERS AND RESTAURANTS. 
          THEY'RE INVITED NEXT WEEK TO A SPECIAL MEETING FOR THEM. 
          FOR THE MAIN PART, THEY'RE MORE INTERESTED IN THE TIMELINE AND THE CONSTRUCTION PHASING AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE HELPING MARKET AND PROMOTE OUR DOWNTOWN EVEN DURING THE CONSTRUCTION. 
          WE WANT TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THAT. 
          [00:50:03]
          >> THE FIRST TOPIC THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH THE PUBLIC WAS THIS VISUAL PREFERENCE SURVEY FOR THE STAGE ROOF. 
          THE STAGE ITSELF WILL TAKE UP A FOOTPRINT OF ABOUT 40 FOOT BY 40 FOOT. 
          THE ROOF WILL BE ABOUT ROUGHLY 20 FEET ABOVE FINISHED GRADE. 
          AND SO THIS ROOF IS GOING TO BE A FAIRLY PROMINENT FEATURE ON THE SQUARE. 
          TAKING TIME TO THINK ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE OF THAT ROOF IS REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC IS THAT SOMETHING LIKE THE BUTTERFLY ROOF WOULD BE MOST PREFERENTIAL, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT BUTTERFLY STYLE. 
          WHAT WE HEARD IS KEEPING IT OPEN, KEEPING IT LIGHT AND AIRY, WE DID HEAR A FEW COMMENTS, NOT AS MUCH AS A PREFERENCE FOR SOMETHING LIGHT AND AREA, BUT A ROOF STRUCTURE THAT IS MORE TRADITIONAL IN STYLE BUT I THINK IN SPEAKING WITH THE DESIGN GROUP AND LOOKING AT THE OVERALL FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT, HAVING A LIGHT FEATURE TO THAT ROOF IS GOING TO BE MUCH BETTER THAN SAY A STRUCTURED ROOF THAT'S HIPPED OR HAS A DIFFERENT HEAVIER SHAPE TO IT. 
          THEN THE NEXT IS HOW THE STAGE MEETS THE GRADE. 
          WE ASKED FOR PREFERENCE ABOUT LOUNGE SEATING, JUST OCCASIONAL SEATING STEPS, MORE STADIUM SEATING, MAYBE A BLEND OF THE TWO, BUT MOST PEOPLE REALLY APPRECIATED STADIUM SEATING. 
          WHEN THAT STAGE IS NOT IN USE JUST TO HAVE A PLACE TO SIT MUCH LIKE THE BANDSTAND TODAY, THOSE STEPS ARE USED FOR EATING ICE CREAM FROM JENNY'S OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT THE STADIUM WAS THE PREFERENCE. 
          ANOTHER THING I DO WANT TO MENTION FOR THE STAGE IS THAT THERE WILL BE AN ADA ACCESSIBLE RAMP THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH IT SO THE STADIUM SEATING WOULD BE ON TWO SIDES OF THE STAGE. 
          FOR THE PLAY AREA, WE PUT OUT SOME IDEAS, WHETHER IT WAS A SLIDE, WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT INCLUSIVE PLAY, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, CURVE SLIDE, WE THREW IN IDEAS OF TUNNELS, THE CLIMBING NET, ROCK CLIMBING, ALSO INTERACTIVE PLAY ELEMENTS, CLIMBING ELEMENTS, BALANCE PLAY ELEMENTS, HILLSIDES PLAY ELEMENTS. 
          THERE'S A LOT JUMPING, NATURE PLAY. 
          BUT THE TOP CHOICES THAT CAME OUT WERE SIX, WHICH IS CLIMBING NETS, AND THEN ALSO BALANCE PLAY ELEMENTS, AND THEN ALSO NATURE PLAY ELEMENTS. 
          I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THE TWO DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS. 
          WE HAD THE ANIMAL CRACKERS, WHICH MAKES UP A YOUNGER GROUP, AND THEN WIZ KIDS, WHICH IS THE UPPER ELEMENTARY OLDER GROUP. 
          WE WERE ABLE TO TALLY THOSE VOTES INTO THE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS. 
          WE WERE LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT PLAY AREAS, ONE FOR A YOUNGER GROUP AND ONE FOR THE OLDER GROUP, JUST TO MIX IT UP AND KEEP IT INTERESTING FOR THESE TWO DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS. 
          THEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, THIS IS A QUICK SUMMARY, BUT WE NEED MORE GREEN SPACE, WE NEED MORE NATURE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA. 
          IT'S HARD TO DO ON THE SQUARE GIVEN THAT MARTA IS JUST UNDERNEATH THE PLAZA. 
          I MEAN, WE TRIED AS MUCH AS WE COULD TO PUSH THAT OPEN SPACE INTO NORTH MCDONOUGH STREET. 
          KEEP IN MIND PHASE 2 IS TO REDESIGN EAST COURT SQUARE AND TO MAKE IT MORE FLEXIBLE, HAVE MORE GREEN SPACE AND NATURAL ELEMENTS, MORE TREES IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, MAKE IT MORE OF A FLEX AND FESTIVAL STREET AS WELL SO THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITIES THERE. 
          THE NEXT IS BETTER CONSIDERATION FOR ADA ACCESSIBILITY. 
          THAT AS WE START THINKING ABOUT THE HARDSCAPES, AND THE LANDSCAPING THAT WE'RE DESIGNING IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE MORE ADA ACCESSIBILITY, AND THAT GOES FOR THE PLAY EQUIPMENT AS WELL. 
          THE REST ROOM LOCATION, 
          [00:55:02]
I WILL QUOTE MR. YOUNGER. HE RECENTLY SAID, IF THIS WAS EASY, WE WOULD HAVE DONE IT A LONG TIME AGO. 
          THE RESTROOM LOCATION, AS WE HAD INITIALLY PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR THAT OPEN HOUSE, WAS JUST AT THE TOP OF NORTH MCDONOUGH STREET, CREATING A BUFFER BETWEEN THE NEW OPEN SPACE AND THE NORTH MCDONOUGH TURNAROUND. 
          WE HEARD THE MOST COMMENTS ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THAT RESTROOM. 
          THAT SHOULDN'T BE WHAT'S GREETING PEOPLE AS THEY ENTER THE SQUARE. 
          THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL TO BLOCK THE VIEW OF THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE, ALSO BLOCK THE VIEW OF THE NEW JOHN LEWIS SCULPTURE. 
          LET'S KEEP THAT VIEW SHED OPEN AS YOU'RE COMING UP NORTH MCDONOUGH. 
          GRANTED WE WERE LOOKING AT MORE OF USING THAT WITH MURALS INFORMATION KIOSK, BUT WE HEARD THE COMMUNITY AND SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT THEY HAD WITH DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, WHETHER IT'S ON THE PROPERTY OF THE OLD DACAB COURTHOUSE, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WITHIN NORTH MCDONOUGH, MAYBE TURNING IT, LOOKING OVER ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SQUARE. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS, BUT WE'RE CONCERNED WITH THE SIT LINES, WE'RE CONCERNED WITH UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE THE MARTA TUNNEL JUST UNDERNEATH. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITIES THAT COME WITH CHOOSING THE LOCATION. 
          IN THE SEWER AND WATER TIE INS THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE WHEN WE'RE DOING RESTROOM SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER. 
          [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> NO, I'M JUST NODDING LIKE, YEAH. 
          THAT'S A BIG COMPONENT. 
          SEEMS LIKE THE NATURAL TIE IN WOULD BE ON THE OLD COURTHOUSE SIDE BECAUSE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE. 
          IT GETS A LOT HARDER WHEN YOU START GETTING FURTHER AWAY FROM WHERE THAT WATER NEEDS TO GO, WHERE THAT SEWAGE NEEDS TO GO. 
          >> THAT'S RIGHT. YES. 
          >> IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST PLACE IN TERMS OF, WHERE WE THINK IT SHOULD GO, BUT IT MAY JUST MAKE THE MOST SENSE. 
          I'M GLAD THE COMMUNITY RECOGNIZES THAT AS WELL BECAUSE, I AGREE I WOULDN'T WANT THAT TO BE THE FIRST THING YOU SEE AS YOU'RE COMING INTO THE SQUARE. 
          WELL, SOME PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY WELCOME. 
          [LAUGHTER] 
          >> YES. THE NEXT ONE IS ARCHITECTURAL STYLES OF THE NET NEW STRUCTURES. 
          WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL STYLE PREFERENCES, LOOKING AT TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE. 
          WE'LL BE LOOKING AT MATERIALS THAT WE ALREADY SEE IN OUR DOWNTOWN. 
          BUT ULTIMATELY, THESE NEW STRUCTURES, WE DO WANT TO HELP THEM RECEDE A LITTLE BIT INTO THE BACKGROUND. 
          WE DON'T WANT TO PLAY THEM UP TOO MUCH. 
          TALKING ABOUT RESTROOMS, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEW STAGE, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO HAVE SOME FOCAL POINTS, BUT THEY SHOULDN'T BE THE STAR OF THE SQUARE. 
          WE'VE ALSO HEARD A LOT ABOUT LIGHTING AND USING SOLAR, SOLAR ENERGY FOR THE RESTROOMS, MAYBE EVEN ON TOP OF THE ROOF OF THE STAGE. 
          WE'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY AS WELL. 
          WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT REMOVING ALL OF THE PARKING ON NORTH MCDONOUGH. 
          WE'VE HEARD ABOUT EV PARKING, BOTH PROS AND CONS, AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ADA PARKING THAT REMAINS IN THAT AREA AND ALSO PARKING FOR SHORT TERM PARKING AND DELIVERY TRUCKS IN THAT AREA. 
          THEN WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT SAFETY. 
          WE'VE HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT THE UNHOUSED POPULATION AND HOW THE CITY NEEDS TO CONTINUE ITS WORK, ASSISTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS. 
          WE HEARD PUTTING MORE SHADE STRUCTURES. 
          AGAIN, AS WE MOVE INTO MORE PHASES, WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL SHADE STRUCTURES AS WELL. 
          MORE TREES, MORE STING, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE BICYCLE ACCESS AND DEFINITELY STORAGE FOR THOSE WHO ARE RIDING THEIR BICYCLES INTO DOWNTOWN. 
          WE'VE HEARD THAT THE PLAY AREA SHOULDN'T EXIST ON OR NEAR THE SQUARE. 
          WE'VE HEARD COMMENTS THAT THE PLAY AREA SHOULD BE EXPANDED UP ONTO THE SQUARE AND INTO A LARGER FOOTPRINT THAN WHAT IS PROPOSED. 
          THERE'S A BALANCE TO THESE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HEARD. 
          THE SPLASH PAD, WE HEARD MORE COMMENTS ABOUT THE SPLASH PAD. 
          IT IS IN THE DOWNTOWN PLAN. 
          IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IT IN PHASE TWO. 
          [01:00:02]
IT WOULDN'T BE A PART OF THIS PHASE, BUT WE'LL LOOK AT IT IN THE FUTURE. 
          NOW, THE ESTIMATE OF CONSTRUCTION COST, I'M SURE THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION OF HOW MUCH ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO COST. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT PHASE 1 IN THESE NUMBERS. 
          THE DEMOLITION FOR THE VARIOUS PROJECTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF ABOUT $400,000. 
          THE SITE IMPROVEMENTS IS ABOUT $2,000,000. 
          THE SITE FURNISHINGS IS ABOUT $650,000, THE STAGE AND STAGE BUILDING, 1.5 MILLION, AND THEN THE RESTROOMS, WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO UNISX RESTROOMS AT A COST OF AROUND $450,000. 
          JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WE ARE LOOKING AT SELF CLEANING RESTROOMS. IF WE WANT SELF CLEANING RESTROOMS, THIS WOULD DOUBLE THE COST. 
          WE'RE SEEING SELF CLEANING RESTROOMS TO THE TUNE OF AROUND $400,000 EACH SO IT'S EXPENSIVE, SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. 
          WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ESTIMATED RANGE OF THE TOTAL COST, THE LOW END, ABOUT 4.2 MILLION UPWARDS OF SIX MILLION ON THE HIGHER END WITH THAT 20% CONTINGENCY. 
          THEN NEXT IS OUR SCHEDULE. 
          HERE WE ARE IN LET'S SEE HERE. 
          WE'RE RIGHT BETWEEN QUARTER THREE AND QUARTER FOUR. 
          LOOKING BACK AT QUARTER TWO, THE CITY COMMISSION AWARDED THE PROJECT DESIGN TO JACOBS BACK IN JUNE OF 2024, LOOKING AT THAT CONCEPT DESIGN FROM THE TOWN CENTER PLAN, GETTING READY FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND THEN STEPPING INTO THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT IS WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT. 
          EVERY DECISION THAT WE'RE MAKING RIGHT NOW IS BEING INCORPORATED INTO OUR DESIGN DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE'RE GETTING READY FOR 30% CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS. 
          WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH A LOT OF THE DECISIONS AND FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY. 
          ULTIMATELY, WE'RE LOOKING AT IN QUARTER 4 CONSTRUCTION BID DOCUMENTS TO GO OUT THE CONSTRUCTION BID OPEN TO CONTRACTORS. 
          WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT GETTING REVIEW FOR PERMITTING. 
          WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH MARTA, GEORGIA POWER, AND OTHER UTILITY COMPANIES, INCLUDING DECAB COUNTY, WATER, SEWER. 
          EVERYONE HAS BEEN INFORMED ABOUT THIS PROJECT SO THAT WE CAN BETTER COORDINATE AS WE MOVE INTO CONSTRUCTION. 
          AS WE MOVE ALONG WITH IDEAS AND WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, WE'RE LETTING EACH OF THESE ENTITIES KNOW THIS IS WHAT WE'RE THINKING. 
          DO YOU SEE ANY RED FLAGS? HOW CAN WE ADJUST? 
          >> ALONG WITH LETTING ENTITIES KNOW, THE DECAB HISTORY CENTER, ARE THEY ENGAGED, AND ALSO DECAB COUNTY, THE COMMISSIONERS, AND I KNOW SOME OF THE STAFF HAS BEEN, THERE'S BEEN SOME WORK THERE. 
          THERE IS NEW LIGHTING PLANNED FOR THE JOHN LEWIS SCULPTURE BECAUSE NOW THE LIGHTS, I THINK JUST GO STRAIGHT UP TO ACTUALLY FOCUS ON THAT AND AUGMENTED REALITY EDUCATION COMPONENT THAT WILL GO IN AND SO JUST TO MAKE SURE. 
          I BELIEVE THE COUNTY IS LOOKING AT PUTTING OUT SOME AT LEAST AN RFP OR SOMETHING TO ENGAGE WITH SOME FIRMS TO BEGIN BRINGING THAT PIECE FORWARD AND WHO WOULD DO IT AND HOW IT WOULD HAPPEN. 
          I JUST THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNTY IS AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW IT MIGHT OVERLAY OR IMPACT AND I DON'T KNOW IF OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN ENGAGED. 
          I BELIEVE [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> COMMISSION LONG SPEARS. 
          >> COMMISSION LONG SPEARS. 
          >> SOME, YEAH. I ACTUALLY OWED TO HE IS WHAT I WAS THINKING. 
          SHE WANTED TO WALK THE SPACE. 
          WE WERE ALSO TALKING ABOUT HOW TO INTEGRATE THE SPACE IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE. 
          POINT, THERE'S A LOT OF SHARED PROPERTY LINES IN THAT SPACE. 
          >> TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AREN'T, MOVING ALONG IN THE PROCESS AND THEY AREN'T SURPRISING US AND WE AREN'T SURPRISING THEM. 
          >> COO ZACH WILLIAMS HAS BEEN CONTACTED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM. 
          YES. THEN DECAB HISTORY CENTER. 
          [01:05:03]
WE HAVE MET WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND ESPECIALLY TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE LOCATION OF THE RESTROOMS ON THE DECAB COUNTY PROPERTY. 
          AGAIN, THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE EVOLVING, BUT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PLANS. YEAH. 
