Mar 03, 2025 Work Session & City Commission

[00:00:03]

GOOD EVENING. I AM EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT THE CHARTER REVIEW.

[WORK SESSION – 6:45 P.M.]

YOU WILL BE. BUT WE TOLD THE MEMBERS OF DECATUR 101 ON THURSDAY WHEN WE DID BUDGETING WITH THEM.

WE MIGHT NOT BE A BUDGET FAN NOW, BUT YOU WILL BE.

SO HERE WE GO. TODAY. TECHNOLOGY.

SO WHAT IS A CITY CHARTER? WE'RE GOING TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BEGINNING THERE.

A CITY CHARTER IS LIKE A RULE BOOK ON HOW THE CITY OPERATES.

IT IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT OUTLINES THE CITY GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, THE POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICIALS, AND HOW THE CITY WILL BE RUN. IT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE HOW THE CITY COMMISSION IS ELECTED, HOW LAWS ARE MADE, AND HOW THE CITY'S MONEY IS MANAGED. SO THINK OF IT AS OUR CITY CONSTITUTION, SETTING THE FRAMEWORK FOR HOW EVERYTHING WORKS LOCALLY.

AND IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE OUR CITY CHARTER IS, IT'S AT THE FRONT OF OUR CODE BOOK OR THE CODE OF ORDINANCE THAT'S ONLINE, AND THAT'S THE FIRST 21 PAGES OF OUR BOOK. SO IN A TYPICAL CHARTER REVISION PROCESS, IT INCLUDES THESE PRACTICES AND COMPONENTS. SO, BEST PRACTICE RECOMMENDED REVIEW EVERY TEN YEARS WE'RE GOING ON 24.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO START VERY SOON. BUT IT'S WORKED WELL FOR US FOR 24 YEARS.

SO THERE IS THAT ONE. THE GOVERNING BODY APPOINTS A CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.

THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION WILL STUDY THE EXISTING CHARTER, PLUS ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE ELECTED BODY AND STAFF TO IDENTIFY RECOMMENDED CHANGES AND THE GO AWAY.

HOLD ON. IT'S NOT ON THE SCREEN. I CAN SEE IT.

YOU ALL CAN SEE IT. OKAY. WELL, THEY CAN AGAIN. ALL RIGHT.

EXCELLENT. WELL, I'M TALKING TO YOU ALL RIGHT NOW, SO I'LL FILL THEM IN LATER.

THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION AND THE CITY ATTORNEY WILL DRAFT AMENDMENTS.

THE CITY COMMISSION WILL REVIEW AND SEND IT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

AND THEN IT GOES TO THE VOTERS FOR APPROVAL VIA A PUBLIC REFERENDUM.

AND THEN OUR PROCESS, THE PUBLIC REFERENDUM IS BASICALLY USE UP OR DOWN ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS I BELIEVE.

SO, OR COULD BE MAYBE IT MIGHT BE. WE COULD WRITE IT IN ANY NUMBER OF WAYS, BUT I'LL ACTUALLY HAVE TO DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY ON THAT.

AND THE CITY, I THINK IT'S ALL OR NOTHING. WE CAN CONFIRM THAT OUR PROCESS WILL BE CONTRACTING WITH THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE AND USING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR PROCESS THAT ARE SET FORTH IN THEIR MODEL CITY CHARTER, OUR VERY OWN MAYOR. GARRETT PARTICIPATED AS A MEMBER OF THE MODEL CHARTER STEERING REVISION STEERING COMMITTEE, I THINK BACK IN 2021. WE HAVE WE HAVE AN EXPERT WITH US, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING, AND THEN WE WILL BE WORKING WITH NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE STAFFERS DEREK OKUBO, NICK AVALOS AND MATT LEININGER.

HE'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION THAT OVERSEES CHARTER REVIEWS.

THAT'S EXCITING. AND HE'S BEEN TO DECATUR SEVERAL TIMES.

HE'S A BIG FAN. SO I THINK THEY'RE ALL EXCITED TO GET OUT HERE.

OUR SCHEDULE THAT STARTING IN MAY, WE WILL COMMUNICATE ABOUT THE CHARTER COMMISSION AND THE CIVIC LOTTERY, AND I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN JUST A MOMENT. THEN IN JUNE AND JULY, THE SUMMER, THE STAFF CIVIC LEAGUE STAFF WILL REVIEW OUR LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, GATHER INPUT FROM KEY STAKEHOLDERS, CONDUCT THE CIVIC LOTTERY, AND THEN YOU WILL APPOINT THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION. SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR. WHAT IS THE CIVIC LOTTERY? WELL, THAT'S. WE'RE COMING TO THAT. OKAY. OKAY.

IN AUGUST, ON THE SIXTH, THE TENTATIVE RIGHT NOW, IT WILL BE THE FIRST MEETING OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.

AND THEN THAT NEXT DAY WOULD BE A COMMUNITY EVENT EXPLAINING WHAT THE CHARTER REVIEW PROCESS IS ALL ABOUT. Y'ALL STILL SEE IT? NO. IN AUGUST THROUGH NOVEMBER IS WHEN THE WORK WILL HAPPEN.

DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MEETINGS WILL BE EXACTLY.

BELIEVE DEREK WANTS TO COME AS OFTEN AS HE CAN TO HOLD MEETINGS, SO THE CHARTER COMMISSION WILL DO ITS WORK DURING THAT TIME AND THEN DEVELOP AND PRESENT PROPOSED CHANGES. THEN ON DECEMBER 9TH, TENTATIVELY WOULD BE ANOTHER COMMUNITY EVENT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AND WOULD LIKELY BE PROPOSED TO Y'ALL IN JANUARY.

[00:05:06]

HOPEFULLY YOU WILL APPROVE OR FORMALLY ACCEPT THE CHARTER COMMISSION'S PROPOSED CHANGES, AND THEN WE WILL WORK WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO GET THAT GOING THROUGH THEIR PROCESS. THEN IN NOVEMBER OF 2026, IT WOULD HOPEFULLY END UP ON THE BALLOT FOR A LOCAL REFERENDUM.

AND THEN IN JANUARY OF 2027, IF APPROVED BY A REFERENDUM, ANY CHANGES TO THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE.

THESE ARE ALL VERY MUCH TENTATIVE DRAFT DATES.

SO ON TO THE CIVIC LOTTERY. WE WILL USE A PROCESS, I WOULD SAY CONSISTENT WITH HOW YOU HAVE NAMED MEMBERS TO OTHER COMMISSIONS AND BODIES.

SO ABOUT 15 TO 20 MEMBERS THAT WOULD INCLUDE YOUR SELECTIONS, LIAISONS FROM OUR DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND SOME REPS FROM THE CITY SCHOOLS AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WILL MAKE 15 TO 20 MEMBERS.

THEN WE WILL USE THE CIVIC LOTTERY, WHICH IS A LOTTERY BASED TOOL FOR RANDOMLY SELECTING CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN DEMOCRATIC INITIATIVES.

AND THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE HAS A PROCESS THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO USE VERY WELL AND WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE'LL USE.

THIS PROCESS STARTED IN MAY, AND WE'LL CONDUCT THE LOTTERY IN JUNE.

THE TARGET DATE TO SEND OUT MAILERS AND TO BEGIN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN IS MAY 15TH.

SO WE'LL GO TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THE CITY, LETTING THEM KNOW WE'RE HAVING THIS PROCESS AND HOW THIS LOTTERY IS GOING TO WORK.

AND THEN THEY WANT EVERYONE YOU WANT ON THIS GROUP.

PLUS, OUR 5 TO 10 RANDOMLY SELECTED MEMBERS WILL BE APPOINTED AT THE JULY 21ST MEETING.

REQUIRED PROCESS. THE CIVIC LOTTERY KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO I LIKE IT.

I MEAN, I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, ENGAGEMENT, I MEAN, I GUESS IT COULD BE THIS COULD ALSO BE A, A PILOT FOR HOW WE SELECT MEMBERS FOR OTHER INITIATIVES WE'RE GOING THROUGH.

THERE'S ALSO SOMETHING CALLED THE COMMUNITY SCORECARD THAT WILL LIKELY BE USING AS WELL.

WHEN FOLKS COME TO MEETINGS, THEY'LL RATE THOSE MEETINGS BOTH THE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS AND THE PUBLIC MEETINGS THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN.

SO BECAUSE NORMALLY WE HAVE NOT I MEAN, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO GET CIVICALLY INVOLVED, AND THEN WE HAVE A POOL OF A CERTAIN SUBSET OF DECATUR WHO ARE. AND I THINK THEY HAVE USED THIS IN A LOT OF OTHER TYPES OF STUDIES, TOO, AND HAVE FOUND IT TO BE AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO GET PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE PARTICIPATE.

OKAY. I LOOK AT IT LIKE JURY DUTY.

I HOPE NOT. BUT SO, THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT YOU WILL BE ASKED TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT WITH THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE AT THE MARCH 17TH MEETING.

AND IF WE AND OUR COMMUNITY WILL START REVIEWING THE CHARTER NOW, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

IT'S ONLY 21 PAGES, BUT IT'S CHOCK FULL OF USEFUL INFORMATION.

SOME OF IT I THINK WILL KEEP. SOME OF IT MAY BE MOVED ALONG AND REPLACED WITH SOMETHING THAT'S EVEN BETTER.

WE'LL ANNOUNCE THE USE OF THE CIVIC LOTTERY ON MAY 15TH.

YOU WILL APPOINT THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION ON JULY 21ST, AND THE WORK WILL REALLY BEGIN ON, OR I SHOULD SAY, FORMALLY BEGIN ON AUGUST 6TH.

I WENT THROUGH THAT SUPER DUPER QUICK. SO WHAT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK DO YOU HAVE ABOUT THIS PROCESS? WILL THE CONTRACT SPECIFY HOW OFTEN THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVES WILL COME? AND THE I GUESS THE WHAT? ALL WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS FROM THAT END? YES, I CAN GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE SCOPE OF SERVICES, ESPECIALLY THE PRE WORK THAT'S IN JUNE AND JULY.