          >> BUT THANK YOU. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE AUGMENTED REALITY AND THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT AND THE LIGHTING, I THINK THAT'S VERY HELPFUL, SO THANK YOU. 
          THEN MY LAST SLIDE IS MORE ABOUT BUSINESSES AND SPECIAL EVENTS DURING CONSTRUCTION. 
          AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE FEEDBACK FROM THE BUSINESSES, THEY ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT JUST THE TIMELINE OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND HOW WE'RE HELPING TO PROMOTE AND MARKET OUR DOWNTOWN TO KEEP CUSTOMERS COMING BACK, KEEPING VISITORS COMING BACK TO THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE. 
          WE KNOW FROM PAST PROJECTS THAT HAVE DISRUPTED THE SQUARE, THAT THERE WERE SOME LESSONS LEARNED FROM THAT AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT A COUPLE OF THOSE BUSINESSES CLOSED DURING THAT CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, AND SO WE WANT TO TAKE THE LESSONS LEARNED AND DO A BETTER JOB OF PROMOTING AND ALSO MARKETING THE BUSINESSES IN THIS VICINITY. 
          THEN ALSO JUST THE PHASING OF THE PROJECT, OUR GOAL IS FOR ONE SECTION LIKE NORTH MCDONOUGH AND THE WESTERN PART OF THE SQUARE TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THE REMAINDER, LIKE THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE SQUARE TO REMAIN OPEN AND USABLE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, FOLKS BEING ABLE TO HANG OUT AND CONGREGATE AS NEEDED AS THEY WANT TO ON THE WEEKENDS, AND THEN FLIPPING THAT SO THAT THEN WE'RE WORKING ON THE PLAY AREA AND THE SHADE STRUCTURES AS WE'RE FINISHING UP THE REMAINING DETAILS OF NORTH MCDONOUGH AND THE STAGE. 
          WE'RE TRYING TO BE COGNIZANT AND AWARE OF HOW THE CLOSURE OF DECATUR SQUARE IMMENSELY AFFECTS THE BUSINESSES THAT SURROUND IT. 
          WE DON'T ANTICIPATE NEEDING TO CLOSE THE PEDESTRIAN PORTION OF SYCAMORE STREET, THAT WILL ALWAYS REMAIN OPEN, ESPECIALLY FOR ACCESS TO THOSE BUSINESSES, BUT IN THE AREAS WHERE THE BANDSTAND WOULD BE REMOVED, PORTIONS OF THAT NORTH MCDONOUGH EXPANSION AREA, THAT WOULD BE CLOSED OFF FOR THE DEMOLITION AND CONSTRUCTION OF THAT AREA. 
          WE DO HAVE A NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, YOU'LL BE MEETING HER DURING YOUR REGULAR SESSION HERE SHORTLY, BUT SHE IS GOING TO BE ACTING AS A LIAISON DURING THE CONSTRUCTION, MAKING SURE THAT COMMUNICATIONS ARE CONSTANTLY AND CONSISTENTLY BEING SENT TO THEM. 
          THEN ALSO WE'RE GOING TO BE HOSTING PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETINGS WITH OUR BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE MOST IMPACTED TO DISCUSS ONE-ON-ONE THE TIMELINE AND THE PHASING OF THE PROJECT AS THOSE DETAILS ARE REVEALED WHEN WE GET CLOSER TO UNDERSTANDING THE PERMITTING AND CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE. 
          THEN ALSO WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN, AND THEN JUST EQUIP THE BUSINESSES WITH SIGNAGE AND MARKETING MATERIALS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WOULD TAKE ON TO ASSIST THESE BUSINESSES. 
          THE OTHER THING IS KEEPING EVENTS DOWNTOWN. 
          IF WE CAN'T HOST IT ON THE SQUARE, PERHAPS WE CAN FIND ANOTHER LOCATION IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA TO HOST IT, BUT IDEALLY, ANY EVENTS THAT ARE ON THE SQUARE WILL REMAIN ON THE SQUARE OR VERY CLOSE BY. 
          A KEY THING THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM BUSINESSES IS THAT EVENTS BRING PEOPLE TO THEIR BUSINESSES AND THEY THRIVE DURING THAT TIME WHEN WE HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS. 
          THEN ALSO JUST FOSTERING POSITIVITY. 
          THIS IS GOING TO BE MESSY, AND NOT TO QUOTE MR. SAXON, BUT I THINK THE END RESULT IS GOING TO PUT US IN A MUCH BETTER SITUATION FOR FUTURE EVENTS, FOR FUTURE GATHERINGS. 
          WE LOOK AT THE DECATUR SQUARE AS OUR FRONT PORCH, AS OUR LIVING ROOM, AND SO TO REALLY MAKE THESE ENHANCEMENTS AND INVEST THE TIME THAT'S NEEDED IN THE SHORT-TERM, WE'RE SETTING OURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS FOR THE LONG-TERM. 
          WITH THAT, THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND I MIGHT RELY ON THE TEAM HERE. 
          [01:10:01]
          >> WE'LL OPEN IT UP. CAN YOU GO BACK TO, I GUESS, THE GRAPH THAT SHOWS WHERE THINGS, MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST SLIDE. 
          >> SECOND SLIDE. 
          >> SECOND SLIDE. SEE HERE. 
          >> THE SCHEMATIC SITE PLAN. 
          >> THERE WE GO. 
          >> YOU MENTIONED MOVING THE SCULPTURE. 
          WHERE IS THAT IDENTIFIED AS GOING? RIGHT THERE. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. 
          >> THE CELEBRATION SCULPTURE IS CURRENTLY LOCATED RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE PLAZA. 
          JUST TO LET EVERYONE KNOW, I KNOW CHILDREN LOVE TO CLIMB ON IT, BUT IT'S NOT ACTUALLY A CLIMBING SCULPTURE. 
          [LAUGHTER] WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. 
          HAVING A PLAY AREA SO CLOSE TO IT ONLY ENCOURAGES CHILDREN TO PLAY ON IT AND CLIMB ON IT. 
          THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE DO HAVE PLUMBING THAT RUNS TO THAT, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE CONTROL PANEL. 
          ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ANYWAY BECAUSE THE PLUMBING, IT'S NON-FUNCTIONING AT THIS POINT. 
          WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE IT HERE TO THE NORTH MCDONOUGH EXPANSION AREA. 
          WHERE I HAVE MY CURSOR, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S SHOWING ON YOUR SCREEN, BUT IT IS IN THAT VICINITY AT THE TOP END OF THE NORTH MCDONOUGH STREET OF THAT OPEN SPACE. 
          WE'RE ABLE TO TIE INTO THE WATER SYSTEM AND PUT IN A NEW PANEL AND SOME OTHER FUNCTIONALITIES. 
          FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE REASON WHY IT'S NOT WORKING IS THAT THE FOGGER SYSTEM HAS SUCH VERY TINY NOZZLES. 
          >> CALCIUM. 
          >> YES. THERE'S A LOT OF MINERALS IN OUR WATER, AND SO IT DOES GET A LITTLE GUNKED UP, AND SO WE WOULD HAVE A FILTRATION SYSTEM TO FILTER THOSE MINERALS OUT SO THAT THE FOGGER SYSTEM WILL WORK. 
          THAT'S WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT MOVING IT. 
          IT'S ON CENTER WITH NORTH MCDONOUGH, BUT IT IS NOT ON CENTER WITH THE JOHN LEWIS SCULPTURE OR THE OLD COURTHOUSE, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE BLOCKING THE VIEW OF THOSE TWO IMPORTANT FEATURES AS WELL, SO IT'LL BE ON, ESSENTIALLY, ITS OWN AXIS WITHIN THAT NORTH MCDONOUGH EXPANSION AREA. 
          >> HELP ME REMEMBER, IF YOU LOOK JUST NORTH OF WHERE THE RED LINE IS IN THE NORTHWEST AREA. 
          THAT. THANK YOU. WHAT IS THAT? 
          >> YES. THAT IS ONE OF THE AIR HANDLERS FOR MARTA. 
          I WISH WE COULD MOVE THAT. 
          I WISH WE COULD PUT A RESTROOM IN THAT VICINITY, BUT THAT IS AN AIR HANDLER. 
          >> WHAT ABOUT THAT AREA JUST BELOW THAT? I THINK THERE'S A DROP OFF RIGHT DOWN IN THERE. 
          TO ME, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL. 
          IT'S NOT AT SAME GRADE, BUT THAT'D BE IDEAL TO PUT A RESTROOM AND IT'S NEAR THE STAGE. 
          >> THAT IS A POTENTIAL LOCATION. 
          THERE ARE ACCESS STAIRS BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE PLAZA AND THE LOWER PORTION. 
          WE WOULD JUST WANT TO DOUBLE-CHECK THAT IT'S OKAY WITH MARTA TO MODIFY THAT AREA. 
          WE'D ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT ANY SORT OF UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT EITHER WE CAN MOVE IT OR BUILD ON TOP OF IT. 
          THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA. 
          >> THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY OTHER PLACE THAT IT MIGHT GO. 
          NOT TO TELL THE DESIGNERS AND ENGINEERS WHAT TO DO. 
          >> WE'RE LOOKING AT SIX OTHER DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, AND WE'RE HAVING TO WEIGH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS, INCLUDING THE COST. 
          >> BAD DIRT. 
          >> BAD DIRT. [LAUGHTER] 
          >> I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE FINANCING REALLY QUICKLY. 
          >> YES, PLEASE. 
          >> YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE HAVE EARMARKED SOME PORTION OF SPLOS 2 FOR THIS PROJECT. 
          OF COURSE, THOUGH, WE DON'T AND WILL NOT HAVE SIX MILLION DOLLARS IN THE BANK FROM SPLOS 2 BY THE TIME THIS PROJECT GETS STARTED. 
          THE RECOMMENDATION MOST LIKELY WILL BE THAT WE WOULD ISSUE REVENUE BONDS FOR THIS PROJECT. 
          MANY OF THE STEPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN THROUGH 
          [01:15:04]
THE REFERENDUM PROCESS TO AUTHORIZE THAT BOND. 
          ONCE WE KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS, AND THE PROCESS SHOULD BE FAIRLY SPEEDY TO ISSUE THE BONDS. 
          THAT WOULD BE HOW WE WOULD ACQUIRE SIX OR SO MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE PROJECT. 
          >> WITH THE TIMELINE, SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE LOOKING TO GO TO BID THIS QUARTER [INAUDIBLE]. 
          >> I'M GOING TO ASK MS. CHERYL TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. 
          >> YES. THE DESIGN TEAM IS WORKING ON THE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENT DEVELOPMENT, AND I THINK WE ARE WORKING TO BID IT EARLY IN 2025, PERHAPS JANUARY. 
          >> THIS WOULD COME BACK IF WE GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT? 
          >> YES. WE WILL COME BACK TO CITY COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONCEPT, AND THEN AGAIN FOR AWARD FOR THE CONTRACT. 
          >> TIGHT TIMELINE. 
          >> IT'S A VERY TIGHT TIMELINE. 
          THIS RESTROOM ISSUE IS CERTAINLY. [LAUGHTER] 
          >> IS THAT THE BIGGEST COMPONENT OF THE TIMELINE? 
          >> IT HAS THE MOST INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACT. 
          >> IT'S UNANSWERED AT THE MOMENT. 
          >> CORRECT. 
          >> I HAVE A QUESTION BASED ON THE DRAWING. 
          IF WE WERE PLANNING TO POWER THE SCULPTURE FROM THERE, WHAT DOES MOVING THE RESTROOM DO? BECAUSE I WAS ASSUMING THAT WE WERE GOING TO SPLIT THAT WATER LINE TO GO FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. 
          HOW DOES THAT CHANGE THE COMPLEXITIES OF PROVIDING WATER TO THAT STATUE? 
          >> FOR THE STATUE, WE'RE STILL TYING INTO INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S IN NORTH MCDONOUGH. 
          IF THE RESTROOM IS LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SQUARE, WE WOULD BE TYING INTO DIFFERENT WATER LINES AND SEWER ON THE NORTH SIDE. YES. 
          >> THE LONG-TERM PLAN IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE SQUARE, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME KIND OF STRUCTURE. 
          I'VE HEARD TALKS ABOUT POSSIBILITY, IS THERE POSSIBLY, SOME KIND OF RETAIL OR SOME COMBINATION THEREOF? 
          >> YES. 
          >> IS THERE ANY WAY TO INTEGRATE THE RESTROOMS INTO THAT BUILDING? I KNOW THE BUILDING IS NOT THERE YET, BUT MAYBE JUST [INAUDIBLE] OUT THERE. 
          >> LET'S SEE HERE. THE CURRENT SLIDE. 
          >> WE CAN PUT UP THE SLIDE. 
          >> FOR LOOKING BACK AT THE CONCEPT DESIGN, THAT SITE PLAN FROM THE TOWN CENTER PLAN 2.0, WE HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT HAVING A PAVILION, THIS WOULD BE AN ENCLOSED PAVILION. 
          IT COULD BE THE LOCATION OF THE VISITORS CENTER, IT COULD BE A POP UP OR AN INCUBATOR SPACE, IT COULD BE ART GALLERY FOR THE ARTS ALLIANCE, BUT THERE IS THIS SPACE AT THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE PLAZA, AND THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL SEATING AND SHADE STRUCTURES, AND JUST BRING SOME LIFE AND ACTIVITY TO THAT SIDE OF THE SQUARE AS WELL. 
          YES. PHASE 2. 
          >> IF THAT'S WHERE WE WANTED THE RESTROOMS, THEN IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN IN PHASE 1. 
          >> NO. RESTROOMS WILL HAPPEN PHASE 1. YES. 
          >> BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE THERE? 
          >> NO, NOT UP ON THE SQUARE, BECAUSE THAT GETS INTO THE ROOF STRUCTURE OF MARTA, AND WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT, SO LOCATING IT TOWARDS THE EDGES JUST OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT OF THE MARTA TUNNEL IS, THAT'S IDEAL. 
          >> THEY DON'T HAVE WATER LINES COMING THROUGH THERE. 
          [LAUGHTER] 
          >> THEY DON'T WANT IT EITHER. [LAUGHTER] 
          >> IT'S A DROP RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. 
          >> ELECTRIC RAILS. 
          >> EXACTLY. 
          >> DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT WAS JIVE. 
          >> HYDROELECTRIC, THE HEAT. 
          [LAUGHTER] 
          >> NOT THERE YET. 
          >> THE TRICK WORKS QUITE THAT WAY. [LAUGHTER] 
          >> PRETTY SURE IT DOESN'T. [LAUGHTER] 
          >> I DON'T KNOW ENGINEERS. 
          >> REALLY QUICKLY, IF I MAY, AND IT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION. 
          I HAPPENED TO NOTICE THAT THE WORK SESSIONS, WHEN YOU HAD THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN EITHER THE SURVEY OR THE OPEN HOUSE, MATH IS NOT MY FAVORITE THING IN THE WORLD, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS 239 PEOPLE, IS THAT RIGHT, 239? 
          >> CORRECT. ALONG WITH ALL THE YOUTH, WHICH IS A FEW HUNDRED, BUT YES. 
          >> WE LOVE THAT. THEY OPINED ON THE PLAY STRUCTURES. 
          >> CORRECT. YES. 
          >> THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS BECAUSE I TEND TO HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE EXPECTATIONS OF PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATE IN THESE SESSIONS, AND THEY FEEL AS THOUGH A LOT OF TIMES THESE SESSIONS ARE VOTES, 
          [01:20:04]
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO STATE AS A REMINDER THAT THAT IS LESS THAN 1% OF THE CITY'S POPULATION AND PROBABLY AN INFINITESIMAL NUMBER OF VISITORS THAT COME TO DECATUR IN A YEAR. 
          WHILE WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE FEEDBACK, THAT IS USED BY ALL OF YOU TO CREATE WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST OVERALL PLAN FOR EVERYONE. 
          >> THAT FEEDBACK IS GOING INTO THE CALCULUS OF THAT. 
          THAT FEEDBACK IS NOT THE DECIDER OF THE DESIGN. 
          JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, ON YOUR RECORD. 
          >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, A LOT OF THE DESIGN ASPECTS WERE DEVELOPED WITH A LOT MORE COMMENTARY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT DURING THE TOWN CENTER PLAN 2.0. 
          AS WE'RE WORKING ON THE SQUARE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE WORKING ON THE DETAILS OF THE PROJECT. THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. 
          >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. 
          >> EXCITED TO THE NEXT STEPS. 
          >> THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE] 
          [I. Call to Order by Mayor]
          >> I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE DECATUR CITY COMMISSION FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 21. 
          COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THE MINUTES OF 
          [II. Approval of the Minutes.]
THE REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 7, 2024. 
          ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS? 
          >> MOVE APPROVAL, PLEASE. 
          >> IS THERE A SECOND? 
          >> SECOND. 
          >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? 
          >> AYE. 
          >> OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES AYE, AND THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. 
          SO WE HAVE TWO REALLY DIFFERENT PROCLAMATIONS THIS EVENING THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE. 
          [III. Proclamations.]
THE FIRST ONE IS THE COLLARD GREEN CULTURAL FESTIVAL PROCLAMATION, AND I'M GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION, AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK MS. PALMI AND COANDA THOMPSON, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND THEN AFTER I READ THE PROCLAMATION, WE'LL PRESENT IT TO YOU AND ASK YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. 
          THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. 
          SO WHEREAS THE 15TH ANNUAL ORIGINAL COLLARD GREENS CULTURAL FESTIVAL IN THE CITY OF DECATUR CELEBRATES THE STRONG TRADITIONS, CULTURE, AND HISTORIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OTHERS FROM THE DIASPORA, AND WHEREAS THE FESTIVAL PROMOTES FAMILY UNITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY EATING AND LIVING, AND THE CITY OF DECATUR COMMUNITY LOOKS FORWARD TO THE CULTURALLY RICH AND DIVERSE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE PLANNED FOR THE DAY LONG CELEBRATION ON OCTOBER 26, 2024 AT THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DECATUR. 
          WHEREAS THE FESTIVAL INCLUDES A KING AND QUEEN COLLARD GREENS COOK OFF COMPETITION, ARTS AND CRAFTS, VENDORS, FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS, COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS, AND SPROUT LAND TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT PLANTING FOOD. 
          WHEREAS THE FESTIVAL IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE THE COMMUNITY TO THE VARIETY OF ENJOYABLE USES OF COLLARD GREENS, INCLUDING COLLARD GREEN ICE CREAM. 
          COLLARD GREEN SOAP, GREENS WITH DUMPLINGS AND COLLARD GREEN CHIPS, JUST TO NAME A FEW. 
          WHEREAS THE CITY OF DECATUR COMMUNITY WILL BE ENRICHED AND NOURISHED BY THIS FUNFILL CELEBRATION. 
          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I PATTY GARRETT, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 AS THE ORIGINAL COLLARED GREENS FESTIVAL DAY, AND URGE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THE SAME TO CELEBRATE THIS CULTURAL HERITAGE AND OBSERVANCE. 
          WELCOME, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION AND WE'D LOVE TO HEAR A FEW WORDS FROM YOU ABOUT THE FESTIVAL. 
          >> YES. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, FOR GIVING US THIS HONOR. 
          WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE HERE THIS YEAR. 
          NAVANT COANDA WHO FOUNDED WAS IN CALIFORNIA IN 1989, AND SHE DISCOVERED THE COLORED GREEN ICE CREAM. 
          AND SO I WELCOME EVERYONE TO COME OUT AND JOIN. 
          IT'S A WONDERFUL FESTIVAL. 
          WE'VE BEEN DOING IT HERE IN THE METRO AREA OF ATLANTA FOR 15 YEARS. 
          SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE FIRST BAPTIST OF CHURCH OF DECATUR AND ALSO THE LIGHTHOUSE ACADEMY WHO WELCOMED US ON THEIR CAMPUS. 
          THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. 
          >> I'D LOVE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE PROCLAMATION. 
          >> FORWARD TO COMING. IT'S MY FAVORITE CREAM. 
          PASS THE FIRE. 
          >> I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO LEAVE, BUT I THANK YOU ALL. 
          >> SO YOU CAN LEAVE SOME UP HERE AND YOU CAN PUT SOME OUT ON THE TABLE AS WELL FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO THE CITY HALL. 
          [01:25:05]
THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO GET A PICTURE? COMMISSIONER MEYER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN US? 
          >> I WOULD LOVE TO. 
          ONE MOMENT, PLEASE. 
          I'LL BE RIGHT. 
          >> THANK YOU. I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER MEYER BROUGHT THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. THAT'S IT. 
          >> I WANT TO KNOW IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY CORN BREAD? 
          >> I DON'T KNOW. I SHOULD ASK, BUT THERE YOU GO. 
          AND COLORED GREEN ICE CREAM IS DELICIOUS. 
          >> IS IT DAIRY FREE? 
          >> I DON'T THINK SO. 
          >> SO ANOTHER PROCLAMATION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO READ IS THIS IS ALSO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THIS PROCLAMATION. 
          WHEREAS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A SERIOUS AND PERVASIVE CRIME AFFECTING MILLIONS OF WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND OTHER SURVIVORS EVERY YEAR, AND WHEREAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAPPENS IN EVERY COMMUNITY, IT AFFECTS PEOPLE OF ALL GENDERS, RACES, ETHNICITIES, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, AND AGES. 
          ONE IN FOUR WOMEN AND ONE IN 10 MEN HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL VIOLENCE, PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, OR STALKING BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER DURING THEIR LIFETIME. 
          WHEREAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE CAN HAVE LIFELONG CONSEQUENCES, EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY, SOCIALLY, SPIRITUALLY AND PHYSICALLY, VIOLENCE HARMS THE CORE OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT AND JEOPARDIZES THE FUTURE WELL BEING OF OUR COMMUNITIES. 
          WHEREAS IN OCTOBER 1981, THE NATIONAL COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELD A DAY OF UNITY TO CONNECT PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING TO STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THIS GREW INTO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, FIRST OBSERVED IN 1987. 
          WHEREAS RACISM, HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA, AGEISM, AND DISCRIMINATION BASED ON PHYSICAL ABILITY, NATIONALITY, OR OTHER FACTORS HELP TO PERPETUATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND MAKE FINDING SAFETY EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR SOME VICTIMS. WHEREAS WE ARE COMMITTED TO STANDING WITH AND SUPPORTING SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND WE HONOR THE DEDICATION AND ADVOCATE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND HONOR THE COURAGE AND RESILIENCE OF SURVIVORS AND RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO STANDING WITH THEM FOR SAFETY, DIGNITY, AND JUSTICE. 
          WHEREAS WE MUST DEDICATE OURSELVES TO CREATING A COMMUNITY AND SOCIETY WHERE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT TOLERATED, WHERE SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS ARE SUPPORTED AND WHERE ALL PEOPLE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE WITHOUT FEAR OF VIOLENCE OR ABUSE. 
          NOW, THEREFORE, I PATTY GARRETT, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 2024 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BRING THIS TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND BREAK FROM THE PUBLISHED AGENDA. 
          FIRST, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO INTRODUCE SOME DECATUR YOUTH COUNCIL FOLKS THAT ARE AT OUR MEETING THIS EVENING. 
          >> I HAVE THREE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM OUR YOUTH COUNCIL HERE TONIGHT, ANJU, LIZA, AND EISEN, HERE TO COME ON UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS. 
          I KNOW, EISEN, YOU WERE HERE AT OUR LAST MEETING AND GOT TO HAVE THE MIC ALL TO YOURSELF. 
          BUT ANJU AND LIZA, COME ON UP, AND PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELVES AND GRADE WHAT SCHOOL YOU CURRENTLY ATTEND? 
          >> HELLO. MY NAME IS ANJU PARK, AND I'M A JUNIOR AT DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL. 
          I AM PART OF THE DECATUR YOUTH COUNCIL, AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE. 
          >> HI. MY NAME IS LIZA TELL. 
          I'M ALSO A JUNIOR AT DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL AND A PART OF THE DECATUR YOUTH COUNCIL, AND I'M ALSO HAPPY TO BE HERE. 
          >> MY NAME IS EISEN LANI. 
          I'M A FRESHMAN AT THE WESTMINSTER SCHOOLS AND ALSO A PART OF THE DECATUR YOUTH COUNCIL. 
          THIS IS MY SECOND CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND I'M ALSO EXCITED TO BE HERE. 
          >> ALL RIGHT, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE. THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> NEXT, WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM A FORMER MAYOR, MAYOR BILL FLOYD, WHO ASKED TO COME TO OUR MEETING THIS EVENING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND SOME OF THE LEADERS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US AND THEIR IMPORTANCE. 
          [01:30:04]
          >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT PART OF THE YOUTH COUNCIL. 
          ALSO, I HAVE EATEN MY SHARE OF COLLARD GREENS IN MY DAY, BUT COLLARD GREEN ICE CREAM, I'M NOT SURE. 
          UNLESS IT'S GOT CORNBREAD DOWN, I'M NOT SURE I WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT. 
          BUT I'M NOT REALLY 100% SURE WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT, BUT A LOT OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR SO THAT IT REALLY MADE ME THINK ABOUT DECATUR AND ITS HISTORY AND ITS PAST. 
          WILEY ANSLEY, WHO WAS A FORMER MAYOR HERE DIED NOT TOO AWFUL LONG AGO, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO. 
          JOHN WIDENER, NOT TOO FAR AGO. 
          WILEY WAS MAYOR HERE IN '72, I THINK, OR SOMEWHERE RIGHT AROUND IN THERE RIGHT WHEN I FIRST GOT TO DECATUR, AND JOHN WHITE WAS CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD BACK THEN AND THERE A LOT OF BILL BREEN DIED A LITTLE WHILE BACK AGO, AND THOSE PEOPLE AT WALT DRAKES PART OF THAT. 
          NOW WALT NOT DID BECAUSE I TALKED TO HIM DAY, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE ACTIVE BACK IN THOSE DAYS. 
          JACK HAMILTON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT NAME. 
          JACK WAS MAYOR HERE IN THE LATE '60S AND '70S, EARLY '70S AND CREIGHTON. 
          ELIZABETH WILSON WAS BACK HERE. 
          NOW ELIZABETH, I SERVED ON THE COUNCIL WITH ELIZABETH. 
          I CAN TELL YOU ELIZABETH VALUE TO THIS COMMUNITY WAS NOT ON THIS COUNCIL. 
          HER VALUE OF THIS COMMUNITY WAS LONG BEFORE SHE EVER SET FOOT ON THIS COUNCIL, WHAT SHE DID FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND HOW SHE PLAYED FOR THAT. 
          THAT'S WHY I INCLUDE HER NAME AND SHE'S NOT DEAD EITHER. 
          I FAIRLY SURE OF THAT, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN HER IN A WHILE, BUT ELIZABETH, A DEAR FRIEND, BUT THERE ARE TWO THINGS I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TONIGHT THAT GO HISTORY. 
          ONE IS THE FACT THAT DECATUR HAS A SCHOOL SYSTEM NOW. 
          WHY ANSLEY, JOHN WIDEAER, BILL BREEN, CARL RENFRO, THOSE ARE THE GUYS THAT MADE THE DECISION BACK THEN TO KEEP THE DECATUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS EFFORT BACK THEN TO DO AWAY WITH IT. 
          COUNTY HAD A GREAT SCHOOL SYSTEM AT THE TIME, AND THE EFFORT WAS THERE. 
          THOSE ARE THE VOICES OF THOSE GUYS THAT MADE THAT DECISION BACK THEN THAT HAS A TREMENDOUS IMPACT. 
          WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE DECATUR IS TODAY, IT'S THOSE VOICES AND THOSE GUYS THAT MADE THOSE DECISIONS AT THAT TIME, UNDER VERY TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES. 
          IF YOU REMEMBER SOCIAL LIFE WAS LIKE AND WHAT RACIAL ISSUES WERE GOING ON BACK THEN, A VERY TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES, THOSE GUYS MADE THE DECISION TO KEEP THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          AND THE OTHER ISSUES, THE MARTA STATION, THE LOCATION OF THE MATTER STATION. 
          DO YOU REMEMBER BACK THEN, THE FIRST VOTE FAILED WHEN THE STATION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OVER BY AGNES SCOTT? THE DECISION THOSE FATHERS MADE, THESE GUYS MADE TO BRING THAT STATION TO HERE DOWNTOWN AND TO FIGHT IT. 
          IT WAS A NASTY THING. 
          BUILDING OF IT WAS NOT A VERY POPULAR THING TO GO ON. 
          JUST ABOUT EVERY BUSINESS THAT WAS DOWN THERE IN '70 AND '71 WENT OUT OF BUSINESS IN THE '70S. 
          THEY ARE NOT THERE ANYMORE. 
          ANYWAY, JUST GOT ME INTO THINKING AND I RAN INTO SHARON AND PAUL SHARON, AND THESE ARE GUYS IN THEIR 90S. 
          NOW THEY'RE 97, AND THOSE ARE THE VOICES THAT WE'RE LOSING. 
          IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE TWO DECISIONS, I KNOW THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN SAY THAT HAD A BIG IMPACT ON THIS COMMUNITY, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, THOSE TWO DECISIONS PROBABLY HAVE AS MUCH IMPACT ON THIS COMMUNITY AS ANYTHING IT'S EVER BEEN DONE. 
          I JUST DON'T WANT US TO FORGET THAT. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M HERE. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO, OTHER THAN NOT FORGET THAT. 
          LET'S REMEMBER THOSE GUYS, THEIR VOICES. 
          I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ME. 
          I MEAN, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WE JUST KEPT THE BOAT IN THE RIVER. 
          WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. WE DIDN'T SCREW IT UP. 
          WE KEPT IT GOING. 
          THOSE GUYS, YOU LOOK BACK AT THOSE DECISIONS, GUYS, AND WE'RE LOSING THOSE VOICES. 
          I JUST URGE YOU TO PAY ATTENTION. 
          TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO GET TO KNOW SOME OF THE HISTORY OF SOME OF THOSE GUYS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THEY DID. 
          I AM PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL TO YOU, PATTY, FOR LETTING ME HAVE THIS FEW MINUTES BECAUSE I GOT TO GET HOME. 
          MY BED HOURS PRETTY EARLY NOWADAYS. ANYWAY, THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME SAY THAT. 
          LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M EXPECTING OUT OF THIS. 
          MAYBE NOTHING. BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING I FELT NEED TO BE SAID AND I SAY IT A LOT, OTHER PLACES, BUT I FELT MAYBE IF I CAME HERE AND SAID IT TO YOU ALL, IN THIS POSITION THAT MAYBE IT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE SOMEHOW IN THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY. 
          AND IT'S A GREAT CITY. YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB. 
          [01:35:02]
I'M THANKFUL I'M NOT HERE ANYMORE. 
          QUITE HONESTLY, I HAD TO GO TO DAB COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING THE OTHER DAY, COMMISSION MEETING AND YOU HAVE TO GO ONCE YOU LEAVE THIS JOB, MAKE YOURSELF GO BACK ABOUT ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS, AND YOU'LL REMEMBER WHY YOU LEFT. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. \. 
          >> THANKS SO MUCH. 
          >> I THOUGHT I WAS THE MOST CANDID PERSON. 
          [LAUGHTER] I APPRECIATE MAYOR FLOYD REACHING OUT AND I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING WITH HIM. 
          I THINK JUST THAT REMINDER AND IS THERE, SOME OF OUR CAN WE GO BACK AND LOOK AT A WAY TO I THINK THOSE TWO DECISIONS WERE HUGE. 
          THEY HAD MAYBE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AS WELL. 
          BUT I THINK OVERALL THEY MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT THE CITY OF DECATUR HAS BECOME AND CONTINUES TO EVOLVE. I APPRECIATE HIM. 
          BRINGING FORWARD THE INFORMATION AND SOME OF THE NAMES VERY FAMILIAR TO ME, BUT SOME OF THEM NOT QUITE AS FAMILIAR TO ME AS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE OVER TIME, WE UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THOSE AND THE ROLE THAT WE SERVE COULD BE VERY DIFFERENT HAD SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS NOT BEEN MADE. 
          >> I DON'T KNOW IF I'D BE SITTING HERE. 
          >> EXACTLY. I DO KNOW THAT MAYOR FLOYD DIRECTLY REACHED OUT TO A COUPLE OF US TO, PERHAPS, PUT OUR NAME IN A HAT OR ON A BALLOT, SO TO SPEAK. 
          I BELIEVE NEXT, WE'LL MOVE TO PRESENTATIONS. 
          [IV. Presentations.]
THE FIRST PRESENTATION IS THE DECATUR WINE FESTIVAL. 
          I SEE CAN MACON DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO THIS WEEKEND. 
          >> YOU PUT ME FOLLOWING MAYOR FLOYD HOME. 
          MY GOODNESS. GIVE ME A BREAK NEXT TIME. 
          MY NAME IS ANGIE MACON AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DECATUR ARTS ALLIANCE. 
          IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN UP HERE. 
          A LOT OF STUFF HAS HAPPENED, SO JUST GIVE ME A SECOND JUST TO RECALL THE YEAR BECAUSE I'M GOING TO LEAD INTO SOMETHING. 
          SINCE I WAS HERE THE LAST TIME, THE ARTS ALLIANCE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO GET THE JOHN LEWIS SCULPTURE INSTALLED. 
          WE COMPLETED THE INSTALLATION OF THE THREE SCULPTURES AT SAM'S CROSSING. 
          WE OPEN THE STUDIO SPACES AT LEGACY PARK AND NOW WE HAVE SEVEN STUDIO SPACES RENTED TO ARTISTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR FIRST OPEN STUDIO EVENT ON OCTOBER 27, BRING YOUR OWN PUMPKIN AND MEET THE ARTIST, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET EVERYBODY TO COME TO THE HANS AND SAINTS PARADE. 
          ALSO, WE HAVE HAD BOOK IS ART, THE BOOK IS ART EXHIBIT AT THE LIBRARY GOES ON UNTIL OCTOBER THE 28TH. 
          LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAD PORCH FEST LAST SATURDAY, AND I WANT TO DO A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE CROSSING GUARDS. 
          WE HAD AN EXCELLENT CREW OF CROSSING GUARDS AND WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THEM. 
          THEY KNOW EVERYBODY. 
          THEY KNOW ALL THE KIDS. 
          THEY TALKED TO EVERYBODY AS THEY'RE CROSSING. 
          IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, A BEAUTIFUL DAY. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. 
          ALSO, ENDING THIS WEEKEND WAS OUR PLACIDO LATINA, LATIN HERITAGE EXHIBITION, WHERE WE FEATURED EMERGING LATIN ARTISTS FROM THE AREA. 
          IT HAS BECOME ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR EXHIBITIONS AT OUR LITTLE COMMUNITY SPACE IN OUR OFFICE. 
          WE HAD OVER 300 PEOPLE WHO CAME, WE HAD SCHOOL GROUPS. 
          WE HAD A SCHOOL GROUP FROM WESTMINSTER, GEORGIA, WHICH I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF. THEY JUST SHOWED UP. 
          WE HAD A ASSISTED LIVING GROUP FROM BUCKHEAD WHO CAME IN AND SPENT THE AFTERNOON WITH US. 
          IT'S A GREAT EXHIBITION THAT FOCUSES ON LATIN TALENT, AND THIS IS USUALLY THEIR FIRST EXHIBITION, AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN KEEP IT UP. 
          HOW DOES ALL THIS BECOME POSSIBLE? BECAUSE THE FUND RAISING THAT WE DO AT THE DECATUR WINE FESTIVAL. 
          THIS IS OUR ONE DEDICATED FUND RAISER IS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER THE 9TH, THAT'S A WEEK LATER THIS YEAR, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE GEORGIA FLORIDA GAME, WHICH IS WE MOVE IT FOR GEORGIA, FLORIDA WHEN IT COINCIDES AND HALLOWEEN. 
          THIS YEAR IS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER THE 9TH. 
          TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW, $60 AND $70 AT THE DOOR. 
          OUR BIG SPONSOR AND BENEFACTOR IS DECATUR PACKAGE STORE AND WE'D LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THEM. 
          [01:40:03]
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GREAT RESPONSE THIS YEAR FROM LOCAL SPONSORS AND COME OUT AND SEE US SUPPORT THE ARTS SO WE CAN KEEP MAKING ALL THESE GREAT THINGS HAPPEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          >> THE TIME, AGAIN? 
          >> OH, I'M SORRY. 12:30-4:30. CHECK IN AT 12:00. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          >> THANK YOU. NEXT, THE WEST PONTS MUSIC STROLL INDICATOR MAKERS HOLIDAY EVENT. WELCOME. 
          >> HI. EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CALLA MORRISON. 
          I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR DICATOR MAKERS. 
          I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW EXACTLY WHO WE ARE, BUT JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T. 
          WE ARE A COMMUNITY MAKER SPACE RIGHT LOCATED RIGHT OFF THE WEST PONTS, AND BASICALLY AT OUR CORE, WE ARE 3,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY THAT HOUSES LASER CUTTERS, WOODSHOP, 3D PRINTERS, METAL WORKING. 
          ARTS AND CRAFTS, JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IF YOU'RE A MAKER, WE HAVE AN E SHOP, AND WE HAVE ALMOST 600 MEMBERS NOW. 
          WE'RE REALLY GROWING. THAT MEANS WE HAVE A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE IN THE SPACE. 
          WE BECOME THIS COMMUNITY HUB OF PEOPLE WHO COME TOGETHER JUST TO COLLABORATE, WE'RE VERY INCLUSIVE SPACE, VERY ACCESSIBLE. 
          IT'S IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE REMAIN ACCESSIBLE, AND WE HAVE A ROBUST YOUTH DEPARTMENT NOW, WE ARE STARTING TO SPECIALIZE IN STEM EDUCATION. 
          BECAUSE OF THE WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE PARTNER WITH A LOT OF LOCAL NON PROFITS TO TRY TO HELP WITH COMMUNITY PROJECTS. 
          ANYWAY, WE CAN FEEL THE NEED BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF MAKERS, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW THINGS. 
          WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN ALSO GIVE BACK. 
          WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE ALSO ONE OF THE EVENT ORGANIZERS FOR THE WEST PONTS MUSIC STROLL. 
          THE CREATION OF IT IS BEFORE MY TIME. 
          BUT THIS WAS AN EVENT THAT I BELIEVE WAS CREATED FOR BUSINESSES TO CONNECT WITH THE CATER RESIDENTS AND TO HIGHLIGHT THE BUSINESSES ON WEST PONTS. 
          DURING THAT EVENT, WE HAVE MUSIC ARTISTS THAT COME OUT THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND PLAY IN FRONT OF DIFFERENT BUSINESSES. TO PLAY MUSIC. 
          WE HAVE CHALK ARTISTS COME OUT AND PICK A SPOT ON ALONG WEST PONTS TO CREATE THEIR ART. 
          THE NIGHT WRAPS UP WITH A BAND OUT IN FRONT OF THE MARLA. 
          JUST A REALLY GOOD TIME. 
          IT KICKS OFF IN THE MORNING WITH A FIVE K AND DOG WALK. 
          IT'S A PRETTY EXCITING DAY. 
          THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE ON NOVEMBER 16, AND IT WAS ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO BE EARLIER IN SEPTEMBER, BUT DUE TO THE WEATHER, WE DECIDED TO POSTPONE IT. 
          WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT COMING UP NOVEMBER 16 AND THAT DATE. 
          ALSO, THE CATER MAKERS IS HOSTING A HOLIDAY MARKET THIS YEAR. 
          WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 
          WE HAVE MAYBE 25-30 VENDORS COMING OUT. 
          WE'LL HAVE A KID ZONE, SO WE TRY TO SUPPORT OUR ENTREPRENEURS AND OUR ARTISTS. 
          THIS IS ONE WAY WE DO IT AND PUBLIC FACING EVENT TO HIGHLIGHT THE CATER MAKERS AND WHO WE ARE. THAT'S IT. 
          THE HOLIDAY MARKET IS ALSO ON NOVEMBER 9TH, BUT I THINK IT'S A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT AUDIENCE, AND IT'S FROM 10:00-4:00. 
          IT'S MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT, SO PEOPLE CAN COME SHOP AND THEN GO UP TO THE WINE FESTIVAL. 
          >> WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. 
          >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I APPRECIATE IT. 
          >> WE LOOK FORWARD TO BOTH EVENTS. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> WE HAVE A NEW STAFF INTRODUCTION. 
          >> HI. GOOD EVENING. I AM ANGELA THREAD GILL, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          I HAVE A NEW STAFF THAT JUST STARTED LAST WEEK. 
          HER NAME IS VICTORIA COHEN, AND SHE HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO THE POSITION OF THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER. 
          THAT POSITION WAS VACATED BY SHIRLEY BAYS IN THE EARLY SUMMER TIME, AND WE WENT THROUGH A ROBUST HIRING PROCESS. 
          WE HAD NUMEROUS GREAT CANDIDATES FOR THE POSITION. 
          BUT ULTIMATELY, VICTORIA WAS CHOSEN FOR THE POSITION. 
          WE BELIEVE THAT SHE'S GOING TO DO AN AMAZING JOB. 
          HER FIRST WEEK WAS JUST LAST WEEK, SO SHE IS JUST NOW STARTING HER SECOND WEEK. 
          VICTORIA IS A GEORGIA NATIVE. 
          SHE DID WORK IN NEW YORK CITY FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. 
          SHE DID ATTEND GEORGIA TECH IN THEIR PROGRAM FOR THEIR DEGREE PROGRAM FOR REGIONAL AND CITY PLANNING. 
          THEN DURING HER TIME WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IN NEW YORK CITY, SHE HELPED BUSINESSES WITH THE VENDING PROGRAM TO LOCATE IN CITY PARKS. 
          [01:45:01]
SHE BRINGS A LOT OF PASSION TO HELPING BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY STARTUP AND ENTREPRENEUR BUSINESSES. 
          SHE'S BRINGING THAT PASSION TO DECATUR. 
          SHE AND HER FAMILY ARE DECATUR RESIDENTS, AND SHE HAS ALREADY TAKEN DECATUR ONE ON ONE. 
          SHE'S MET MANY OF THE STAFF AND PERHAPS SOME OF YOU AS WELL. 
          BUT AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK VICTORIA TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS, AND THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME WELCOME HER. 
          >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE THERE IS TO SAY. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT VERY THOROUGH INTRODUCTION, ANGELA. 
          MY NAME IS VICTORIA COHEN. 
          I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING SOME OF YOU ALREADY, TONY POWERS. 
          I THINK YOU HANDED ME MY DECATUR ONE-ON-ONE CERTIFICATE, AND I'VE SHOPPED IN YOUR STORE CERTAINLY. 
          MAYOR GARRETT, I BELIEVE YOU'RE ALSO MY NEIGHBORHOOD RESIT AS WELL. 
          I'VE SEE WALKING YOU AROUND. 
          AS YOU COMMISSIONER MAYOR, KELLY WALSH, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING YOU AT THE DBA MEETING LAST WEEKEND. 
          GEORGE DIENER, I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU AND WORKING WITH YOU MORE DIRECTLY. 
          AS ANGELA SAID, I GREW UP IN GEORGIA. 
          MY PARENTS, ACTUALLY, IMMIGRATED HERE FROM CAMBODIA. 
          THIS WAS THEIR FIRST STOP IN GEORGIA. 
          MY UNCLE'S FIRST JOB WAS AT THE TIKA FARMERS MARKET. 
          WE HAVE A VERY STRONG PROUD HISTORY TIED TO GEORGIA. 
          I GREW UP IN GUINET COUNTY AND THEN MY FAMILY NOW RESIDES IN FAYETTE COUNTY. 
          DECATUR WAS A LOVELY MIDDLE GROUND FOR US. 
          MY HUSBAND WAS NOT FROM GEORGIA, SO COMING TO GEORGIA WAS A TOUGH MOVE FOR HIM, BUT DECATUR WAS THE ONE SPOT THAT HE FELT LIKE HOME. 
          IT'S BEEN MY COMMITMENT TO REALLY MAKING SURE THAT DECATUR BECAME OUR HOME AND COMMUNITY. 
          IT'S NOW MY PLEASURE AND HONOR JOIN THIS WONDERFULLY TALENTED TEAM, BUT SO COMMITTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE, SO I CAN NOW LIVE, PLAY, AND WORK HERE. 
          I'M VERY COMMITTED TO BUSINESS RETENTION AND RETAIL DEVELOPMENT AND RECRUITMENT. 
          IF THERE ARE ANY IDEAS, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEM. 
          I'D LOVE TO HELP CHAMPION THEM. 
          JUST SO EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS TEAM, AND CAN'T WAIT TO MAKE DECATUR GREATER. 
          >> GREAT. WELCOME. THANK YOU. LET'S GIVE. 
          [APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE WILL HEAR FROM RUSS MADISON. 
          >> GOOD EVENING. 
          >> GOOD EVENING. 
          >> RUSS MADISON. FINANCE DIRECTOR, I'VE GOT A FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, SO JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER, JUST A MOMENT. 
          >> WHO WON THAT GAME. 
          >> NOT FELIX FLOYD [LAUGHTER]. 
          THIS WAS MOMENTS BEFORE HIS HUMILIATING DEFEAT TO SHAN WOODSON AND KARA SHAR. 
          AT THE EMPLOYEE PICNIC JUST RECENTLY, BUT HE SAID IT WAS A GOOD MATCH [LAUGHTER]. 
          WITH THIS REPORT, THE USUAL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. 
          THESE ARE UNAUDITED NUMBERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND INTERFUND TRANSFERS AND OUTLAYS ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE NUMBERS. 
          WITH THAT BEING SAID, A FEW COMMENTS ON PERFORMANCE AT A GLANCE. 
          REVENUES YEAR OVER YEAR FOR THE FIRST QUARTER, INCREASED TO THE TUNE OF ALMOST $900,000. 
          I'LL TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC REASONS FOR THAT IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES, BUT PROPERTY TAX REVENUES, PERMIT FEE REVENUES, AN INSURANCE CLAIM, AND ONE OTHER ITEM, ALL ROLLED INTO THAT. 
          I'LL JUST SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE. 
          THEN EXPENDITURES ARE ABOUT 600,000 HIGHER THAN THE YEAR BEFORE FOR THAT SAME QUARTER. 
          MOST OF THOSE WERE FOR ONE TIME EXPENSES, BUT I'LL GET INTO THOSE DETAILS AS WELL. 
          BUT THIS IS PRETTY TYPICAL FOR A FIRST INSTALLMENT FOR THESE EXPENDITURES TO EXCEED REVENUE SINCE PROPERTY TAX MOSTLY COMES IN BEGINNING IN THE SECOND QUARTER. 
          IN TERMS OF OUR BUSINESS ACTIVITY. 
          THERE WAS A LOT OF NEWLY LICENSED BUSINESSES, ALSO INACTIVATED BUSINESS LICENSES, BUT IT WAS NET POSITIVE OVERALL, 13 NEW BUSINESSES WITH NET 27 PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY THOSE BUSINESSES. 
          YEAR OVER YEAR, BUSINESS TAX REVENUES HAVE INCREASED SOMEWHAT, LARGELY BECAUSE OF BUSINESS OCCUPATION TAXES AND PROFESSIONAL TAXES. 
          THAT IS MORE SO. 
          I WOULD SAY, COMPLIANCE AND COLLECTIONS DRIVEN AS OPPOSED TO THE NEWLY LICENSED BUSINESSES, WHICH CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR QUITE ALL THAT GROWTH. 
          [01:50:01]
THIS IS BACK TAXES THAT WERE OWED TO THE CITY. 