THEY WILL REVIEW THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. THEY WILL ALSO GATHER INPUT FROM KEY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING CITY COMMISSIONERS, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS.

THEY'VE CALLED OUT THE BETTER TOGETHER ADVISORY BOARD AND THE DECATUR YOUTH COUNCIL.

AND THEN IF THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS WE DEFINITELY WANT THEM TO TALK WITH, THEY WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS PERIOD.

SO CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, MANY OF OUR CHURCHES, HOUSES OF WORSHIP, THOSE AREAS,

[00:10:07]

SO THAT'S WHERE THAT CIVIC SCORECARD COMES IN.

THEN THEY'RE GOING TO CREATE LOCAL MAP THE LOCAL NETWORKS, WHICH THEY SAID CREATE A MAP OF TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO SUPPORT EFFECTIVE OUTREACH AND REACH POPULATIONS NOT TYPICALLY INVOLVED IN LOCAL DECISION MAKING PROCESSES.

THEN IN AUGUST, WE'LL HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING AND OUR COMMUNITY EVENT, AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONDUCT AN IN-PERSON FORUM TO INFORM RESIDENTS AND ENCOURAGE DIVERSE PARTICIPATION IN THE CHARTER REVISION PROCESS.

SO AT THE FORUM, THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION WILL BE INTRODUCED, AND DEREK AND NICK WILL SHARE THE MOST RELEVANT INFORMATION FROM THE FIRST PART OF THE PROCESS AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO SUBMIT AND GIVE FEEDBACK FOR THE CHARTER COMMISSION TO CONSIDER AND OTHER TOPICS THAT COULD BE COVERED ARE WHAT IS THE CITY CHARTER AND HOW IT OPERATES? WHY HAVING AN UP TO DATE CHARTER IS IMPORTANT.

WHY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE CHARTER REVIEW PROCESS IS IMPORTANT.

THE HISTORY OF OUR CHARTER. KEY AREAS COVERED BY A CITY CHARTER AND THEIR PURPOSES, AND THEN TALKING THROUGH WHAT THE REVISION PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, INCLUDING THE ROLES OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, THE CITY COMMISSION, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE PUBLIC BALLOT.

THEN IN AUGUST TO NOVEMBER, THE CHARTER COMMISSION WILL DO ITS WORK.

SO, THERE WILL BE A SEQUENCE OF IN-PERSON BUT ALSO VIRTUAL.

SO I THINK AS I SAID, DEREK WANTS TO COME AS OFTEN AS HE CAN, BUT HE KNOWS WE CAN'T ALL BE IN THE SAME ROOM AT THE SAME TIME.

THE FULL GROUPS. THERE WILL BE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS, AND THE GROUP WILL UNDERGO AN ORIENTATION ON CITY CHARTERS AND THEIR PURPOSE.

CLARIFY THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.

ESTABLISH CORE GOVERNANCE VALUES THAT SHOULD GUIDE THE UPDATED CHARTER.

REVIEW INPUT FROM THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS FOR AREAS FOR REVISION.

DETERMINE WHICH AREAS REQUIRE FURTHER COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND HOLD ADDITIONAL FORUMS, USE OF SURVEYS OR DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND USE THE FEEDBACK TO DRAFT POTENTIAL CHANGES.

AND THEN THEY'LL PULL ALL THAT TOGETHER. AND AND THE FINAL PHASE, THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION WILL DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGING CHANGES, EXPLAINING THE REASONS BEHIND EACH ONE AND CREATE A VERSION OF THE CHARTER WITH PROPOSED CHANGES THAT ARE CLEARLY MARKED, AND THEN PROVIDE REGULAR UPDATES TO YOU ON THE PROGRESS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YEAH, I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THE PROCESS.

AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BRING IN THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE.

AND THEIR TEAM DOES FACILITATE THINGS LIKE THIS ALL OVER.

AND I THINK WE'LL IT WILL BE WORTH THE TIME AND ENERGY AND THE MONEY THAT WE SPEND TO GET THIS RIGHT, I THINK, TO HAVE AND TO HAVE THE PUBLIC A PART OF THE, OF THE PROCESS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERYONE TO BE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE, WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS NOW AND THINGS THAT MIGHT, WE MIGHT WANT TO SEE DONE A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY OR NOT, BUT TO REVIEW THAT.

SO ALL RIGHT. OTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE. A QUESTION ABOUT THE THE COMP PLAN THAT COMES UP EVERY IN THE EVERY FIVE YEAR INTERIM, RIGHT. DOES THIS SYNC UP THE WORK IN 26? ARE WE ON THE FIVE YEAR.

THAT'S KIND OF A GOOD THING, DON'T YOU THINK? OR IS IT JUST DOES IT MATTER THERE IN PARALLEL? LIKE ARE THERE TIE INS THAT ONE HELPS THE OTHER WITH BEING ON THAT TIMELINE? I'M JUST THINKING IT THROUGH JUST TO REMEMBER.

YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK SOME OF THE WORK EVEN LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE IDENTIFYING THE STAKEHOLDERS, EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF THAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE THROUGH OTHER PLANNING PROCESSES, I WOULD SEE THAT AS YOU KNOW, THERE THERE COULD BE SOME OVERLAP THERE. BUT MAYBE THE BENEFIT TO OF HOW THAT'S A TIME OTHERWISE THAT WE DO DRAW COMMUNITY IN CLOSE TO REALLY GET THEM BACK INVOLVED IN STRATEGIC PLANNING AND THINKING.

AND IT'S JUST A NICE TIME TO BE TALKING ABOUT BOTH AND THE EDUCATION PROCESS AND THE ENGAGEMENT COULD BE BENEFICIAL.

THERE'LL BE SYNERGY. NOW WE'RE HAVING AN OFFICIAL MEETING. I JUST SAID THE WORD SYNERGY. I THINK IT'S EXCITING WORK, THOUGH. OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER COMMENT.

I'M SO I'VE BECAUSE PEOPLE ON THE COMMISSION KNOW WHO'VE BEEN ADVOCATING THAT WE SHOULD DIRECTLY ELECT OUR MAYOR.

AND I JUST APPRECIATE THE PROCESS AND I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS.

I KNOW THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE RECOMMENDATION MAY NOT BE THAT WE DO THAT, BUT AT LEAST WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION AND TALK ABOUT IT. AND SO,

[00:15:03]

IS THERE A IS THERE A PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING LIKE IT'S BEEN 24 YEARS, SO THERE MAY BE SOME STUFF THAT'S SPECIFICALLY OUTDATED.

I ASSUME OUR CONSULTANTS WOULD KIND OF ELEVATE THOSE UP FOR US.

AND THEN THEY ALSO MIGHT IDENTIFY. WELL THESE ARE LIKE THE 3 TO 5 THINGS THAT EVERY JURISDICTION.

WHENEVER THEY DO A CITY CHARTER. SO THAT'S PART OF THAT PROCESS. OKAY.

BASED ON THE BELIEVE I SENT CENTERED AFTER THE RETREAT, BUT IF NOT, I'LL SEND THE LINK TO THE MODEL CITY CHARTER.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE, I THINK, BE THEIR GUIDEBOOK.

OKAY. I'D BE SURPRISED IF IT WASN'T. BUT SO THERE WAS.

YEAH. PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW. YES.

YEAH. AND SO THEY COULD READ THE CHARTER AND SAY, THIS LOOKS GREAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE IT SHOULD BE. AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE MODEL CHARTER AND THESE FOLKS HAVE ALSO WORKED IN DOZENS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES.

AND SO I THINK THEY IN SOME COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NOT DISSIMILAR TO DECATUR.

SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO THEM FOR JUST FOR SOME OF THOSE IDEAS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS? BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT WE DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY WHAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE CHARTER AND THE PROCESS, AND YOU WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS AND I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I ASSUME THERE WERE SEVERAL TOUCH POINTS WHERE IT WOULD COME BACK BEFORE THE COMMISSION. MAYBE THEY HAD LIKE SOMETHING AKIN TO A WORK SESSION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THAT.

OKAY. YES, WE'LL HAVE REGULAR UPDATES AND WE'LL BE GLAD TO JUST GO AHEAD AND SLOT IT IN TO THE WORK SESSION SCHEDULE.

SO WE THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I'M ASSUMING IF WE'RE STARTING IN AUGUST AND FINISHING IN DECEMBER, YOU KNOW, A GOOD A GOOD MIDWAY POINT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT ON OUR SCHEDULE.

I SEE I WAS HOPING THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST CHARTER REVIEW OF THE MILLENNIUM, BUT I GUESS.

THE FIRST ONE OF THIS DECADE. RIGHT. THANKS, MEREDITH.

I WILL LOOK MORE IMPRESSIVE. AND WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE OUR DELEGATION, BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE WILL WANT TO KEEP THE DELEGATION MEMBERS INFORMED AND WE CAN TALK AS WE WE'VE HAD A WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH THE CIVIC LEAGUE STAFF AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE BEST WAY TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEM INVOLVED AND ENGAGED BECAUSE CERTAINLY IT WOULD NOT COME AS A SHOULD NOT COME AS A SURPRISE TO THEM. IN JANUARY, WHEN THE SESSION BEGINS LOCAL LEGISLATION OR DOES THE FULL ASSEMBLY? I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS LOCAL LEGISLATION.

IF I'M THINKING ABOUT THE ONES I'VE SEEN OVER PRIOR YEARS IN GMA, I THINK THERE HAVE EVEN BEEN SOME THIS YEAR THAT I'VE SEEN UNDER LOCAL.

AND I SHOULD SAY LOCAL LEGISLATION MEANS THAT ONLY THE DELEGATION WOULD.

BE ACCURATE. I THINK THAT THE DELEGATION HAS TO SIGN OFF ON IT, BUT THEN I THINK IT HAS TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD.

YEAH, IT STILL GOES TO THE. YEAH, IT STILL GOES RIGHT.

IT'S. I WAS JUST. RIGHT. YEAH. SO. BUT USUALLY THERE'S NOT I SHOULD KNOCK ON WOOD. WE WE WOULD ANTICIPATE HOPEFULLY THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE 26.

RIGHT? YES. SO. THE CITY ATTORNEY IS INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS NOW AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED.

SHE'S REVIEWING THE MOU AT THE MOMENT AND AWAITING HER FEEDBACK.

OTHER QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BEFORE WE START OUR COMMISSION MEETING, SO THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO THE PROCESS. SO.

PART OF THIS POSTING SOMETHING SO. ALL RIGHT.

ARE WE READY. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE DECATUR CITY COMMISSION FOR

[I. Call to Order by Mayor.]

[II. Approval of the Minutes.]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES? AYE. AND MINUTES ARE APPROVED. AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS OUT OF TOWN AND WAS JOINING US BY ZOOM.

BUT WE ARE HAVING AUDIO ISSUES WITH ZOOM THIS EVENING.

SO THOSE WHO WANT TO WATCH THE MEETING CAN FOLLOW IT ON LINE, BUT WE'RE NOT.

WE WERE NOT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HEAR US ON ZOOM, NOR WILL WE BE ABLE TO HEAR ANYONE MAKE COMMENTS ON ZOOM UNLESS YOU.

[00:20:07]

[III. Proclamation.]

WHEREAS RAMADAN IS THE HOLY MONTH OF FASTING, SPIRITUAL RENEWAL AND TIME OF REFLECTION FOR MUSLIMS WORLDWIDE IN THE NINTH MONTH OF THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR YEAR. AND WHEREAS RAMADAN LASTS 29 TO 30 DAYS BASED ON THE TIMING OF THE CRESCENT MOON.

AND WHEREAS RAMADAN IS REGARDED AS A TIME FOR INCREASED AWARENESS AND GIVING TO THE GLOBAL POOR, SICK AND HUNGRY, AND BRIDGING OF OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PEOPLE OVER A SHARED COMMITMENT TO FAITH.

WHEREAS MUSLIMS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR JOIN MUSLIMS FROM ACROSS AMERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD, FASTING EACH DAY FROM THE BREAK OF DAWN TO SUNSET.

AND WHEREAS THE BREAKING, THE DAILY BREAKING OF FAST, CALLED IFTAR AT SUNSET, IS OFTEN CELEBRATED WITH FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.

AND WHEREAS THE END OF RAMADAN IS COMMEMORATED BY EID AL-FITR, WHICH TRANSLATES TO FESTIVAL OF BREAKING THE FAST, A JOYOUS OCCASION MARKED BY SHARING SWEETS, GIFTS AND GOOD TIDINGS.

AND WHEREAS RAMADAN REMINDS US THAT ISLAM HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF AMERICA AND THAT MUSLIMS HAVE MADE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COUNTRY.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I PATTI GARRETT, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, DO RECOGNIZE FEBRUARY 28TH, 2025 TO MARCH 30TH, 2025 AS RAMADAN 2025 AND URGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE TRADITIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF MUSLIM RESIDENTS DURING THIS SACRED TIME.

SO I HOPE WE WILL ALL REMEMBER OUR MUSLIM FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS SUCH A HOLY TIME OF OF OF CELEBRATING THEIR FAITH.

SO AND THANK YOU TO EXCUSE ME, A RESIDENT, FOR ASKING US TO DO THIS AT THIS TIME.

SO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE SPLOST BOND PLAN OF FINANCE FOR THE DECATUR SQUARE

[IV. Presentation.]

MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE DEB GEPHARDT, THE DAVENPORT AND COMPANY.

AND DAVENPORT SERVES AS THE CITY'S FINANCIAL ADVISOR.

AND DOUG WILL BE MAKING A PRESENTATION TONIGHT ABOUT THE FINANCING PLAN AS IT RELATES TO THE DECATUR SQUARE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT.

AND IT'S RELATED TO THE USE OF SALES TAX FUNDS THAT WE WILL ISSUE BONDS AGAINST THE SPLOST OR THE SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX IN ORDER TO TO FINANCE THAT PROJECT.

AND EVEN WHEN THE WHEN SPLOST AND THIS IS FROM SPLOST TWO WHEN SPLOST TWO WAS APPROVED.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WAS IMAGINED AT THAT TIME.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO TO DOUG. AND IF YOU WANT TO ALSO INTRODUCE YOUR TEAMMATE.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, DOUG. ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU FOR THE INTRODUCTION, ANDREA. MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, GREAT TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.

AGAIN, DOUG GEBHART WITH DAVENPORT. WE'VE BEEN THE CITY'S FINANCIAL ADVISOR FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND PLEASED TO BE IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION HERE THIS EVENING.

AND WITH ME IS MY COLLEAGUE, CHRISTOPHER HOLT.

WHO WILL ANSWER ALL THE HARD QUESTIONS BEHIND ME.

I'LL DEFER TO HIM. BUT AGAIN, I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF AN UPCOMING PLAN OF FINANCE FOR A POTENTIAL BORROWING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO OVER INCUR. AND SO AS PART OF THAT, ANDREA GAVE A A GREAT OVERVIEW.

BUT YOU CAN SEE ON PAGE ONE OF YOUR PRESENTATIONS AS PART OF THE NOVEMBER 23RD REFERENDUM, DEKALB COUNTY AS A WHOLE RENEWED THE SPLOST OR THE SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX, WHICH AS YOU KNOW, IS A 1% SALES TAX THAT IS PURELY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS ONLY, CAN'T BE USED FOR OPERATIONS AT ALL.

AND SO AS PART OF THAT, THE CITY, ALSO THE CITY RESIDENTS, 87% OF THE CITY APPROVED THE RENEWAL OF THE SPLOST, SPLOST BEGAN BACK IN APRIL OF 24 AND WILL CONTINUE FOR A PERIOD OF ROUGHLY SIX OF EXACTLY SIX YEARS.

AND AS PART OF THAT SPLOST REFERENDUM PROCESS, THE VOTERS ALSO APPROVED THE ISSUANCE OF UP TO $10 MILLION OF GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT. SO FULL FAITH AND CREDIT CREDIT DEBT OF THE CITY THAT COULD BE USED TO POTENTIALLY JUMP START PROJECTS.

[00:25:07]

SET LEVEL DEBT SERVICE STRUCTURE THAT WE'LL GET TO LATER WITHIN THE PRESENTATION.

FOLLOWING THAT REFERENDUM, YOU, AS THE COMMISSION DID, APPROVE THE ELECTION RESULTS, WHICH ALLOWED US TO GO THROUGH AND VALIDATE THE THE BOND PROCESS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM.

SO YOUR LEGAL TEAM HANDLED THAT PROCESS AS WELL.

SO FLIPPING TO PAGE TWO, JUST A REMINDER FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE AND IN THE COMMISSION THAT THE TOTAL PROJECTED COLLECTIONS FOR THIS SPLOST IS ROUGHLY $30.5 MILLION, OF WHICH REALLY THE NEW MONEY PROJECTS WERE BROKEN INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES TRANSPORTATION, CULTURE, AND RECREATION. SO THE PLAN FOR THIS UPCOMING BORROWING IS FOR THE DECATUR SQUARE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT.

AND SO THERE'S ELEMENTS OF EACH ONE OF THAT, OF THAT PROJECT THAT FALL INTO EACH ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES.

SO IT'S WITHIN THE APPROVED PROJECT LIST THAT THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR WANTED TO TO PURSUE.

SO FLIPPING TO PAGE TWO OR PAGE THREE. PARDON ME.

PART OF OUR DISCUSSION WITH CITY STAFF IS WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT ISSUING THIS DEBT? IS IT THROUGH A VARIETY OF FINANCING OPTIONS? AND WHAT WE CAME TO IS A RECOMMENDATION TO PURSUE THE BONDS VIA A COMPETITIVE PUBLIC MARKET SALE.

YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR ISSUANCES ARE DONE THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS IN WHICH WE PUT THE BIDS OUT TO PROSPECTIVE UNDERWRITERS, AND ARE UNBIASED AS TO WHO PROVIDES US WITH THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST ON THE PROPOSED DAY OF THE SALE.

BUT IN ORDER TO GO OUT THROUGH A PUBLIC MARKET ISSUANCE, THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN.

WE HAVE TO GO AND GET A NEW CREDIT RATING FOR THIS UPCOMING ISSUANCE.

I HAVE TO PREPARE AN OFFERING DOCUMENT, A PROSPECTUS WHICH IS CALLED A PRELIMINARY OFFICIAL STATEMENT AND A FINAL OFFICIAL STATEMENT.

AND SO WE PUT IT OUT TO BID. AND WHOEVER WINS THE BID ON THAT DAY, OR PROVIDES THE LOWEST COST, WINS THE BID THAT DAY. AND AT THAT TIME, THE INTEREST RATES OF THE BONDS ARE THEN LOCKED IN.

SO THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION TO YOU ALL TO PURSUE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS POTENTIAL FINANCING.

ON PAGE FOUR, AS AS I MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE TO GO GET A CREDIT RATING.

THE CITY ENJOYS A VERY PRESTIGIOUS, VERY STRONG CREDIT RATINGS OF AA ONE AA PLUS FROM MOODY'S AND STANDARD AND POOR'S, RESPECTIVELY. THE LAST TIME WE WENT INTO A MOODY'S REVIEW WAS IN 2022.

AND WE JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED A REVIEW FROM STANDARD AND POOR'S AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.

FOLLOWING A CHANGE IN THEIR METHODOLOGY PRACTICE.

SO WE WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE NATIONAL CREDIT RATING AGENCIES TO SECURE THOSE VERY PRESTIGIOUS AA ONE AA PLUS BOND RATINGS.

TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT THE MARKET IS DOING ON PAGE FIVE, THIS IS THE FIVE YEAR TRIPLE A.

TRIPLE A IS THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE CREDIT RATING WHICH YOU SAW ON THE NEXT PAGE.

AND THE D STANDS FOR MUNICIPAL MARKET DATA. IT'S BASICALLY A COMPANY THAT AGGREGATES TRADES.

AND THIS IS THE YIELD CURVE THAT THAT WE USE TO PRICE SOME BONDS.

SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S BEEN PRETTY PRETTY NARROW OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF JUMP AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR AS A RESULT OF SOME POSITIVE ECONOMIC NEWS, WHICH IS KIND OF WEIRD TO SAY. BUT SINCE THEN RATES HAVE STARTED TO TO NORMALIZE AND WE'RE TRENDING A LITTLE BIT DOWNWARD.

AND SO THIS IS REALLY THE SHORT END FIVE YEAR, WHICH MATCHES THAT SIX YEAR AMORTIZATION PERIOD THAT WE OUTLINED ON THE ORIGINAL PAGE, WHICH IS KIND OF WHY WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHERE THE INTEREST RATES ARE TRENDING.

SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE ON THE KEY ASSUMPTIONS. WE ASSUMED A $8 MILLION PROJECT FUND.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY STILL HAS TO. WORK CONSTRUCTION BIDS AND THERE'S CONTINGENCIES AND OTHER COSTS ASSOCIATED.

SO FOR THE MOMENT, WE ASSUMED AN APPROXIMATELY $8 MILLION PROJECT FUND.

THAT MEANS WHAT'S GOING TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THE BANK.

BECAUSE OF THE NON-CALLABLE SHORT TERM STRUCTURE, WE EXPECT 5% COUPONS TO BE BUILT, BUILT ON THAT AND THAT WE HAVE PAYMENTS STARTING DECEMBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR, WITH THE PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS IN JUNE OF 26.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THIS 5% COUPON STRUCTURE? THAT'S RIGHT.

SO IN IN THE MUNICIPAL MARKET INVESTORS LIKE TO RECEIVE A, A HIGHER CASH FLOW INTEREST PAYMENTS BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE BUYERS ARE LOOKING FOR THOSE GUARANTEED INTEREST PAYMENTS.

[00:30:03]

BUT AS A RESULT TO RIGHT NOW IN TODAY'S MARKET, THE ACTUAL INTEREST RATES WHICH YOU SAW IN THE PRIOR PAGE ARE BELOW THAT FIVE COUPON.

SO IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THAT 5% CASH FLOW ON THE INTEREST SIDE, THEY PAY A PREMIUM UP FRONT, MEANING THEY PAY MORE THAN 100 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR.

AND SO AS A RESULT, IN ORDER TO GET THE HIGHER INTEREST COMPONENT, THEY GET LESS PRINCIPAL.

SO THE PRINCIPAL COMPONENT IS REDUCED TO OFFSET THE HIGHER INTEREST PAYMENT.

I KNOW THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BONDS BONDS MATH 505.

BUT HOPEFULLY I DID MY BEST TO TO EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT.

BASICALLY THE THE COUPON PAYMENT IS HIGHER THAN WHAT THE ACTUAL YIELDS ARE.

AND SO AS A RESULT YOU THEY PAY MORE UP FRONT TO GET THOSE HIGHER CASH FLOW PAYMENTS.

GOOD QUESTION. AND I UNDERSTAND NONCALLABLE, BUT IS THE COUPON STRUCTURE AT 5% RELATED TO IT BEING NONCALLABLE? THAT'S PREDICATED ON THAT. THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S JUST THE MARKET STANDARD FOR NONCALLABLE BONDS.

AND PART OF THE REASON INVESTORS LIKE TO HAVE THOSE HIGHER COUPON IS IT PROTECTS FROM MARKET VOLATILITY.

SO AS PRICES CHANGE THEIR RETURN CHANGES A LITTLE BIT LESS.

THOSE COUPONS ARE LOWER. THEY'RE SUBJECT TO GREATER FLUCTUATION IN THE ACTUAL BOTTOM LINE.

AND SO ANY BONDS THAT ARE NON CALLABLE MEANS WE CAN'T REFINANCE THEM.

WE'RE LOCKING IN THE RATES. IT'S 5%. STRUCTURE IS COMMON IN THE MUNICIPAL MARKET.

AND NONCALLABLE THEN IS BENEFICIAL FOR US, MEANING WE CAN'T BE FORCED TO TRY TO PAY OUTSIDE OF THIS STRUCTURE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, COULD WE PREPAY IF WE SO DESIRED? NOT NOT IN THE CURRENT STRUCTURE. OKAY. SO YOU'RE LOCKING IN THE RATE AND THE THE RATE IN THE MUNICIPAL MARKET A TEN YEAR CALL IS THE STANDARD.

SO SINCE WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT A FIVE, SIX YEAR ISSUANCE WE'RE KIND OF WITHIN THAT.

AND SO IF YOU WERE TO ASK FOR PREPAYMENT FLEXIBILITY SHORTER THAN THAT, YOU START TO PAY A VERY SIGNIFICANT PREMIUM IN TERMS OF INTEREST RATES.

SO THE REASON THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING THIS, OR WE ANTICIPATE THIS TYPE OF STRUCTURE IS TO GUARANTEE YOU THE LOWEST POSSIBLE INTEREST RATE ON YOUR BONDS.

THE BONDS LESSON TO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

SO FLIPPING TO PAGE SEVEN. THIS SHOWS THE ESTIMATED DEBT SERVICE ON THE BONDS.

AND WE SHOW IT ON A SEMIANNUAL PAYMENT. AND YOU CAN SEE ANNUALLY ON YOUR FISCAL YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE ROUGHLY, YOU KNOW, $1.8 MILLION A YEAR, ASSUMING AN $8 MILLION PROJECT FUND.

AND THE BOND MATURES IN 2030, WHICH MATCHES NICELY WITH THE EXPIRATION OF THE CURRENT SPLOST IN MARCH 31ST OF 2030. SO YOU'LL HAVE ALL YOUR COLLECTIONS IN HAND AND THEN MAKE THAT FINAL DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT.

YOU CAN SEE THERE A LITTLE BIT ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE PAGE, THE SOURCES AND USES.

YOU CAN SEE THAT IN ORDER TO GENERATE $8 MILLION OF PROJECTS, WE ONLY HAVE TO ISSUE SEVEN POINT ROUNDED UP $7.9 MILLION OF BONDS. BASED UPON THOSE MARKET CONDITIONS, WE'RE ESTIMATING GENERATING ROUGHLY $450,000 OF PREMIUM.

SO THAT HELPS US REDUCE THE COSTS. YOU CAN SEE THE VARIOUS INTEREST RATES.

THE ARBITRAGE YIELD IS LIKE THE ACTUAL INTEREST ON THE BONDS.

THE INTEREST COMPONENT, THE ALL IN TIC FACTORS IN ALL THE CLOSING COSTS.

YOU KNOW, PART OF THE REASON THAT YOU SEE SUCH A BIG JUMP IS JUST THAT THERE ARE SOME FIXED COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH, YOU KNOW, RATING, AGENCY FEES, ADVISOR FEES, LEGAL FEES, ETC.

THAT ARE KIND OF FIXED REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE ISSUE.

AND SO RELATIVE TO THE SIZE, IT ADDS A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARDS THE ALL IN COSTS AS OPPOSED TO THE ARBITRAGE YIELD IS REALLY WHAT THE INTEREST COMPONENT IF THERE WAS NO CLOSING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. HOPEFULLY THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO THAT'S THE DOWNSIDES. WE'RE GOING TO FUND THE PROJECT SIZE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO ONLY BORROW WHAT WE NEED TO PRODUCE FOR THE PROJECTS AT HAND.

SO FLIPPING TO PAGE EIGHT THIS OUTLINES THE AUTHORIZED DEBT.

SO WHEN YOU WHEN THE CITIZENS APPROVED THE ISSUANCE OF THE SPLOST, THEY FIXED IN THOSE PRINCIPAL AMOUNTS.

SO WE HAVE TO SEE WITHIN THOSE KIND OF PARAMETERS.

AND SINCE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HARD TO BELIEVE ALMOST TWO MONTHS IN OF 20, 25, IT WOULD BE REALLY QUICK REPAYMENT TO HAVE A PRINCIPAL COME DUE THAT EARLY. AND SO WE'VE STRUCTURED THE DEBT SUCH THAT YOUR PRINCIPLES START IN 2026 AND GO TO THAT FINAL MATURITY, LEAVING ROUGHLY 2.1 MILLION OF AUTHORIZED DEBT THAT WILL LIKELY GO UNISSUED AS A RESULT OF THAT.

[00:35:09]

BUT WE ANTICIPATE THIS BEING THE GENERAL STRUCTURE.

I JUST WANT TO ADD THIS $8 MILLION IS IS PURELY AN ESTIMATE.

AND AT THIS TIME WHEN THIS WAS PRINTED AND PRESENTED I MEAN, DAVENPORT DOESN'T HAVE OR DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BIDS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.

AND SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL BE AT OUR NEXT MEETING THAT WE WOULD BE BRINGING THE, THE CONTRACT FOR THE PROJECT TO YOU.

AND SO IT WILL BE THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WEEK OR SO THAT WE'LL HAVE MORE FIRM NUMBERS.

SO JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING THIS TO THE BANK, QUITE LITERALLY, NOT TAKING IT TO THE BANK.

IT IS JUST AN ESTIMATE. THAT'S RIGHT. SO FLIPPING TO PAGE NINE AS I WRAP UP HERE, THIS IS KIND OF OUR OUR PROPOSED SCHEDULE. WE'LL ASK YOU TONIGHT JUST TO CONSIDER THIS.

WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY FORMAL ACTION TO MOVE FORWARD AT THIS POINT.

AT THE MARCH 17TH MEETING, WE ANTICIPATE AWARDING THE CONSTRUCTION BID CONTRACT.

AND THAT SAME EARLIER THAT DAY, WE'LL BE TALKING WITH THE THE NATIONAL CREDIT RATING AGENCIES.

TOWARDS THE END OF MARCH. WE'LL GET THOSE RATINGS BACK.

AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE IT BACK, WE CAN MAIL THAT PRELIMINARY OFFICIAL STATEMENT TO POTENTIAL UNDERWRITERS WHO CAN MARKET TO THEIR INVESTORS TO TO PURCHASE THE BONDS. AND THEN ON APRIL 7TH, WHICH IS YOUR FIRST REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING IN APRIL, WE'LL SELL THE BONDS THAT MORNING AND THEN COME BACK TO YOU ALL THAT EVENING FOR APPROVAL, AND THEN GIVE IT TWO WEEKS FOR THE THE LAWYERS TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND GET ALL THE CLOSING PAPERS SIGNED AND THEN CALL IT APRIL 22ND IS WHEN FUNDS WILL HIT THE BANK AND YOU GUYS CAN START TRANSFORMING DOWNTOWN SQUARE. WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

AGAIN, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A CONTINUED PARTNER AS THE CITY'S FINANCIAL ADVISOR.

ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS? DOES IT MEAN TO MAKE THEM MEET A DEADLINE RIGHT AROUND TAX DAY? I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT COST OF ISSUANCE.

CERTAINLY. IS THERE ANY FLEXIBILITY IN THAT? HOW DOES THAT MOVE UP AND DOWN? YEAH. THAT'S SO THAT'S REALLY JUST A PLACEHOLDER FOR NOW.

WE EXPECT TO COME IN UNDER THAT BUDGET. FUNCTION OF IT'S A FUNCTION OF LEGAL.

THE RATING AGENCIES CHARGE FEES BASED UPON THE SIZE OF THE ISSUE.

WE HAVE OUR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE EXACT NUMBER IS, BUT THAT THAT WILL WORK ON THAT BUDGET AND AND IS YOUR BEST ESTIMATE FOR TODAY, BUT IT COULD CHANGE A LITTLE BIT. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU.

I THINK WE ERRED ON THE SIDE. THAT'S HELPFUL.

GO AHEAD. I JUST MAKE AN OBSERVATION BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY BE SAYING LIKE, WHY ARE YOU BUYING? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, YOU WANT TO BUILD THIS BEFORE IT WILL BE DONE.

BUT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU BONDING? WHY DON'T YOU JUST WAIT TO GET YOUR MONEY HOUSE AND DO STUFF.

AND SO ONE THING THAT WE'VE SEEN IN MY, YOU KNOW, WHERE I WORK BUILDING PARKS, IS THAT THERE'S BEEN INCREDIBLE INFLATION ACTUALLY MATERIALLY WELL ABOVE THE 4.4%. AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS A RISK THAT IF YOU DO WAIT, PROJECT BUDGET ACTUALLY MAY INCREASE.

AND SO ACTUALLY YOU MAY NEED EVEN MORE. AND SO THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY THAT COMES WITH BONDING AHEAD OF TIME.

SO THIS ONE. ALL RIGHT THANK YOU. AND I THINK THE OTHER THING THIS IS THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE PART OF OUR PLAN OUR DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN. AND THESE ARE BEING PAID FOR WITH WITH SPLOST MONEY.

THEY'RE NOT BEING PAID FOR WITH FROM SALES TAX, NOT FROM PROPERTY PROPERTY TAXES.

SO GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION ABOUT THE FIXED COSTS, EVEN WITH THOSE FIXED COSTS, WE MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT IT'S STILL GOING TO BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE TO DO THE PUBLIC SALE AS OPPOSED TO LIKE A PRIVATE PLACEMENT.

SO EVEN IF THE PERHAPS THE FEES MIGHT BE A LITTLE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LESS BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES, FOR EXAMPLE. IT'S STILL GOING OUT TO THE PUBLIC MARKET TO THE COMPETITIVE SALE.

IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE IT'S GOING TO BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE.

[00:40:02]

YEAH. IF ANYONE'S EVER PUT TOGETHER A OFFICIAL STATEMENT, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT.

NO, BUT BUT THE THE WORK ON THE FRONT END PAYS OFF.

YEAH, WE LOOKED AT THAT OPTION. EVEN THOUGH THE FEES ARE MATERIALLY LOWER THAN THAT.

JUST AS A FUNCTION OF WHERE BANK RATES ARE RELATIVE TO PUBLIC MARKET.

IT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE TO GO THAT ROUTE THAN THAN PAY A LITTLE HIGHER UPFRONT COST FOR LOWER INTEREST RATES.

RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. FORWARD TO NEXT STEPS.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY. NEXT, WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ACTION ITEMS.

[V. Public Comment on Agenda Action Items.]

ITEM A IS THE EASEMENT FOR THE SOUTH HOUSING VILLAGE PHASE TWO.

B IS THE DEMOLITION OF HER COTTAGE AT 500 SOUTH COLUMBIA DRIVE.

C IS THE NOISE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS 20. D IS THE 2025 SANITATION FEE SCHEDULE.

E IS THE TAX BILLING ORDINANCE. F IS THE AMENDMENT TO THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ORDINANCE, AND G IS THE EASEMENT FOR DEKALB COUNTY EASEMENTS FOR DEKALB COUNTY WATERSHED PROJECTS.

SO WE WILL OPEN THE FLOOR UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OF THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS, ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU WANT TO BRING BEFORE THE COMMISSION WOULD COME LATER IN THE MEETING UNDER REQUEST AND PETITIONS.

AND SO IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT, WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND MAKE YOUR COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. SO THERE'S THOSE WHO HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.

PLEASE COME FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MY NAME IS MIKE VASIC AND MY ADDRESS IS 223 DREXEL AVENUE.

AND I APOLOGIZE, I FEEL LIKE Y'ALL ARE ALL DRESSED ALL PRETTY AND I AM IN MY OUTDOOR YARD WORKING.

YOU LOOK GREAT. THANK YOU. I AM ASKING YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN PASSING THE UPDATES TO THE DECATUR NOISE ORDINANCE. THIS HAS BEEN A WORK IN PROGRESS BY ME PERSONALLY FOR ABOUT 15 MONTHS, BUT BY OTHERS GOING BACK TO, I THINK FOUR YEARS BACK. SO FOR. I GUESS I'LL JUST KEEP IT SHORT AND BRIEF AND SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING ON THIS.

AND THANK YOU TO THE STAFF. PLEASE HELP US GET US ACROSS THE FINISH LINE FOR MY SANITY AND FOR OTHERS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WERE THERE OTHERS, PLEASE? HI, I'M TONY FIORE. I LIVE ON NELSON FERRY ROAD.

I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALSO REGARDING THE NOISE ORDINANCE.

I STRONGLY SUPPORT HAVING SOME GUIDELINES AND WHAT CAN BE DONE DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS.

EXCUSE ME. JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK POINTS. ONE IS THAT AS FAR AS THE EXEMPTION FOR FOR CITY AND COUNTY WORKERS AND PROJECTS, I JUST LOOK CAREFULLY AT THAT.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW ONE COULD COULD MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE RESTRICTIVE, BUT THERE'S SOMETIMES SOME OF THE LOUDEST THINGS.

AND IF THERE'S A SORT OF AN APPROVAL PROCESS OR JUST SOME SORT OF OVERSIGHT THAT COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE IN THE ORDINANCE OR IN THE OR IN THE EXECUTION OF THE ORDINANCE, THAT WOULD BE USEFUL. THE SECOND IS JUST AND I KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HERE WILL SAY THIS, BUT JUST TO REBUT ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE ABOUT THE DECIBEL LEVELS BEING TOO LOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SOME OF THE MOST NOISY THINGS LEAF BLOWERS AND GENERATORS AND AND POWER WASHERS AND SO ON, EMIT LOW FREQUENCY SOUNDS WHICH CARRY MUCH FARTHER THAN THE HIGHER FREQUENCY SOUNDS THAT NORMAL CONVERSATION OR EVEN ELECTRIC LEAF BLOWER WOULD DO.

SO IT'S IN SOME WAYS THE DECIBELS ARE A CRUDE MEASURE OF HOW LOUD THINGS ACTUALLY ARE.

IT'S THE LOWER FREQUENCY SOUNDS THAT BOTHER PEOPLE SO MUCH, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE NOTE OF THAT AND NO CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE.

BUT JUST IF YOU HEAR THAT ARGUMENT, I'M HERE TO PRAY ABOUT IT.

THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

HI. MY NAME IS PETER LINDSAY. I LIVE AT 115 PARKWOOD LANE, AND I'LL BE VERY BRIEF.

WHAT MIKE SAID. GO FOR IT. OKAY. THANK YOU.

HI, MY NAME IS KATE BENSON. I LIVE AT 115 PARKWOOD LANE, AND I IMPLORE YOU TO CONSIDER THE NOISE ORDINANCE.

BECAUSE I HAVE TO LIVE WITH SOMEONE WHO LOSES HIS MIND ON A DAILY BASIS.

WE LIVE TOGETHER. THANK YOU. PLEASE. TOM HAMILTON, 338 NELSON FERRY ROAD.

[00:45:01]

ARE WE REALLY SETTING UP TO BE ABLE TO BLOW LEAVES AT 10:00 AT NIGHT OR 959? IT SEEMS A LITTLE LATE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR EVEN IN THE SUMMER.

OKAY. AND I THINK I AGREE WITH THIS GENTLEMAN.

DECIBEL LEVEL IS SORT OF A CRUDE WAY TO DO IT.