          I'M GOING TO SKIP OVER MOST OF THIS THIRD PAGE EXCEPT TO POINT OUT ONE THING HERE WITH THE PARKING METER FEES. 
          I DO THINK THIS IS AN AREA THAT IS GOING TO NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED SINCE IT IS A BIT LOW COMPARED TO BUDGETED EXPECTATIONS WITH 12% BY THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER. 
          >> SORRY, MR. MACON, WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW? 
          >> I AM AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 3. 
          >> I'M GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN MY IPAD AND THIS AND THAT'S PROBABLY NOT. 
          GOOD FOR ME TO DO, SO I'M GOING TO GO HERE. 
          THEN JUST TO FOCUS IN ON THE TOP OF PAGE 4, ON THOSE CATEGORIES FOR GENERAL FUND REVENUES, REAL PROPERTY TAX DOES LOOK LIKE IT'S UP QUITE A BIT, BUT THAT IS LARGELY DUE TO ONE SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL APPEAL THAT WAS SETTLED AND WE RECEIVED THE PAYMENT FOR THE ADDITIONAL TAXES DUE IN JULY. 
          FOR FRANCHISE TAXES, THAT DOES LOOK LIKE A BUMP UP IN THE BLUE COMPARED TO THE GREEN, BUT I THINK THAT'S AN ARTIFACT OF TIMING. 
          ONE PARTICULAR FRANCHISE PAYMENT WE RECEIVED IN LATE SEPTEMBER THAT I THINK LAST YEAR WE PROBABLY RECEIVED IN OCTOBER. 
          LICENSES AND PERMITS. 
          THAT IS INCREASED, NOT SO MUCH BECAUSE OF BUILDING PERMITS ITSELF, BUT BECAUSE OF ELECTRICAL, HVAC, AND PLUMBING FOR ONE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT. 
          THEN OTHER FEES AND REVENUES ON THAT FAR RIGHT. 
          THAT'S A LARGE BUMP TOO. 
          IF YOU THINK BACK TO AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME, 2022, IN THE ARCTIC BLAST THAT WE HAD IN THE ATLANTA AREA, THAT FROZE A LOT OF PIPES AT LEGACY PARK, THOSE BUSTED, AND WE'VE JUST GOT A CHECK FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY THIS PAST QUARTER FOR THAT. 
          I'M GOING TO SKIP AHEAD. 
          JUST TO MAKE ONE COMMENT ON THE BOTTOM OF THAT PAGE, EVEN THOUGH OUR PARKING METER FEES ARE ONLY 12% OF PROJECTED BUDGET, THEY'RE 21% HIGHER THAN THEY WERE IN THE SAME QUARTER IN 2024. 
          YES, THAT'S A POSITIVE WAY TO LOOK AT IT. 
          WE'RE INCREASING, SO MAYBE WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER, BIG BUMP. 
          A LOT OF THE REVENUES ARE UP. 
          BUT JUST TO QUALIFY IT A LITTLE BIT. 
          AS I SAID, SOME OF THEM ARE TIMING ARTIFACTS OR ONE OFFS. 
          IT'S SIMILAR IN SOME WAYS WITH THE EXPENDITURE SIDE. 
          THE FIRST QUARTER IS NORMALLY A LOW ACTIVITY PERIOD FOR A LOT OF CATEGORIES, ANYWAY. 
          IT'S HARD TO READ TOO MUCH INTO SOME OF THESE NUMBERS WHICH CAN BE DISTORTED JUST BY THE LOW ACTIVITY THROUGH THE END OF THE QUARTER. 
          IT'S EASY FOR THEM TO CHANGE LARGE PERCENTAGES. 
          WITH EXPENDITURES, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD TO PAGE 7 AND SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT DEPARTMENTAL EXPENDITURES AND EXPENDITURES OVERALL. 
          AS I SAID, EXPENDITURES FOR THE FIRST QUARTER YEAR OVER YEAR UP ABOUT 600,000. 
          A LOT OF THAT IS DUE TO ONE TIME PAY PERIOD ADJUSTMENT THAT YOU AS A COMMISSION APPROVED FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY RATHER THAN AN ANNUAL MERIT INCREASE. 
          THAT PAY PERIOD WAS DISPERSED, I THINK IN EARLY AUGUST. 
          NOW THAT'S ALLOCATED ACROSS DEPARTMENTS. 
          YOU COULD SEE IT MAYBE MORE IN THE BOTTOM LINE THAN ONE PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT. 
          YOU SEE SOME INCREASES FOR SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL, GENERAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE, I THINK OAK COTTAGE COURT PAYMENT TO DECATUR LAND TRUST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MOU FOR CAPACITY BUILDING AND DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. 
          THAT'S DRIVING THAT VARIANCE YEAR OVER YEAR. 
          COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE A BIG INCREASE. 
          BECAUSE OF THOSE PERMIT REVENUES THAT CAME IN, THERE'S THAT RELATED INCREASE IN SAFE BILL INVOICES THAT WE HAD TO PAY PLUS I THINK WE WERE CATCHING UP ON A PAYMENT MAYBE FROM A LITTLE EARLIER. 
          THERE WAS SOME LARGE PERMIT AND INSPECTIONS, VENDOR PAYMENTS AT THAT TIME. YES, SIR. 
          ON PAGE 6? YES. 
          PART OF THAT MEANS IT'S A QUARTER, SO YOU SPEND 25% YOUR REVENUE, 
          [01:55:01]
AND EVERY DEPARTMENT IS AT BELOW 25%? YES. 
          BESIDES ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. 
          BUT THEN YOU ALSO SAID THAT'S A LITTLE WARPED BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EXTRA PAY PERIOD IN THERE? WELL, YEAH. 
          THE PAYROLL IS GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS DEPARTMENTS. 
          AS FAR AS THE ADMIN SERVICES INCREASE, IT NORMALLY IS FRONT LOADED BECAUSE THE PROPERTY LIABILITY INSURANCE VEHICLE IS PAID OUT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, AND ALL THAT IS PAID AT THE BEGINNING OF JULY. 
          WE NORMALLY LEAP FROG OUT. 
          I SAY, WE, I'M PART OF ASD, AND THEN WE TRAIL OFF LATER. 
          I WILL SAY ONE THING ABOUT FIRE HERE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE IT IN THE NUMBERS THAT I'VE PRESENTED, BUT THE OVERTIME WAS RUNNING A BIT HIGH IN JULY AND AUGUST. 
          IT FELL SOMEWHAT IN SEPTEMBER. 
          BUT THEY'RE SPENDING YEAR OVER YEAR FOR THE FIRST QUARTER IS ACTUALLY 1% LESS THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR. 
          I'M NOT ALARMED ABOUT THAT, BUT THE HEADLINE, I GUESS, FOR THIS OVERALL REPORT IS THINGS LOOK FINE. 
          I EVERYTHING LOOKS FINE. 
          THERE'S JUST A FEW CATEGORIES HERE AND THERE THAT I THINK DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE TO MONITOR. THAT'S REALLY IT. 
          ARE THERE QUESTIONS? JUST A GENERAL COMMENT. 
          WHEN WE TALKED WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET ABOUT HOW WE'RE SWALLOWING A LOT OF INFORMATION IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, I WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS NOT REALLY ABOUT THIS REPORT. 
          I WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO DEEPER DIVES INTO DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 
          YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, WE'RE JUST CRAMMING IT INTO THE LAST TWO OR THREE MONTHS. 
          JUST MORE IF THERE'S A WORK SESSION, MAYBE WE START WITH POLICE OR START WITH FIRE OR PARKS AND RECREATION, WHICH WE'VE DONE PARKS AND RECREATION, JUST TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THE BUDGET WORKS. 
          I WANT TO REITERATE THAT REQUEST. 
          I DID JUST WANT TO NOTE. 
          I GUESS IT IS IN APPENDIX B ON PAGE 10. 
          I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED ALREADY THAT READ AND ARE INDICATING SOME OF THAT FRONT LOADING, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT WE PAY MORE IN THE BEGINNING THAN WE DO THE COLUMNS TO MATCH UP HERE. 
          YES. THAT'S TRUE. 
          IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME OF BUDGETING, IT'S HARD TO PREDICT WHAT SOME OF THOSE PREMIUMS WILL BE. 
          THAT'S WHY IT'S IN RED. 
          BUT YEAH, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE AT 100, IT'S ALL BASICALLY BEEN SPENT. THERE WON'T BE ANY MORE. 
          IT'S BEEN PAID. CORRECT. OTHER QUESTIONS? WE LIKE THE HEADLINE. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE WILL OPEN THE MEETING UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS THIS EVENING INCLUDE THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PEDESTRIAN SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS, THE SOUTH HOUSING VILLAGE PHASE 2 AGREEMENTS, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL UNDERNEATH THAT. 
          THEY ARE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 AGREEMENTS UNDER THAT. 
          WE WILL OPEN THE MEETING UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO ANYONE WHO IS HERE IN OUR MEETING THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. WE'LL TAKE COMMENT ON OTHER THINGS AT A LATER TIME IN THE MEETING, BUT NOW WE'RE ONLY ASKING FOR COMMENT ON THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. IF THERE'S ANYTHING ON ACTION ITEM A OR B OR THE SUB COMPONENTS OF THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO COME FORWARD. 
          WE WILL TAKE OTHER COMMENT DURING REQUESTS AND PETITIONS. 
          WE'LL OPEN IT UP NOW FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN THE MEETING, IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE A COMMENT, NOW IS THE TIME TO COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. 
          SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ACTION ITEMS FROM THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT IN THE ROOM, WE WILL OPEN IT UP NOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE JOINING US ONLINE. 
          IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO WANTS TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT 
          [02:00:03]
THE SPECIFIC AGENDA ACTION ITEMS ON THE GDOT SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS OR THE SOUTH HOUSING VILLAGE PHASE 2 AGREEMENTS. 
          IF YOU WILL RAISE YOUR VIRTUAL HAND, WE WILL UNMUTE YOU, ASK YOU TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND PLEASE MAKE YOUR COMMENT. 
          WE'LL GIVE THAT A FEW MINUTES IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE AND MAKE A COMMENT. 
          SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION ON AGENDA ACTION ITEMS AND OPEN IT BACK DURING REQUEST AND PETITIONS. MISS SCHERER. 
          [VI.A. Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Pedestrian Safety Recommendations.]
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. 
          MY NAME IS CARA SCHERER. 
          I SERVE AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF PUBLIC WORKS. 
          GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE OF TRAFFIC OPERATIONS AND DISTRICT 7 CONDUCTED A PEDESTRIAN SAFETY STUDY AND PRESENTED FINDINGS AT THE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION JULY 15. 
          I'M HERE TO RECOMMEND SUPPORTING THE GDOT RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO STATE ROUTE SPEED LIMITS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TURNING RESTRICTIONS, SUCH AS NO TURN ON RED AT INTERSECTIONS WITHIN CITY LIMITS. 
          THE CITY OF DECATUR 2020 STRATEGIC PLAN IDENTIFIES A COMMUNITY PRIORITY FOR SAFER AND MORE AFFORDABLE WAYS FOR GETTING AROUND FOR MORE PEOPLE MORE OF THE TIME. 
          THE 2018 COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION PLAN RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPLEMENTING A SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH TO SYSTEMATICALLY ELIMINATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO CRASH IN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. 
          TO THAT END, THE CITY OF DECATUR REQUESTED GDOT STUDY, PEDESTRIAN OR VULNERABLE ROAD USER ACTIVITY, COLLISION RECORDS, ROAD CONFIGURATIONS, AND OTHER FACTORS, WHICH LED GDOT TO PROPOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ON STATE ROUTES TO REDUCE SPEED LIMITS AND IMPLEMENT TURNING RESTRICTIONS. 
          THESE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO REDUCE THE FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF FATAL OR SEVERE ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN VULNERABLE ROAD USERS AND MOTOR VEHICLES BY REDUCING SPEED OR PHYSICALLY SEPARATING CROSSING MOVEMENTS BY TIME AND/OR SPACE. 
          GDOT SAFETY EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATION OF SPEED REDUCTION AND LIMITING TURNING MOVEMENTS ALIGNS WITH THE SAFETY SYSTEM APPROACH, AND THEREFORE, CITY OF DECATUR SAFETY PRACTICES. 
          IT'S RECOMMENDED THE MAYOR BE AUTHORIZED TO SUBMIT A LETTER SUPPORTING THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO GDOT, WHICH INCLUDE SUCH RECOMMENDED SPEED LIMIT REDUCTIONS AS LOWERING THE SPEED LIMIT OF STATE ROUTE 10 COLLEGE AVENUE FROM 35 TO 30 MILES PER HOUR. 
          LOWERING THE SPEED LIMIT OF STATE ROUTE 155, ALSO KNOWN AS CLAREMONT AVENUE, COMMERCE DRIVE, COLLEGE AVENUE, AND SOUTH CANER STREET FROM 35 TO 30 MILES PER HOUR, AND LOWERING THE SPEED LIMIT OF STATE ROUTE 8, SCOTT BOULEVARD FROM 40 TO 35 MILES PER HOUR. 
          IN ADDITION, GDOT RECOMMENDS TURNING RESTRICTIONS AT 26 DIFFERENT INTERSECTIONS ACROSS THE CITY. 
          CAN I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? ARE THERE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I NOTICED SOME OF THOSE CHANGES HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED. 
          I KNOW THE NO RIGHT ON ALL THE INTERSECTIONS AT COMMERCE AND CHURCH STREET, THOSE SIGNS ARE ALREADY UP. 
          THEY MIGHT BE RELATED TO THE CHURCH STREET PROJECT. 
          IT SEEMS LIKE THEY WERE UP ONE DAY, THEY'RE UP ALREADY. 
          RIGHT. I THINK THERE WAS JUST SOME TIMING BETWEEN THE WRAPPING UP OF CHURCH STREET AND THEN SOME SIGN INSTALLATION AND THEN ALSO THIS WORK. 
          I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY'RE DIRECTLY RELATED. 
          WHEN COULD WE EXPECT MOST OF THE IMPLEMENTATION? IT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT QUESTION. 
          THERE WILL BE A PERMITTING PROCESS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHICH IN OUR MOST RECENT EXPERIENCE, RELATIVE TO THE SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS, WE FOUND CAN BE TIME CONSUMING. 
          IT'LL BE A SIMILAR PERMIT PROCESS WITH A SIMILAR PROGRAM WITH GDOT G-PASS. 
          THAT MEAN PUTTING IN THINGS INTO THE SYSTEM THAT SEEM TO BY HAND, BECAUSE WE SEEM TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DELAY WITH THE SPEED CAMERAS FOR THE SCHOOL ZONES. 
          YES. I THINK THERE WERE MORE NUANCES WITH THAT WORK THAN THIS. 
          [02:05:07]
I'M HOPEFUL IT WILL BE MORE SEAMLESS, BUT ALSO I KNOW NOT TO PROMISE IT TO BE A QUICK TURN. 
          COMMISSIONER DUSENBERY. 
          I JUST SAY, FROM THE SHEET OUT, I KNEW 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO, THIS IS GOOD PROGRESS AND IT'S BEEN A GOOD PROCESS, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL MAKE OUR ROADS OR COMMUNITY SAFE. 
          I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          WE TALKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE COMMERCE DRIVE PORTION OF 155, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT DOWN TO 25 MILE PER HOUR, AND THAT JUST WAS NOT SOMETHING THEY WENT DOWN TO [INAUDIBLE]. 
          HE'S HAD A FEW RIGHT TURNS, AND BLIND TURNS, AND SOME STOP, HEADING TO LIGHTS IN, I JUST DID NOT SEE THAT. 
          I KNOW I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE OFFICE OF TRAFFIC OPERATIONS. 
          I DO WANT TO COMMEND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE. 
          THEY ARE MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROCESS, AND I WOULD SAY THAT IT DOES SIGNIFY A NEW AGE FOR GDOT. 
          I CAN'T ANSWER THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION ONLY TO REFERENCE THEIR STUDY AND I KNOW THAT THEY WERE VERY STRATEGIC ABOUT LOWERING IT FROM 35 TO 30 WHERE WE COULD. 
          >> THERE IS THAT TURN BY THE CEMETERY THAT ASSIGNED AS 20. 
          >> BOOK BASE. YEAH. IT'S ALSO YOU'RE COMING DOWN RIGHT BEFORE COLLEGE AND I WANTED TO VOICE THAT. 
          >> NO. I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT. 
          I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THAT OUR STRATEGY IS, LET'S TAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US. 
          THIS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF THE STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT OF G DOT. 
          BUT I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT IT AS A PHASED APPROACH. 
          LET'S TAKE THIS, LET'S RUN WITH IT AND GET IT IN PLACE. 
          BUT CERTAINLY WE ARE NOT GOING TO STOP HERE, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE EVEN SOME LOCATIONS THAT ARE ON THIS LIST THAT WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO SEE LOWERED OR SEE CHANGES TO. 
          BUT AGAIN, LIKE I JUST SAID, THAT'S A PHASED APPROACH. WE'LL TAKE WHAT WE HAVE. 
          BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS REALLY IS A SIGNIFICANT I WOULD SAY JUST PHILOSOPHICAL, SHIFT WITH G DOT AND SO WE REALLY WERE PLEASED BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP. 
          >> THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT. I WILL SAY ALSO JUST HAVING DRIVEN A FEW TIMES, BUT JUST THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF SOUTH DECATUR OR SOMETHING OR TAKE THE WIN [INAUDIBLE] COMMERCE IN SOUTH. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. 
          >> IN TERMS OF THE PHASED APPROACH AND STRATEGY, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK ONGOING, AS YOU KNOW WITH THE DECATUR SAFE STREET SAFETY ACTION PLAN, WHICH WILL IDENTIFY DECATUR'S HIGH INJURY NETWORK AND THEN A STRATEGY AROUND WITH DATA AND COMMUNITY INPUT TO INFORM HOPEFULLY A PATH FORWARD WITH SOME OF OUR STATE ROUTES IN THE FUTURE. 
          >> FOR THIS PRESENTATION TOO. 
          THERE'S A STORY TO BE TOLD THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH G DOT TO LOWER SPEEDS ON OUR MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGING STATE ROADS, WHICH WE HAVE NO CONTROL. 
          I'LL PUT THAT IN QUOTES THEN. 
          BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR STREETS ALREADY ARE SLOWER, 25 WOULD BE MORE COMMON. 
          CAN YOU GIVE US A FLAVOR OF OUR STREETS, WHAT WE WOULD SEE AS A RANGE OF SPEED LIMITS, SOME OF THE SLOWEST ALL THE WAY, WHAT WOULD BE THE FASTEST STREETS ALSO THAT ARE OUR CITY STREETS? JUST BY COMPARISON. 
          >> WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR LOCAL ROAD NETWORK, WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE AROUND 25 MILES PER HOUR. 
          THAT'S THE LOWEST ENFORCEABLE SPEED LIMIT. 
          HOWEVER, CULTURALLY, I THINK A LOT OF OUR ROADS ARE PREDOMINANTLY PEDESTRIAN CENTERED. 
          WE'LL NOTICE A LOT OF OUR NETWORKS, PARTICULARLY, WHERE THERE ARE NOT SIDEWALKS, FAMILIES, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE SCHOOL COMMUTING HOURS, WALKING RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. 
          CARS TAKE CENTER OR SECOND STAGE. 
          >> AS FAR AS WHERE WE WOULD SEE SIGNS AND THERE COULD BE ENFORCEMENT ON CITY STREETS, NOT STATE ROADS. 
          THOSE ARE 25 AND LESS. 
          >> YES. IN TERMS OF A STREET BEING ENFORCEABLE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT NUANCES RELATIVE TO LINE OF SITE WITH CURVATURE AND GRADES, ETC. 
          [02:10:04]
          >> I JUST THINK IT'S A GREAT FIRST STEP, AS YOU SAID, PHASED AS WELL, BUT YOU HAVE TO BUILD A CULTURE AND RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT JUST DOING THE THING, WHICH IS DRIVING SLOWER AND THEN SEEING THAT VIRTUOUS CYCLE OF EVERYONE BENEFITING AND DOING WHAT THEY WANT AND NOT BEING AS THEY MIGHT THINK, AS INCONVENIENCED AS THEY BELIEVE THEY'LL BE BY DRIVING 5-7, EVEN 10 MILES SLOWER. 
          THEY WILL STILL HAVE THROUGHPUT, BUT WE'LL HAVE LOTS SAFER PRIMARILY PEDESTRIANS AND BIKES, BUT THERE WAS JUST THAT ARTICLE. 
          I THINK YOU SAW CIRCULATING THAT CAN BE A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE TO DRIVE. 
          WE HAVE SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT CRASHES ON CANDLER, FOR EXAMPLE. 
          THIS BENEFITS ALL STREET USERS, BUT HOPEFULLY IT'S THE FIRST PHASE IN BUILDING THAT NEW CULTURE OF LET'S JUST SLOW DOWN IN OUR TOWN BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST FOLKS GOING THROUGH, IT'S PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. 
          EVEN WE'LL PUT IT UP ON THE FLASHING DIGITAL. 
          CAN WE USE THOSE TO ALSO BE RAISING AWARENESS OF THESE NEW SPEED LIMITS? 
          >> YES, EXACTLY. I BELIEVE THAT'S POLICE DEPARTMENT'S PLANNED APPROACH. 
          >> BECAUSE WE WILL GET ASKED, THERE WAS A CHANT FOR 25, AND WE MAYBE NAIVELY THOUGHT THAT COULD BE DONE IN MORE PLACES EARLIER AND MAYBE IT CAN BE DONE IN SOME, BUT I THINK HOPEFULLY WE CAN COMMUNICATE IT AS A REALLY BIG WIN AND BENEFIT ALL USERS. 
          >> ANSWER THAT QUESTION ABOUT THE SIGNAGE AND EVEN THE WHEN. 
          THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, ENFORCEMENT IS ONE PART OF THE EQUATION. 
          LEGALLY, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT THERE IS A WARNING PERIOD BEFORE WE WOULD START ISSUING CITATIONS FOR THE NEW SPEED LIMITS. 
          THERE WOULD BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH DRIVERS ABOUT THESE CHANGES. 
          I DO NOT KNOW ALL OF THOSE DETAILS, BUT WE'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THE ENFORCEMENT. 
          >> MIGHT WANT TO LET THE SCHOOL SYSTEM KNOW TOO, THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAY, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF YOUNGER DRIVERS WHO THIS MIGHT NOT FILTER DOWN TO THEM AS QUICKLY, POTENTIALLY. 
          >> THERE ARE A LOT OF CHANGES GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH THE SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS, THOSE ARE OPERATIONAL IN CITATIONS OR WARNING CITATIONS ARE BEING ISSUED RIGHT NOW, AND I SEE THAT WE'RE USING THE MOBILE SIGNS TO ALERT DRIVERS THAT WARNINGS ARE CURRENTLY BEING ISSUED AND THEN BY MID NOVEMBER THAT WE'LL GO LIVE WITH CITATIONS. 
          REALLY, THIS IS EXCITING TO HAVE. 
          AS MUCH AS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW GOING ON WITH THE SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS, WITH THE CHANGES ON THE STATE HIGHWAYS, THE SAFE STREETS FOR ALL PLANNING PROCESS, CERTAINLY ALL THIS IS INDICATIVE OF HOW SERIOUS THE COMMUNITY IS TAKING SAFETY. 
          >> THEY SLOW DOWN. 
          >> WE'LL GET THERE. 
          >> YOU PAY CAR STICKER MAGNET. 
          >> RIGHT. 
          >> I AGREE. 
          I REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS. 
          THE NO RIGHT ON RED, I THINK WILL BE IMPACTFUL AND TO REMIND, AND TO ISSUE THOSE WARNINGS BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ONLY LOOKING ONE DIRECTION WHEN THEY ARE TURNING RIGHT. 
          IT'S DEFINITELY A HAZARD WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT USERS TRYING TO GET ACROSS THE STREET ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. 
          I HAVE TO SAY SEEING THIS LONG LIST OF CHANGES AS THEY'RE LISTED. 
          THIS IS A HUGE SHIFT, AS YOU SAID, THAT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED 10 YEARS AGO. 
          APPRECIATE YOU AND DAVID YOUNGERS CONSTANT WORK AND REALLY US HAVING THE ERA OF G DOT AND SAYING, THIS IS IMPORTANT, PLEASE HELP US MAKE THIS HAPPEN. 
          I HEARD OUR DISTRICT ENGINEER SPEAK AT A COUNCIL FOR QUALITY GROWTH MEETING AND HE WAS BRAGGING ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH DECATUR, AND SO THAT'S ALSO HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IT OUT THERE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES TO LOOK, SO WORK WITH US AND WE'LL TRY TO HELP YOU WITH SPEED AND OTHER ISSUES THAT IMPACT 
          [02:15:01]
CITY STREETS THAT ARE STATE ROUTES BECAUSE I THINK GETTING THIS MOVEMENT IS REALLY HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE IMPACTFUL. 
          I THINK IT'S A BIG STEP FROM WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE. THANK YOU. 
          DO I HEAR A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SUBMIT A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO G DOT FOR THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE G DOT STUDY THAT WAS PRESENTED ON JULY 15, 2024? IS THERE A SECOND? 
          >> SECOND. 
          >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? 
          >> AYE. 
          >> OPPOSED. CHAIR VOTES AYE AND THE MOTION PASSES, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SIGNING THE LETTER. THANK YOU. 
          >> JUST DO IT SLOWLY. 
          >> RIGHT. [LAUGHTER] I'LL SIGN IT SLOWLY. 
          I CAN'T SAY NO, WE SPED THIS UP SO HELP US WORK THESE PERMITS. 
          MS. ARNOLD, I BELIEVE, 
          [VI.B. South Housing Village Phase II Agreements.]
YOU HAVE THE SOUTH HOUSING VILLAGE PHASE 2 AGREEMENTS. 
          APPRECIATE HAVING DOUG FAUST, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SCOTTY CANDLER, THE ATTORNEY FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HERE THIS EVENING. 
          IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, WE MAY ASK YOU TO COME FORWARD AND ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL LET MS. ARNOLD PRESENT IT. THANK YOU. 
          >> YES. THANK YOU. 
          WELL, YOU'VE GOT A WHOLE LOT IN FRONT OF YOU. 
          THIS MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT TO GET THROUGH AS THE MAYOR SAID. 
          WE'VE GOT FIVE SUB ITEMS WITHIN THE AGENDA ITEM. 
          YOU MAY RECALL THAT ALMOST A YEAR AGO, THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVED SEVERAL AGREEMENTS FOR PHASE 1 OF THE SOUTH HOUSING VILLAGE. 
          THE APPROVAL OF THOSE AGREEMENTS AND THE EXECUTION OF THOSE AGREEMENTS THAT ALLOWED FOR THE FINANCING OF PHASE 1 OF THE SOUTH HOUSING VILLAGE, AND SO THAT WAS 66 OF 132 AFFORDABLE MULTI FAMILY HOUSING UNITS. 
          AS A REMINDER, THAT WAS ENVISIONED IN THE 2018 DECATUR LEGACY PARK MASTER PLAN. 
          THERE'S A WHOLE LOT THAT HAS OCCURRED SINCE 2018 AND EVEN 2021, WHEN THE TWO ENTITIES, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE CITY ENTERED INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT TO PURSUE THIS WORK. 
          WE'VE HAD THE IGA. 
          THE CITY ACTUALLY ACQUIRED THIS PROPERTY FROM THE PUBLIC FACILITIES AUTHORITY. 
          THE DESIGN OBVIOUSLY WAS FINALIZED. 
          TWO HUGE MILESTONES FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY RECEIVING THE AWARDS FOR THE LIGHT TECH OR LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS FOR BOTH OF THE PHASES. 
          IN ADDITION TO THE TAX CREDIT FINANCING, THE CITY HAS COMMITTED OVER $3.7 MILLION IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS OR ARPA FUNDS, AND THOSE FUNDS ARE SPLIT OVER PHASES 1 AND 2. 
          THEN THE CITY WE DO EXPECT TO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL $750,000 IN COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING AND ALL OF THAT WILL GO TOWARDS PHASE 2. 
          WITH THAT SAID, WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE UPCOMING CLOSING ON THE PHASE 2 FINANCING. 
          I WILL SAY THAT THE REALLY HARD WORK WAS DONE IRONING OUT THESE DOCUMENTS FOR PHASE 1. 
          IT WAS A LITTLE BIT SIMPLER FOR PHASE 2. 
          I WILL GO THROUGH EACH OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL TO APPROVE HERE TONIGHT. 
          LIKE I SAID, THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR PHASE 2, AND THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR TO THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE APPROVED IN PHASE 1. 
          THE FIRST DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THE IIFDA. 
          JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE THAT THAT IIFDA SIMPLY DEFINES THE PARTIES RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION, INSTALLING AND FUNDING, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT. 
          IN PARTICULAR, IT DOES DESCRIBE CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES 
          [02:20:02]
RELATED TO THE DRIVEWAY AREA AND THAT DRIVEWAY AREA, AND THE PROJECT WILL BE CONVEYED TO THE CITY. 
          THERE'S ACTUALLY A DIAGRAM IN THE 1ST AMENDMENT THAT DOES SHOW THAT THE CONSTRUCTION ITSELF IS BROKEN INTO THE TWO PHASES, AND SO THIS DOCUMENT GOES INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE PHASE 2 DRIVEWAY IMPROVEMENTS. 
          IN ADDITION TO THE DRIVEWAY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, IT ALSO PUTS A LITTLE MORE MEAT AROUND THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING. 
          THE $750,000 THAT I'VE REFERENCED. 
          THEN FINALLY, IT CLARIFIES, OR I WOULD SAY REALLY EMPHASIZES THAT THIS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES CONSTITUTES WHAT'S CALLED AN OBLIGATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF MEETING THE DECEMBER 31ST, 2024 DEADLINE FOR OBLIGATING ARPA FUNDS. 
          THE ARPA MONEY THAT THE CITY RECEIVED OVER $9.5 MILLION WORTH. 
          IT ALL MUST BE OBLIGATED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. 
          ONE WAY YOU CAN DO THAT IS WITH AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT, SO I MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS DOES QUALIFY. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON? YES, SIR. 
          >> BUT WE HAVE TO EXTEND IT BY THE END OF 2026, IS IT? 
          >> IT HAS TO EXTEND BY THE END OF 2026, THAT IS CORRECT. 
          >> FOR ON SCHEDULE. 
          >> [INAUDIBLE] 
          >> NO ANSWER. YES. 
          >>THEN THE NEXT IS THE FOURTH AGREEMENT TO THE IGA. 
          YOU RECALL THE IGA WAS ACCEPTED OR ADOPTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2021. 
          THE FOURTH AMENDMENT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE SECOND AMENDMENT. 
          I'M SURE EVERYONE REMEMBERS THE SECOND AMENDMENT. 
          THAT WAS THE AMENDMENT THAT WAS ADDRESSING THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S REQUEST FOR SPECIFIC TERMS THAT WILL ALLOW FOR THE FUTURE RECAPITALIZATION SPECIFICALLY THE AMENDMENT TWO, THE SECOND AMENDMENT WAS FOR PHASE 1, AND THIS WOULD BE FOR PHASE TWO. 
          FOR FUTURE RECAPITALIZATION, AND THAT WOULD BE NEEDED FOR ANY RENOVATION, REVITALIZING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR THAT PROPERTY. 
          SPECIFICALLY, THAT KIND OF RECAPITALIZATION MIGHT REQUIRE THAT THE GROUND LEASE THAT WE'LL LOOK AT IN A MOMENT, THAT GROUND LEASE MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED, IT MIGHT NEED TO BE EXTENDED. 