IS THAT READING AT THE DEVICE OR AT MY FRONT STEPS OR WHERE? BECAUSE THAT'S A HUGE RANGE. SO HOW ARE WE REALLY JUDGING THE DB LEVEL? THANK YOU. ARE THERE OTHERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS? DAVID HOLCOMB 117 JEFFERSON PLACE. I JUST WANT TO AGAIN, MAYBE IF A CLARIFICATION.

SO THE FLOORS ARE OKAY AT A CERTAIN TIME OR NOT, OR LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT IS OKAY AT A CERTAIN TIME.

I MEAN, WHEN I READ IT, IS THAT LIKE, CAN YOU BLOW YOUR LEAVES AT NOON ON A TUESDAY? WE WILL ADDRESS THE COMMENTS AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT ORDINANCE.

OKAY. JUST I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE WE LIVE IN A CITY.

WE DON'T LIVE IN THE COUNTRY. WE LIVE WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WHERE PEOPLE MAKE NOISE, WHERE PEOPLE'S DOGS BARK ALL DAY LONG, WHERE PEOPLE'S KIDS CRY, WHERE THERE'S A TRAIN THAT COMES THROUGH AT 230 EVERY MORNING.

IT'S NEVER GOING TO STOP. SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE GET UPSET ABOUT HEARING NOISES, BUT JUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WE DO LIVE IN A CITY, WE LIVE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.

AND I DON'T SEE THAT CHANGING. THANKS.

HI, I'M RACHEL FIORE. I LIVE AT 411 NELSON FERRY, AND I'M KIND OF A SIDE NOTE, BUT YOU HAVE THOSE LOVELY PEOPLE WITH THE PURPLE SHIRTS THAT GO AROUND, AND THEY USED TO HAVE BRUSHES AND THEY WOULD KIND OF CLEAN UP OUR STREETS, AND IT WAS REALLY LOVELY AND HELP PEOPLE THAT NEEDED HELP. BUT NOW I'VE NOTICED THEY'RE USING LEAF BLOWERS AND I DON'T REALLY THINK THEY NEED TO USE LEAF BLOWERS.

I THINK THE BRUSHES WERE FINE. HI, MY NAME IS AMY LANDSBERG. I LIVE AT 223 MONTGOMERY STREET. I EARNESTLY SUPPORT THE NOISE ORDINANCE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK. I DO THINK IT'S WORTH CONSIDERING WHETHER THE AT 10:00 AT NIGHT.

EXTENSION IS SIGNIFICANT AND WORTHWHILE AND WOULD SUGGEST THAT IT IS UNNECESSARY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WERE THERE OTHERS? I CAN MAKE A COMMENT.

SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE WILL MOVE TO THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

[VI.A. Easement for South Housing Village Phase II.]

THANK YOU. MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO RECOMMEND THE APPROVAL OF AN EASEMENT TO COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS.

AND THIS IS AN EASEMENT THAT WILL ALLOW COMCAST TO PROVIDE BROADBAND AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES TO PHASE TWO OF THE SOUTH HOUSING VILLAGE PROPERTY.

YOU MAY RECALL BACK IN JANUARY, YOU APPROVED AN ALMOST IDENTICAL EASEMENT FOR PHASE ONE.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WOULD BE THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION, THE EXACT LOCATION OF THIS EASEMENT.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S ALSO SERVING THE SOUTH HOUSING VILLAGE.

AND AGAIN, I'M HAPPY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS BUT RECOMMEND YOUR APPROVAL.

FURTHER QUESTIONS. DOES THE COMMISSIONER MAIN CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION AREA NEED ANY OF THIS BANDWIDTH? COULD IT AVAIL ITSELF OF IT IF IF IT NEEDED IT? QUESTION. I MEAN, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOME COMCAST SERVICE ON THE PROPERTY.

BUT THIS WOULD BE I THINK THIS IS PRETTY MUCH SEPARATE.

SEPARATE. OKAY. AND IF ANYTHING, THERE MIGHT BE A, LIKE, A JUNCTION BOX AT THE STREET THAT THEY WOULD PULL FROM TO SERVE THE REST OF THE CAMPUS. OKAY. BUT OTHERWISE, AGAIN, FOR THIS EASEMENT, YOU KNOW, THE WORK IS ISOLATED TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY DEVELOPMENT DEDICATED FOR THAT? YES. AT LEAST UP FRONT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. I THINK I HAVE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE THE SECOND PHASE, PARTICULARLY HAVING TO DO WITH THE HUD FUNDING, WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS AT RISK.

AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, I BELIEVE, THAT THAT HAS ALREADY GONE THROUGH AND THAT THERE THEY DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY ISSUES WITH THE SECOND PHASE. BUT CERTAINLY EVERYONE IS SORT OF MONITORING WHAT HAPPENS WITH HUD FUNDS.

[00:50:08]

I MEAN, NONETHELESS, I THINK IT'S A LEGITIMATE CONCERN.

BUT I WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS THAT THEY THEY HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY'VE ALREADY CLOSED.

I MEAN, THEY CLOSED ON THE FINANCING FOR PHASES FOR PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO.

SO THE THE FUNDS ARE IN HAND. SO AGAIN, BUT STILL, I THINK THEY STILL HAVE REASON TO BE CAUTIOUS AND WARY.

ALL RIGHT. OTHER QUESTIONS HERE. A MOTION TO APPROVE AN EASEMENT TO COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE PROVISION OF BROADBAND AND OTHER COMMUNICATION SERVICES TO PHASE TWO OF THE SOUTH HOUSING VILLAGE PROPERTY AS DESCRIBED.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES? AYE. AND THE MOTION PASSES. SO NEXT WE'LL LOOK AT THE DEMOLITION OF KERR COTTAGE.

[VI.B. Demolition of Kerr Cottage at 500 South Columbia Drive.]

SOME OF THE BRICKS HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF THE CORNERS TO USE IN REFURBISHING.

YEAH. REPURPOSING THE FOR THE GYM. SO REUSE IS BETTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

SO WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO DAVID YOUNGER I'M THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGENDA ITEM THIS EVENING IS TO RECOMMEND ESTABLISHING A PROJECT BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000 AND AWARD OF A CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $43,720 TO THE WRECKING CORP OF AMERICA, LLC OF CUMMING, GEORGIA.

THE LOW BIDDER FOR THE ABATEMENT, DEMOLITION, REMOVAL AND SITE STABILIZATION OF CARE COTTAGE, LOCATED AT 500 SOUTH COLUMBIA DRIVE, LEGACY PARK.

PART OF LEGACY PARK. MASTER PLAN DID SPEAK TO A VARIETY OF ITEMS. ATHLETIC FACILITIES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPORTING NONPROFITS, AS WELL AS THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING.

IT SHOWED PARKING THAT WOULD SUPPORT BOTH THE ATHLETIC COMPLEX AS WELL AS THE CREATIVE VILLAGE AND OTHER ATHLETIC EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE AT LEGACY PARK. WE DID BID THIS PROJECT OUT.

WE RECEIVED 11 QUALIFIED BIDS, AND I DID ATTACH A COPY OF THE BID TABULATION TO THE AGENDA ITEM.

REBECCA WRECKING CORP. OF AMERICA DID SUBMIT THE LOW QUALIFIED BID, AND UPON COMPLETION OF THE DEMOLITION, THE PROPERTY WOULD BE SEEDED AND STABILIZED. WRECKING CORP.

OF AMERICA HAS SATISFACTORILY SATISFACTORILY PERFORMED SIMILAR SERVICES FOR GWINNETT COUNTY, THE CITY OF DULUTH, AND UNITED CONSULTING. ALL THE REFERENCE CHECKS ESSENTIALLY STATED THAT THE WRECKING CORP.

OF AMERICA PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY FACTORY, AND THEY WOULD UTILIZE THEIR SERVICES AGAIN ON FUTURE PROJECTS.

THE REFERENCES WERE VERY COMPLIMENTARY OF THEIR WORK SERVICES RENDERED, AND THAT THE WORK WAS PERFORMED ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.

FUNDING FOR THE ABATEMENT DEMOLITION SITE STABILIZATION OF CARE COTTAGE IS INCLUDED IN THE CURRENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, RECOMMENDING AWARD OF A CONTRACT TO WRECKING CORP.

OF AMERICA IN THE AMOUNT OF $43,720 FOR THE ABATEMENT, DEMOLITION, REMOVAL AND STABILIZATION OF THAT, AND APPROVAL OF A PROJECT BUDGET. ARE THERE QUESTIONS FOR MR. YOUNGER? I ASSUME THAT THE ABATEMENT IS MOST LIKELY ASBESTOS.

IT'S ASBESTOS AND LEAD PAINT AS WELL. IS THAT DO THEY WRAP IT SO THAT I MEAN, WE HAVE OTHER TENANTS OUT THERE AND I'M ASSUMING THEY THEY OBEYED IT IN A WAY THAT MOST OF THE ASBESTOS IN IS ACTUALLY WITHIN THE ENVELOPE OF THE BUILDING.

THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING THAT THEY DO. AND THERE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE VENTILATION FOR MAINLY THE PEOPLE DOING THE ABATEMENT ON THE INSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE. AND IT'S MOSTLY FLOORING. AND IT'S ALL NON FRIABLE.

SO IT'S IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN PROTECT.

AND WHEN IT'S FRIABLE THEN IT BECOMES A PARTICULATE AND CAN BECOME AIRBORNE.

THE WAY THAT THIS GIVEN THAT THIS STRUCTURE IS GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED AND NOT RENOVATED THEY WILL DO AS LITTLE DISTURBANCE TO THE MATERIAL ITSELF, I.E. CUTTING FLOORS OUT, TAKING SECTIONS OUT, SO NOT CREATING A SITUATION WHERE IT BECOMES AIRBORNE.

THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS. SO IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE.

[00:55:04]

I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THE CONTRACTOR ABOUT IT.

WE ACTUALLY MET ON SITE, WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE BOTH COMFORTABLE IN THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THE SCHEDULING.

YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY WE WOULD DO SOME OF THE ABATEMENT, BUT IF IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS TOO IFFY IN TERMS OF GETTING IT FINISHED BEFORE MARCH 29TH, WE WOULD JUST WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE RIBBON CUTTING.

A QUICK QUESTION TO CURIOSITY. I'M ASSUMING, IS THERE LIKE KIND OF A SHALLOW CRAWL UNDERNEATH? OKAY, SO IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO FILL BACK IN. IT'S NOT THAT DEEP.

NO. I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR ENGINEERS A LITTLE BIT, MAKING SURE THAT THE FINAL SITE GRADING DOESN'T HOLD WATER, THAT WE HAVE PROPER DRAINAGE AFTER IT'S DONE.

SO. BUT, YES, ONE MORE THING TO COME OUT AND WATCH.

I KNOW. RIGHT? HAVE A WATCH PARTY. RIGHT. RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. JUST SINCE WE'RE PUTTING PARKING WHERE THE COTTAGE WAS.

SO IN THE MASTER PLAN, THAT IS WHAT IS SHOWING IN THAT AREA THAT HAS YET TO BE DESIGNED.

WE TALKED ABOUT GRASS PARKING IN THE MASTER PLAN.

SO THAT WAS NOTED AS PART OF THE PARKING AND CIRCULATION PLAN THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON.

SO AND THEN MADELINE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS AS WELL.

SO WE'LL KEEP HER INFORMED. SO HOPEFULLY PERVIOUS SURFACE THAT COULD BE USED.

SO. ALL RIGHT DO I HEAR A RECOMMENDATION TO ESTABLISH THE PROJECT BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000 AND AWARD A CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF 43,700 AND $720 TO WRECKING CORP OF AMERICA FOR THE ABATEMENT, DEMOLITION, REMOVAL AND SITE STABILIZATION OF KERR COTTAGE AT 500 SOUTH COLUMBIA DRIVE.

IS THERE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES? AYE. AND THE MOTION PASSES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT. YOU'RE LATE. GOOD EVENING, CITY COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS LANGSTON LEAKE.

[VI.C. Noise Ordinance Amendments.]

AND TODAY, I'M RECOMMENDING THAT YOU APPROVE THE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE O DASH 20 5-X, AMENDING ARTICLE THREE, SECTION 42, SUBSECTIONS 59 AND 60 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, ALSO KNOWN AS THE NOISE ORDINANCE.

IN 2021, THE CITY COMMISSION DIRECTED STAFF TO EVALUATE THE CITY'S EXISTING NOISE ORDINANCE AND PROPOSE REVISIONS TO ADDRESS THE IMPACTS OF EXCESSIVE NOISE ON DECATUR'S QUALITY OF LIFE. SINCE THAT TIME, STAFF, STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS HAVE CONDUCTED SEVERAL ACTIVITIES TO INFORM THE UPDATE, INCLUDING THE FORMATION OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE STEERING COMMITTEE, TWO OPEN HOUSE EVENTS, TWO RESIDENT SURVEYS THAT GENERATED 1000 COMBINED RESPONSES, AND A REPORT DRAFTED BY GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY MASTER'S STUDENTS.

THE FEEDBACK COLLECTED FROM THIS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT INDICATED A GENERAL LACK OF AWARENESS OF THE EXISTING NOISE ORDINANCE, INCREASED CONCERN ABOUT DAYTIME NOISE IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS, AND A LACK OF COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN SPECIFIC TYPES OF NOISE.

A STAFF REVIEW ALSO SHOWED THAT THE SOUND LEVEL LIMITS BASED ON LAND USE CATEGORIES WERE OUT OF DATE WITH THE CITY'S CURRENT ZONING CATEGORIES, AND THUS WERE INEFFECTIVE. THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE NOISE ORDINANCE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING.

THE ADDITION OF LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT AS AN ENUMERATED SOURCE OF NOISE, AND LIMITING THE USE OF SUCH EQUIPMENT BEFORE 7 A.M.

AND AFTER 10 P.M. ON WEEKDAYS AND BEFORE 9 A.M.

AND AFTER 5 P.M. ON WEEKENDS. THE ADDITION OF GENERATORS AS AN ENUMERATED SOURCE OF NOISE AND LIMITING THE TESTING OR OPERATION OF GENERATORS BETWEEN 10 P.M. AND 7 A.M., EXCEPT IN THE INSTANCE OF A LOCAL POWER OUTAGE.

THE REMOVAL OF TABLE ONE, WHICH DEFINES MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE SOUND LEVELS BY RECEIVING USE LAND CATEGORIES AND REPLACING THAT WITH A UNIVERSAL SOUND LEVEL LIMIT OF 65DB BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7 A.M. AND NINE. 9:59 P.M.

AND THE LIMIT OF 60DB BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 10 P.M.

AND 7 A.M., AND THEN THE ADDITION OF EXEMPTIONS FOR CITY CONTRACTORS OR DEKALB COUNTY WORKERS PERFORMING NECESSARY WORK WITHIN CITY LIMITS.

EXEMPTIONS FOR GROUPS, EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES WITH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PERMIT FROM THE CITY, AND THE EXEMPTIONS FOR ACTIVITIES SPONSORED BY OR ASSOCIATED WITH INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING AS PART OF THE EDUCATION PROCESS.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, IF APPROVED, WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON JULY 1ST, FIRST 2025, WHICH WILL GIVE US TIME FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH.

[01:00:08]

IT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE USED DURING THE DAY, AS LONG AS IT FALLS UNDER THAT 65 DECIBEL LIMIT.

AND I HAVE I HAVE GENERATED A LIST OF VARIOUS MODELS OF LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT THAT DOES FALL UNDER THAT DECIBEL LIMIT.

AND IT WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY BE BARRED DURING THOSE OVERNIGHT HOURS BETWEEN 10 P.M.

AND 7 A.M.. THIS MATCHES OTHER SPECIFIC ENUMERATED CATEGORIES OF NOISE, SUCH AS YELLING, HOOTING, YELLING, AND HOOTING. NOISY VEHICLES THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ARE LIMITED WITHIN THE EXISTING NOISE ORDINANCE AND HOOTING SPECIFICALLY.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS THAT WAS VERY SOUTHERN OF US. THAT'S PAIRED WITH HOLLERING, RIGHT? YES. OKAY. JUST MAKING SURE I EXPECTED TOTALLY DIFFERENT CATEGORY THAN HOLLERING. OKAY. AND THEN THAT 10 P.M. LIMIT THAT WE ESTABLISHED AS A NIGHTTIME LIMIT, THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY JUST FOR SIMPLICITY, TO SIMPLIFY THINGS.

SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE A 7 A.M. LIMIT AND A 10 P.M.

LIMIT, HOWEVER, WE ARE AMENABLE TO MOVING THAT LIMIT BACK TO 9 P.M.

IF WE HAVE TO. WE HAD THAT LATE OF A LIMIT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS ASKED US TO.

THEY MENTIONED THAT IT WAS A HEALTH RISK OR A HEALTH CONCERN TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE FORCED TO DO LAWN WORK DURING THE HOT HOURS DURING THE SUMMER DAYS, BUT 9 P.M. THAT FALLS AROUND THE TIME OF SUNSET.

THE LATEST POSSIBLE SUNSET DURING LIKE THE SUMMER SOLSTICE IN JULY, SO WE WOULD BE AMENABLE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO PUSH THAT LIMIT BACK TO 10 P.M. AND THEN TO ANSWER THE FINAL QUESTION ALL NOISE IS MEASURED FROM A STATIONARY POINT AT THE PROPERTY LINE OF THE OFFENDING NOISE. SO IF THAT NOISE WERE TAKING PLACE ON AN ADJACENT PROPERTY, THEN IT WOULD NOT BE MEASURED ON ONE'S DOORSTEP.

IT WOULD BE MEASURED AT THE PROPERTY LINE. AND WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS AND QUESTIONS.

SOME ALSO THAT WE'VE HAD EMAILED TO US. I WILL JUST I DID GET A TEXT FROM THE MAYOR PRO TEM WHO IS LISTENING IN, BUT NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE BY ZOOM, AND SAID THAT HE WOULD ALSO BE SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING THE TIME CLOSER TO 9:00. THAT 10:00 SEEMED ON THE LATER SIDE.

THAT WAS HIS BIGGEST CONCERN BECAUSE HE SAID HE FELT LIKE 10:00 WAS PRETTY LATE AND THAT THAT BECAUSE SUNDOWN IS TYPICALLY EARLIER THAN THAT. SO THIS WOULD, THAT WOULD AND THAT AND I UNDERSTAND THE, THE CONSISTENCY PART, BUT WE, WE ALREADY HAVE THE WEEKEND HOURS THAT ARE, ARE DIFFERENT.

AND SO THERE, THERE IS THOSE HOURS DON'T ARE APPLIED CONSISTENTLY WITH THE GENERAL NOISE ORDINANCE EITHER.

SO JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION.

SO I THINK THAT'S REASONABLE OR DUSENBURY LOOKS LIKE HE IS TRYING TO.

I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND. SO WE'RE DOING WE'RE SAYING SPECIFICALLY FOR LAWN EQUIPMENT, IT'D BE 9:00, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE WOULD REMAIN 10:00. 10:00? YES. THAT'S RIGHT. I ABSORB THAT.

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. WE'LL START FROM THE BOTTOM NUMBER SEVEN.

EXEMPT EXEMPTIONS FOR ACTIVITIES SPONSORED BY OR ASSOCIATED WITH INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING AS PART OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.

OVER IN THE LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE, THERE'S ONE EXTRA WORD I.

HELP ME IF I'M RIGHT HERE. ASSOCIATED WITH RECOGNIZED INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING.