          AGAIN, THOSE TERMS ARE LAID OUT. 
          IN THIS CASE, IT MIRRORS WHAT WE AGREED TO. 
          FOR PHASE 1. 
          I DO WANT TO POINT OUT ON THE LAST SHOULD BE THE LAST PAGE. 
          SCHEDULE A IS BLANK. 
          WE HAVE NOT FINALIZED THIS ESSENTIALLY A PAYMENT SCHEDULE. 
          WE'RE GOING TO USE THE SAME FORMULA THAT WAS USED FOR SCHEDULE A OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT. 
          THIS WOULD BE IN THE CASE THAT IF IF THE LEASE AGREEMENT, THERE'S A REQUEST TO EXTEND THE LEASE AGREEMENT. 
          THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN. 
          WELL, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEY PUT IN SOME OF THEIR OWN FUNDS, IN THIS CASE, IT'S AROUND 1.3 MILLION DOLLAR. 
          THE CITY IS AGREEING TO REIMBURSE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. 
          BUT AGAIN, BASED ON THIS AMORTIZATION TYPE SCHEDULE. 
          WE ARE LIKELY A DAY OR JUST DAYS AWAY FROM HAVING THAT SCHEDULE COMPLETE. 
          I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME BLANKS IN THESE DOCUMENTS, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF THOSE AND THAT YOU'RE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO FILL IN SOME OF THOSE BLANKS. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT FOURTH AMENDMENT THAT LOOKS LIKE THE SECOND AMENDMENT. 
          THEN THERE IS THE GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT WE SPENT A WHOLE LOT OF TIME ON FOR PHASE 1, AND THE IGA DID RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WOULD BE A GROUND LEASE FOR PHASE 1 AND A GROUND LEASE FOR PHASE 2. 
          RECALL THAT THE PROPERTY IS AROUND ROUGHLY 6.5 ACRES, AND WE HAVE A GROUND LEASE FOR EACH OF THE PHASES. 
          PHASE 2 IS JUST OVER THREE ACRES. 
          THIS IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE INVESTORS TO HAVE THE SEPARATE GROUND LEASE SEPARATE GROUND LEASE IS ALSO THE TERM. 
          [02:25:05]
THE TERM OF THE GROUND LEASE IS 75 YEARS, AND THE ANNUAL RENT IS NOMINAL AT $10. 
          AS I SAID, THE LANGUAGE OF THE GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT MIRRORS THAT A PHASE ONE WITH A FEW MINOR EXCEPTIONS. 
          IF YOU DID A SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE PHASE 2 GROUND LEASE REFERENCES A DIFFERENT INVESTMENT PARTNER. 
          AGAIN, THERE WERE JUST A FEW VERY MINOR EDITS, BUT NOTHING OF SUBSTANCE IN THE PHASE 2 GROUND LEASE. 
          I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE CITY, MEANING THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY, WE STILL NEED TO REVIEW THE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER INFORMATION THAT'S REFERENCED IN THE GROUND LEASE THAT JUST THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE PARTIES THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH JUST HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLETELY FINALIZED. 
          WE ARE REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE GROUND LEASE TO BE CONDITIONED ON THE RECEIPT OF ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THE CITY MANAGER IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY DEEMS AS NECESSARY TO REVIEW PRIOR TO THE EXECUTION OF THE GROUND LEASE. 
          ANY FURTHER CHANGES BEING MADE TO THE GROUND LEASE, THAT THE CITY MANAGER WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY DEEMS NECESSARY IN RELATION TO SUCH INFORMATION. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ROUND LEASE? 
          >> JUST A THEORETICAL. 
          WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND WE TERMINATED GROUND LEASE NUMBER 1? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO GROUND LEASE NUMBER 2? 
          >> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT. 
          OUR FINE ATTORNEYS THOUGHT ABOUT THAT. 
          WHAT HAPPENS WITH ONE HAPPENS TO TWO? AND THAT'S SPELLED OUT HERE. THAT MADE CLEAR. 
          IF THERE WAS ONE CLAUSE THAT'S DIFFERENT IS THE ADDITION OF THAT. 
          >> OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          >> THAT'S ACTUALLY IGA. 
          >> RIGHT. NOT THE GROUND LEASE, BUT THAT IS IN THE FOURTH THAT'S IN THE FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO THE IGA. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> THEN FINALLY, THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE OPTION TO LEASE. 
          THE TERMS UNDER THE TERMS OF THE IGA, THE CITY AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ENTERED INTO AN OPTION TO LEASE, AND THAT WAS FROM MARCH OF 2022. 
          THAT OPTION EXPIRED. 
          TECHNICALLY, IT EXPIRED MARCH 31ST OF THIS YEAR. 
          BUT IT IS THE PARTIES INTENT THAT THE OPTION SHOULD BE IN PLACE, CONSIDERED A BIT OF A TECHNICALITY, BUT WE CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT ANYTHING TO GO ARRAY AT THE DATE OF CLOSING. 
          WE'RE JUST RECOMMENDING THAT WE EXTEND THAT OPTION TO LEASE. 
          I BELIEVE THAT WAS THAT EXTENDED ANOTHER YEAR, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. 
          >> CORRECT. 
          >> YES. 
          THE APPROVALS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED ARE THE EVERYTHING THAT I JUST WENT THROUGH RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THAT FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE IIFDA, THE INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, APPROVAL OF THE FOURTH AMENDMENT TO THE IGA, THE APPROVAL OF THE GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT FOR PHASE 2 WITH THE CONTINGENCY THAT I REFERENCED AND APPROVAL OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE OPTION TO LEASE AND ONE OTHER RECOMMENDATION IS GENERAL AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO MAKE AND ACCEPT MINOR CHANGES TO THESE DOCUMENTS, AS WE SEE NECESSARY, AS LONG AS THEY REMAIN SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR FORM. 
          ALSO THERE ARE THERE MAY BE A LEGAL DESCRIPTION THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN OR SWITCH OUT. 
          BUT WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT IF THERE ARE ANY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES, THOSE WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO THIS BODY. 
          BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 99.9% COMPLETION. 
          AGAIN, THE ONE SIGNIFICANT OUTSTANDING ITEM IS THAT SCHEDULE A. 
          THAT'S IN THE WORKS. 
          IT'S USING THE STAIN FORMULA THAT WAS USED BEFORE. 
          I FEEL LIKE WE'RE THERE, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO MR. FAUST AND TO SCOTTY CANDLER, FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS AND REALLY TO BRIAN DOWNS. 
          [02:30:04]
HOPEFULLY, HE'S LISTENING. FOR JUST, GETTING US TO THE FINISH LINE. 
          WE'RE SO CLOSE. 
          THEN WITH ALL OF THIS ALL THIS WORK AND ALL THIS PAPER AND, LEGAL LANGUAGE, JUST TO NOT FORGET WHAT WHAT WE'RE CREATING HERE. 
          I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME PEOPLE'S DREAMS COME TRUE TO BE ABLE TO, TO STEP INTO A BRAND NEW AFFORDABLE HOME. 
          NOT ONLY IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, BUT IN THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE, THAT'LL BE CALLED LEGACY PARK. 
          IT'S PRETTY, OVERWHELMING TO THINK THAT, THIS VISION IS THIS CLOSE TO BEING ACHIEVED. 
          IT HAS TAKEN A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE TO GET THERE. 
          AT THIS POINT I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN THE, THE LEGAL STRUCTURE AND THE AGREEMENTS WE HAVE IN PLACE, AND A LOT OF THAT, TO SATISFY PEOPLE THAT COME BEHIND US, BUT ALSO THE INVESTORS WHO ARE ALSO MAKING THIS PROJECT HAPPEN. 
          >> QUESTIONS FROM MISS ARNOLD. 
          OKAY. WE WERE GOING TO TAKE THE VOTES SEPARATELY. 
          THE FIRST, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE VILLAGE AT LEGACY PHASE 2? DO I HEAR A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? 
          >> THE MOVE. 
          >> IS THERE A SECOND? 
          >> AGAIN. 
          >> MOTIONS MADE AND SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED. CHAIR VOTES. 
          AYE, AND THE MOTION PASSES. 
          THE SECOND IS TO APPROVE THE FOURTH AMENDMENT TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT. 
          IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FOURTH AMENDMENT? 
          >> MOVE. 
          >> IS THERE A SECOND? 
          >> SECOND. 
          >> MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED CHAIR VOTES, AND THE MOTION PASSES. 
          THE THIRD IS TO APPROVE THE GROUND LEASE FOR PHASE 2 CONTINGENT UPON RECEIPT OF ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY DEEM IS NECESSARY. 
          IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT? THERE A SECOND? 
          >> SECOND. 
          >> ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?OPPOSED. THE CHAIR VOTES, AND IS APPROVED. 
          THEN THE FOURTH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE OPTION TO LEASE. 
          IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT FIRST AMENDMENT? 
          >> MOVED. 
          >> IS THERE A SECOND? 
          >> SECOND. 
          [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED. THANK YOU. 
          WE HEARD IT. [LAUGHTER] CHAIR VOTES. 
          AYE AND THE MOTION PASSES. 
          LAST IS TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO MAKE AND ACCEPT MINOR CHANGES TO THE DOCUMENTS AS THEY DEEM NECESSARY SO LONG [NOISE] AS THEY REMAIN IN SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR FORM AND TO INSERT AND MODIFY APPLICABLE LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS AS DEEMED NECESSARY. 
          DO I HEAR A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? 
          >> MOVED. 
          >> THERE A SECOND? 
          >> SECOND. 
          >> ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED CHAIR VOTES, AND THE MOTION PASSES. 
          I WOULD JUST LIKE TO RECOGNIZE DOUG [NOISE] FAUST AND ASK IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME MAKE A FEW REMARKS ABOUT THE PROJECT OR 
          >> WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACTIONS. APPRECIATE IT. 
          WE'RE EXCITED TO BE AT THIS POINT. 
          AS WAS SAYING TRYING TO DRAG IT ACROSS THE FINAL FINISH LINE. 
          FOR THE SECOND CLOSING, IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO HAVE CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY IN THE FIRST PHASE. 
          THE CONTRACTOR WHO HAS AGREED TO DO PHASE 2 HAS A VERY ACCELERATED SCHEDULE, SO WE'RE GOING TO ALMOST GET ALL THE UNITS ABOUT THE SAME TIME, WHICH IS EXCITING. 
          INSTEAD OF BEING IN THE POSITION THAT ONE PHASE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR A LOT LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INTEREST. 
          PEOPLE ARE CALLING TO FIND HOW DO I GET IN THERE? WHAT DO I DO? WE WILL OPEN UP A WAITING LIST FOR THAT SO THAT FOLKS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THEIR NAMES ON THAT LIST. AGAIN, THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE WILL MOVE TO REQUEST AND PETITIONS. 
          IF THERE'S ANYONE THANKS AGAIN TO BOTH OF YOU FOR ATTENDING. 
          [02:35:03]
IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THAT WOULD LIKE TO BRING A REQUEST OR PETITION FORWARD. 
          NOW IS THE TIME TO DO SO? SEEING NONE IN THE ROOM. 
          ARE YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS, DON'T HAVE [LAUGHTER] A REQUEST OR PETITION? WILL OPEN IT UP TO THE ZOOM. 
          I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE GUEST ON ZOOM, WHO IS HARD TO CALL HIM A GUEST, BUT HE [LAUGHTER] IS NO LONGER EMPLOYED WITH THE CITY, BUT IF THERE'S ANYONE ON ZOOM WHO WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD A PETITION, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO SO. 
          SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE REQUEST AND PETITIONS. 
          WE'LL MOVE TO REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS. 
          [VIII. Reports and Other Business.]
I LIKE TO READ THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS AGENDA. 
          THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS WILL MEET ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER THE 11TH IN THIS ROOM AT 7:30 P.M. 
          THE OLD BUSINESS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED, JANET AND PETRONO YATTO, HOMEOWNERS HAVE APPLIED FOR A VARIANCE TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM ACCESSORY STRUCTURE SQUARE FOOTAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 414 SYCAMORE STREET. 
          JANET AND PETRONO YATTO HOMEOWNERS HAVE APPLIED FOR A VARIANCE FROM THE ACCESSORY STRUCTURE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROPERTY AT THE SAME LOCATION. 
          UNDER NEW BUSINESS, FRANCISCO REYES ARCHITECT HAS REQUESTED A VARIANCE FROM THE ACCESSORY STRUCTURE SETBACK FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 249 MADISON AVENUE. 
          SECOND, CHRIS BAILEY ARCHITECT HAS REQUESTED A VARIANCE FROM THE ACCESSORY STRUCTURE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 10:33 EAST LAKE DRIVE. 
          THIRD, KATHLEEN CURRY ARCHITECT HAS REQUESTED A VARIANCE FROM THE SINGLE FAMILY SETBACK REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2:08 RIDLEY LANE, AND CHRIS MALONE CONTRACTOR HAS REQUESTED A VARIANCE FROM THE ACCESSORY STRUCTURE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 517 SYCAMORE STREET. 
          AGAIN, THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. 
          >> THERE'S AN E. 
          >> SORRY. THANK YOU. I DIDN'T LOOK FOR PAGE TWO. ALL RIGHT. 
          THERE'S AN E. AMY WRIGHT, HOMEOWNER HAS REQUESTED A VARIANCE FROM THE SINGLE FAMILY SETBACK REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 5:01 WESTCHESTER DRIVE. 
          THEY HAVE A FULL AGENDA THAT EVENING. 
          IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ANY OF THESE ITEMS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON OR SEND COMMENTS TO HOME TYE, WHO IS THE STAFF MEMBER THAT STAFFS THE MEETING FOR THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. 
          AGAIN, THESE DO NOT COME TO THE CITY COMMISSION. 
          FOR CONSIDERATION, THEY ARE DECIDED BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS AND CAN ONLY BE APPEALED IN SUPERIOR COURT. 
          WITH THAT, I WILL TURN THE MEETING BACK OVER TO MISS ARNOLD. 
          >> I'M JUST EXCITED TONIGHT TO SHOW OFF AN AWARD THAT THE CITY RECEIVED LAST WEEK. 
          THIS WAS AWARDED TO THE CITY. 
          IT'S A COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD, AND IT WAS AWARDED TO THE CITY THROUGH THE GEORGIA CITY SOLUTIONS, AND THAT'S A NONPROFIT THAT WAS ACTUALLY CREATED BY THE GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION TO HELP CITIES SOLVE REALLY TOUGH QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS. THIS AWARD, IN PARTICULAR, IS RECOGNIZING YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE CITY. 
          FITTING THAT WE'VE GOT SOME YOU HERE TONIGHT. 
          SPECIFICALLY, THIS AWARD WAS RECOGNIZING THE WORK OF OUR DECATUR YOUTH COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE TEAM LEADERSHIP TEAM, THE TEAM LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT SUPPORTS THE CITY'S CHILD FRIENDLY CITIES INITIATIVE. 
          IT WAS JUST A VERY NICE EVENT ACTUALLY AT THE ZOO THAT WAS PUT ON BY GEORGIA CITY SOLUTIONS. 
          MAYOR PRO TEM WERE THERE. 
          I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MAYOR AT THE WORK WHO ORGANIZES AND DOES EVERYTHING TO SUPPORT THE DECATUR YOUTH COUNCIL. 
          ALSO CLARE MILLER WAS THERE. 
          SHE'S WORKING WITH THE UNICEF PROGRAM, THE CHILD FRIENDLY CITIES, AND WE ALSO HAD TWO STUDENTS THERE WITH US WHO ALSO WERE ON STAGE AND RECOGNIZED AND SO THAT WAS KAIDEN DAYS AND LAURA DURBIN. 
          [02:40:06]
SO IT'S REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT OUR YOUTH HAVE DONE, AND WE IN THE CITY ARE AWARE OF THESE AMAZING GROUPS OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO IT WAS REALLY SPECIAL THOUGH TO GET THIS HONOR ON THE STATEWIDE LEVEL. 
          AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR YOUTH. 
          THANK YOU FOR MAKING US LOOK SO GOOD AS A COMMUNITY AND REALLY JUST REPRESENTING OUR FUTURE. 
          YOU REALLY ALL MAKE US PROUD AND WE'RE PROUD TO BRING THIS HOME AND SHOW IT OFF. 
          THAT I BELIEVE IS ALL THAT I HAVE. 
          LOOKING AT STAFF, THEY ARE NOT MAKING EYE CONTACT. 
          I'LL TAKE THAT. THANK YOU, MEYER. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MEYER. 
          I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS TODAY. 
          I THINK THAT I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ORGANIZING TEAM OF PORCH FEST FOR ANOTHER INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL EVENT. 
          I BELIEVE THERE WERE EVEN A COUPLE OF CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS AT PORCH FEST THIS YEAR, WHICH SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE DRAW. 
          I KNOW THAT IT IS A YEARS LONG LABOR OF LOVE. 
          THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ARE NAMED AND UNNAMED WHO DEDICATE THEIR TIME TO MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN ALL HAVE SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC AND SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR BANDS WHO DON'T OFTEN GET TO PLAY FOR AN AUDIENCE TO GET TO SHARE THEIR ART WITH US. 
          THAT'S ALL FOR ME TODAY. 
          WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. 
          I ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THERE IS A HANS AND SAINTS PARADE COMING UP BECAUSE I PROMISED I WOULD. 
          SO PLEASE MAKE SURE TO NOT FORGET ABOUT THAT LAST EVENT AS A PART OF THE PLACITA LATINA FESTIVAL, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LOT OF FUN AND THERE'S STILL TIME TO SIGN UP AND PARTICIPATE IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE IN THE HANS AND SAINTS PARADE. 
          THAT IS ALL I HAD TO SAY, MEYER. 
          >> SUNDAY FROM 6-8. THAT IS RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER DUSENBERY. 
          >> THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I NOTICED ON THE ZBA AGENDA THAT THERE WAS TRAINING FOR THE ZBA. 
          SO I WAS VERY HAPPY TO THAT. 
          I JUST WANTED TO CALL THAT OUT AND GIVE A SHUT OUT FOR THAT. 
          I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS SINCE I MISSED THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, BUT WE HAD DOUG FAUST HERE AND HE'S ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT. 
          DID WE TALK ABOUT THAT AT ALL THE LAST TIME? WELL, OBVIOUSLY, HE'S LEFT QUITE A LEGACY HERE IN DECATUR. 
          I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE HIM AND THANK HIM FOR THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE WITH THE DECATUR HOUSING AUTHORITY. 
          I WANT TO THANK THE SCHOOL BOARD AND MY COLLEAGUE, WHO I THOUGHT WAS A GOOD JOINT RETREAT. THAT'S JUST ENJOYABLE. 
          I THINK IT LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR MORE COLLABORATION, MORE COOPERATION, BUILDING UPON STUFF LIKE THE TRAFFIC LEGACY FIELD. 
          FOR VICTORIA COHEN, OUR NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER. 
          I'M ACTUALLY REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT POSITION BEING FILLED. 
          SHE ASKED ABOUT SOMETHING OF INTEREST. 
          I'D LOVE TO SEE AN URBAN TARGET. 
          THAT'D BE GREAT. 
          I ALSO KNOW FRONTLINE HAS STARTED ITS WORK, AND I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO MONITOR THAT AND SEE HOW THAT'S COMING ALONG. 
          I'D BE INTERESTED ABOUT IT. 
          THEN THE LAST THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WAS, I THOUGHT WAS A REALLY GOOD OPEN CONVERSATION WORK SESSION ABOUT THE NOISE ORDINANCE. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT STANDS IN TERMS OF THE FOLLOW UP. 
          BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT MOVE FORWARD. 
          I THINK EVERY MUNICIPALITY NEEDS A NOISE ORDINANCE. 
          IN SOME POINT TIME WE NEED ENFORCEABLE LAWS, AND I THINK WE'VE SHOWN THAT OUR NOISE ORDINANCE CAN BE BETTER. 
          IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING, A LITTLE UNENFORCEABLE. 
          SO POST ON STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY PROVIDE A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO IT. 
          AS THE MAYOR SAID, IT CAN BE A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, MENTAL, PHYSICAL HEALTH IMPACTS IN TERMS OF LOUD NOISES. 
          I THINK DOING THAT AND HAVING FORCED ORDINANCE ALSO WILL BUILD CIVIC TRUST AND WE HAVE A FEW ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS. 
          BUT I JUST WANTED TO, WHAT THEY SAY BRING THAT, BACK TO THE TOP OF THE INBOX, AND SO HOPE THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THAT FORWARD BECAUSE WE NEED NOISE ORDINANCE. 
          OUR CURRENT ONE REALLY ISN'T WORKING VERY WELL. 
          SO LET'S GET A BETTER ONE. 
          >> THANK YOU. I TOLD MY HUSBAND TONIGHT WILL BE MAYBE A CONTENT RICH, BUT NOT CONTROVERSIAL MEETING. 
          I THINK THAT IS HOW IT FELT THAT REALLY GOOD WORK WITH A LOT TO LEARN AND CONSIDER, BUT THAT WE WERE ALL ROWING IN THE SAME BOAT LINE, THE SAME OUTCOMES FROM THE AGENDA ITEMS. I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE THAT WE GOT TO HEAR FROM BETTER TOGETHER. 
          IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE AND I HOPE WE CAN SUPPORT 
          [02:45:01]
THEM ANY WAY POSSIBLE TO LIFT UP THEIR WORK, HELP THEM GROW THAT BOARD BACK OUT AND GIVE THEM MORE CAPACITY AND BANDWIDTH TO DO ALL THE GOOD STUFF THEY'VE BEEN DOING TO SUPPORT ALL DIFFERENT FACETS. 
          THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY EARLIER, THEY REALLY SUPPORT EVERY OTHER BOARD AND LINE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF WORK THAT WE DO AT A CITY GOVERNMENT. 
          I'M ALSO REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THE G DOT LETTER. 
          AN INTERESTING THING, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE NOISE ORDINANCE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO TOO AND DOING A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH AND ONLINE RESEARCH. 
          I HAD TO SAY RESEARCH WITH ONLINE. 
          IT FEELS WEIRD, BUT I WAS TRYING TO FIND MORE INFORMATION OUT THERE ON THE INTERNET. 
          THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CO-BENEFITS TO REDUCING SPEEDS. 
          IT ACTUALLY LOWERS NOISE TOO. 
          THAT HAPPENS. I THINK WE COULD BENEFIT THEN TOO FROM BOTH ACTIVITIES, BUT THINKING ABOUT SLOWER CARS, MAKING OUR TOWN ALSO NOT ONLY SAFER, BUT QUIETER IS A NICE THOUGHT TO ME. 
          THERE MIGHT BE MORE TO LOOK AT THERE, BUT I THINK JUST HIGH LEVEL IS A PRACTICAL UNDERSTANDABLE THING THAT HAPPENS. 
          THANKS FOR THE DEEP DIVE ON DOWNTOWN TOWN CENTER 2.0. 
          BETWEEN THAT AND LEGACY, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE LEGACY PARK HOUSING PROJECT THAT BILL FLOYD SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW WHY HE WAS HERE, BUT I THINK I KNOW WITH THOSE TWO DECISIONS TONIGHT ALONE, WE'RE DOING SOMETHING PRETTY BIG, GENERATIONAL CHANGING THAT WE MIGHT NOT SEE THE RESULTS, HOPEFULLY, 99% POSITIVE AND THE 1% UNINTENDED. 
          BUT WE MIGHT NOT SEE ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAPPENING AND APPRECIATE THEM FOR 5, 10, 15, 20 YEARS OR MORE, BUT SOMEONE HOPEFULLY WILL BE STANDING IN FRONT OF THIS COMMISSION IN A GENERATION OR TWO AND SAYING, WELL, THERE WAS A COMMISSION THAT MADE SOME PRETTY BRAVE DECISIONS ABOUT ADDING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO ITS STOCK, AND DISRUPTING ITS DOWNTOWN ENVIRONMENT, AGAIN, BUT TO HAVE BENEFITS FOR EVERYONE WHO COMES HERE TO WORK AND PLAY AND VISIT AND DO THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE DO DOWNTOWN. 
          HOPEFULLY, SOMEONE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT US AS DID BILL FLOYD. 
          IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE DECATUR 101, HE'S GIVEN SOME MOVING SPEECHES ABOUT DECATUR HISTORY. 
          IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR THESE JUNCTURES OF DECISION MAKING TIMES THAT HE WAS ALSO PART OF. 
          I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING AS MANY MAYORS AS POSSIBLE THREE YEARS IN A ROW, WE DID THE MAYOR'S MILE. 
          I WAS ABLE TO HOST THE 5K AND THE MAYOR'S MILE WHERE WE GOT IS ALL THE LIVING MAYORS TOGETHER AND TO SEE THEM TOTALLY INFORMALLY IN A CORNER, JUST TALKING AND SHARING NEWS. 
          OBVIOUSLY TALKING SHOP AND GETTING CAUGHT UP, YOU CAN SEE WHAT A BRAIN TRUST THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS, THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEADERS WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS, AND I DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT WE'RE BENEFICIARIES OF A LOT OF HARD WORK UP HERE AND ON THE SIDELINES TOO OF THINKING ABOUT HOW TO DO THE BEST THING FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TWICE A MONTH. 
          IT ALL ADDS UP OVER TIME AS MY POINT. 
          VERY MUCH APPRECIATE DOUG FAUST. 
          HOPEFULLY, WE CAN ALL BE PART OF HIS RETIREMENT FESTIVITIES AND HIS MOVE TO ANOTHER GREAT CHAPTER OF HIS LIFE. 
          I WISH HIM ALL THE BEST AS HE MAKES THAT NEXT MOVE FOR HIMSELF TOO. 
          I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. GREAT MEETING. THANK YOU. 
          >> I WANT TO ECHO A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE MADE. 
          I WANT TO ADD, BEING UP ON STAGE LAST THURSDAY AT ZOU ATLANTA, LISTENING TO THEM TALK ABOUT OUR YOUTH. 
          THEY'RE NOW RECOGNIZING WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW THAT WE GET OUR KIDS AND OUR CHILDREN INVOLVED AND WE VALUE YOUR OPINION, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE JUST TALK ABOUT AND PUT ON A SHELF. 
          IT'S ACTUALLY STUFF THAT WE INITIATE AND WE PUT INTO ACTION. 
          SO IT WAS GREAT TO GET THAT AWARD, BUT THAT AWARD DOES NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO SHOWING THE VALUE THAT YOU BRING TO US BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. 
          IT WAS AT THE 2020 START OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN WHEN WE WERE BOMBARDED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER YOUTH INITIATIVES. 
          SO THE ADULTS DO LISTEN, WELL, THESE ADULTS DO LISTEN WHEN THE MESSAGE IS RECEIVED, AND I JUST WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO SAY, PLEASE BRING US THOSE MESSAGES BECAUSE WE'RE LISTENING. 
          I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR RETREAT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD. 
          HOW TO BE BETTER LISTENERS. 
          WE ARE ALL GUILTY AT TIMES OF JUMPING TO A CONCLUSION BEFORE WE ACTUALLY HEAR WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED BECAUSE I KNOW I'M BAD AT IT SOMETIMES. 
          [02:50:03]
IT'S APPRECIATED THAT THERE'S ALWAYS DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND THAT WE ALL HAVE TO DO OUR PART AS LEADERS TO LISTEN AND LISTEN WELL BECAUSE GREAT LEADERS LISTEN A LOT BEFORE THEY SPEAK. 
          IT WAS A GREAT MEETING. 
          I'M GLAD THAT WE'VE STARTED TO GET SOME OF THE STRUCTURAL STUFF DONE AND IT'LL BE EXCITING TO GET A PLAN ON THE BOOKS TO GET STARTED WITH THE SQUARE AND GO FROM THERE. 
          I'M EXCITED ABOUT HALLOWEEN'S COMING UP. 
          PARENTS, IF YOU HAVEN'T CUT YOUR BRUSHES BACK AND GOT THOSE PORCH LIGHTS READY, NOW IT'S YOUR CHANCE. 
          IT'S A WEEK AND TWO DAYS AWAY OR SO. 
          THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. I AGREE. GREAT MEETING. 
          COMMISSIONER DUSENBERY, I HAD AN E-MAIL TODAY ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE. 
          SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT BACK FOR US TO SEE WHAT MIGHT COME NEXT OUT WITH THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR WORK SESSION TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WORKS, BETTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. 
          I DO WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE TO VOTE IF YOU HAVEN'T VOTED. THAT'S RIGHT. 
          >> THAT'S IT. 
          >> SORRY, MEREDITH. I MAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE VOTE EARLY. 
          SO MEREDITH AND I VOTE ON THE DAY OF VOTERS, BUT I'M GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT WAITING THAT LONG, BUT DO REMIND EVERYBODY HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. 
          IT IS OUR CIVIC DUTY TO DO SO. 
          I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE IN ELECTIONS AND THAT ALL OF OUR VOTES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 
          >> MAYOR, IF I MAY. THERE'S A REALLY GREAT LINK I'D NOT SEEN IN YEARS BEFORE THAT THE COUNTIES GOT ABOUT WAIT TIMES TOO. 
          THAT'S BEEN CIRCULATING AND IT SHOULD BE OUT WITH THAT GOT VOTER PAGE THAT THE COUNTY PUBLISHES, BUT IT'S NOW HAS THE EACH SITE WITH WAIT TIMES. 
          I THINK THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. 
          >> THAT IS HELPFUL TO KNOW, SO THAT YOU CAN FIND A SPOT THAT'S CLOSE BY AND THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LONG WAIT TIME. 
          I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TOO. 
          PORCH FEST WAS AMAZING AND IT'S REALLY FUN TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT ENJOYING MUSIC AND AGAIN, HEARING BANDS THAT DON'T GET TO PLAY ALL THE TIME. 
          THANK OUR OCRS REC CENTER FOR PROVIDING FOR KIDS ACTIVITIES THIS YEAR, AND I'D ASKED THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT IT EARLIER AND THEY HAD 28 STUDENTS, YOUTH WHO ARE, I GUESS KIDS, YOUNGER KIDS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE DROP OFF PROGRAM, SO THAT THEIR PARENTS MIGHT ENJOY PORCH FEST IN A DIFFERENT WAY BECAUSE SOMETIMES KIDS GET A LITTLE TIRED OF BEING TAKEN AROUND TO QUITE SO MANY BANDS AND THAT THEY HAD 40 PLUS FAMILIES THAT CAME DURING THE 2:00-4:00 PM OPEN TIME, WHERE THERE WAS A DJ AND ACTIVITIES AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT ON THE PART OF PARKS AND REC FOR LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE OUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, AND WHAT BETTER PLACE THAN EMBEDDED REC CENTER IN THE MIDDLE OF OKURSE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN AND TO SUPPORT SUCH A GREAT FUN EVENT AND GIVE FAMILIES OPTIONS. 
          SO I ALSO WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THE DECATUR BARBECUE AND BANS IS IN OKURSE VILLAGE THIS SATURDAY. 
          I SAID, WHAT'S BETTER THAN COLLARD GREENS AND BARBECUE. 
          YOU CAN HAVE A FESTIVE SATURDAY. 
          SO OUR OCTOBER STREET CONTINUES WITH A LOT OF FUN EVENTS. 
          THANK YOU TO ANGELA THREADGILL FOR THE PRESENTATION ABOUT THE DECATUR SQUARE. 
          I THINK WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THOSE CHANGES, EXCITED ABOUT HOUSING ON LEGACY PARK, AND CERTAINLY SAFER STREETS. 
          THANKS EVERYONE FOR A GREAT MEETING AND WE'LL BE BACK HERE NOVEMBER. 
          SO RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION. 
          NO FURTHER BUSINESS. 
          THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 9:07.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.