AND THEN I JUST WANT TO BOUNCE IT OFF EVERYBODY IS THAT DO WE TOTALLY ASSUME THAT ALWAYS WE UNDERSTAND THAT TO BE A SCHOOL OR A CITY SCHOOL OF DECATUR OR A DAYCARE. LIKE IS, IS THERE INTERPRETATION THERE OR SHOULD WE REFINE THAT PHRASE.

I'M ASKING THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE SPORTS ACTIVITIES THAT OCCUR AFTER 6 P.M.

OR 5 P.M., I WOULD IMAGINE WOULD HAVE AN EXEMPTION, RIGHT? OKAY. THAT WAS THE INTENT. WE GENERALLY TRIED TO KEEP THE LANGUAGE AS GENERALLY RELATIVELY BROAD TO ACCOMMODATE A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

[01:05:05]

SO YEAH, I'M THINKING BAND AND THEN I'M THINKING LIKE REC SOCCER.

YOU KNOW, WE PARENTS SCREAM LOUD. YES. YEAH. AND AND MOST OF OUR PARKS AND FACILITIES ARE NEAR NEAR A RESIDENCE. I CAN'T. WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS? THEN I GUESS MAYBE A BETTER WAY TO DESCRIBE PRIVATELY OWNED LEARNING CENTERS, WHICH COULD BE A DAYCARE NESTLED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY ALSO WOULD JUST HAVE A BLANKET EXEMPTION, LIKE A SCHOOL FUNCTION, A SCHOOL FUNCTION, OR A REC YOUTH FUNCTION, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

THAT WAS MY THAT WAS THAT. I'M NOT. I'M NOT SURE I CAN TOTALLY CONSIDER THAT APPROPRIATE, GIVEN THAT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT TILT ON THE EDUCATIONAL OR THE RECOGNIZED INSTITUTION OF LEARNING. IT'S MORE ABOUT WHERE IT SITS IN A ZONING TYPE, OR IT HAS A CONDITIONAL USE AND A ZONING TYPE.

I GUESS I'M I THINK WE MAY HAVE SOME EXCEPTIONS THERE THAT THE QUESTION IS IT A OR DAYCARE FACILITIES.

WELL, THAT'D BE ONE EXAMPLE. I HAVEN'T DAYDREAMED OTHERS.

MAYBE IT'S A PRIVATE AFTER SCHOOL CAMP THAT STAYS OPEN LATE AND MAYBE RENTS OUT ITS FACILITIES TO DO EXTRA CLASSES, AND THEY HAVE AMPLIFIED SOUND LATER THAN TEN, I GUESS.

IS THE OR IS IT NINE? IT WOULD BE 10 P.M.. YEAH.

YEAH. BUT. I THINK THOSE ORGANIZATIONS EXIST AND THEY'RE OUT IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE COULD SEE ACTIVITY LIKE THAT.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY NECESSARILY FALL INTO UNDER WHAT I UNDERSTOOD, THE INTENTION OF RECOGNIZED INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING TO BE.

YEAH, BUT I WOULD HATE TO HAVE BABIES OUTSIDE RUNNING AROUND LIKE CRAZY PEOPLE AT 10 P.M..

WHAT KIND OF DAYCARE ARE Y'ALL RUNNING? BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT, LIKE, AGNES SCOTT AND THEIR EVENING EVENTS I KNOW THAT WOULD COUNT, BUT THAT'S A RECOGNIZED CENTER OF LEARNING, RIGHT? I DON'T I MEAN, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT OPERATES WITHIN THOSE HOURS, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR.

I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO STUDYING THE IMPACT OF THIS ORDINANCE FOR A 12 MONTH PERIOD, AND THEN PLAN TO COME BACK TO THIS BODY WITH A WORK SESSION OR OTHER PRESENTATION TO TO LET YOU KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OCCURS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AT THAT POINT.

LIKE LANGSTON SAID, I DO THINK THAT WE CHOSE TO USE BROADER LANGUAGE TO ENCOMPASS A WIDER VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES.

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING OCCURS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS AT THAT TIME.

BUT THAT WAS NOT A CONCERN THAT WE HEARD, YOU KNOW, FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS OR HAD CONSIDERED AS TO AS TO THIS POINT. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.

BUT CERTAINLY IT IS, YOU KNOW, UP TO THIS COMMISSION, IF YOU WANT TO AMEND THAT, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT LANGUAGE WOULD BE AND HOW THAT WOULD BE CHANGED. I THINK WE'RE THE CATEGORY MAYBE OF THE DESCRIPTION STARTS TO BECOME IT COULD BE PRIVATE OR NONPROFIT, BUT IT SITS OUTSIDE OF THESE INSTITUTIONS IS THE WORD THAT I THINK TELLS US IT'S UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OR AGNES SCOTT, OR IT'S IN AN INSTITUTIONAL ZONING, MAYBE IS WHERE WE GOT THAT WORD, BUT I'M JUST I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE PRIVATE AND NONPROFIT EXTRACURRICULAR TYPE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, WHO WOULD HAVE A BLANKET EXEMPTION TO DO? AND I DO THINK THAT THE SPECIFIC VERBIAGE OF INSTITUTIONAL WAS WAS RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS INSTITUTIONAL ZONING.

I THINK THAT'S KIND OF AN ARTIFACT FROM THAT, WHICH I BELIEVE.

I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S DEFUNCT UNDER OUR CURRENT LAND USE, BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM FOR INTERPRETATION THAT THERE IS SOME ROOM FOR INTERPRETATION. I MEAN, AGAIN, TO MR. NIFONG'S POINT, I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS.

BUT I MEAN, WHEN I, WHEN I READ THIS YOU KNOW, I RECOGNIZE INSTITUTION OF LEARNING AND PART OF AN EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.

I MEAN, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE INTENT IS FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR LOCAL INSTITUTIONS, WHICH WOULD BE THE CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM, OR IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, A PRIVATE, YOU KNOW, EDUCATIONAL FACILITY.

I MEAN, THAT'S THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, BEYOND, I MEAN, SOME K THROUGH WHATEVER INSTITUTION, A COLLEGE, THE SEMINARY AGAIN, I MEAN THAT I GUESS IT'S A SCHOOL ACADEMIC, RIGHT? IT WOULD BE COMMONLY RECOGNIZED AS. YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S A SCHOOL THAT'S AN INSTITUTION OF LEARNING AS OPPOSED TO I MEAN, THE FOLKS WHO RUN A DAYCARE WILL MAY ARGUE YOU KNOW, AS HAVING, YOU KNOW, PUT KIDS THROUGH DAYCARE AND WE,

[01:10:07]

AND I'M COMING ALL THE WAY UP TO THE NOSE OF NOT NAMING A PARTICULAR FACILITY, BUT THAT COULD OTHERWISE RENT OUT ITS SPACE FOR OTHER USES. BUT BECAUSE IT'S POTENTIALLY RECOGNIZED AS AN INSTITUTION OF LEARNING, BECAUSE IT'S A DAYCARE WE COULD HAVE NOISE PROBLEMS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN PROBLEMS. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO AVOID, BECAUSE I DO THINK WE'VE GOT A LITTLE SLUSH ROOM HERE TO I THINK IT LEAVES IT OPEN.

YEAH, I THINK TO DAVID'S POINT, LIKE THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SLUSH ROOM.

LIKE I SEE IT AS A NEGATIVE HERE. AND YOU'RE SAYING IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE. YEAH, I AGAIN, I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S IT'S EITHER BENEFICIAL OR, YOU KNOW, A NEGATIVE. I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO POTENTIALLY TEAR, YOU KNOW, NARROW IT TO WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE. BUT AGAIN, WE DIDN'T HAVE WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE HAD THE INFORMATION AT THIS TIME TO INFORM, YOU KNOW, A SPECIFIC EXEMPTION AND TO LEGISLATE, I UNDERSTAND, TO THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE IS NOT GREAT.

SO I GUESS I WILL SAY IF WE CAN GIVE OURSELVES THAT TIME FRAME AND DISCOVER, ARE THERE YOU KNOW, IS THERE A BAD ACTOR THAT JUST TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN? YES. I THINK WE'LL HEAR ABOUT IT. WE'LL TAKE NOTE.

WE'LL HAVE TO RESPOND PRETTY QUICKLY. OKAY. LANGUAGE.

IT SAYS IS ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, BUT AS PART OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.

YES. AND I THINK THAT'S ALSO A QUALIFIER. OKAY.

YEAH. SO THE RENTAL SO ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, AN EVENT, A RENTAL EVENT HELD AT A DAYCARE CENTER, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAY PARTY THAT WOULD NOT FALL UNDER IT.

NOW, YOU KNOW, AN ACTUAL EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY THAT MAY FALL UNDER IT.

THAT'S A DEBATE THAT WE MIGHT BE WILLING TO HAVE. BUT THERE.

THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT THAT THERE IS THAT QUALIFIER THERE. IT HAS TO BE SPECIFICALLY AN EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY.

THANK YOU FOR THE CONVERSATION ON THAT, BECAUSE I WANTED TO SHARE SOME CONCERNS I'D HEARD AND A PARTICULAR EXAMPLE, AND IT WAS MEANINGFUL. SO WE'LL MOVE ON FROM THERE.

NUMBER FIVE, THE RELATIVE TO THE COUNTY CITY EXEMPTION IF I GOT TO OPEN MY THING PERFORMING NECESSARY WORK, I THINK A GREAT EXAMPLE IS A NATURAL DISASTER, A TREE.

WE NEED THAT THAT TO BE REMEDIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

AND IF IT'S A CHAINSAW TO TAKE DOWN A TREE FOR SAFETY, IT HAS TO HAPPEN.

THAT'S. YES. YES. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE.

AND THEN I DEFINITELY HEARD A LOT OF WANTING TO ADD IF THE COUNTY NEEDS TO DO CONSTRUCTION WORK OR IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE CREATING NOISE, BUT IF THEY NEED TO DO WORK AFTER HOURS IN THE CITY, THEY HAVE TO GET THE PERMISSION OF THE CITY MANAGER TO DO THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, BASED OFF OF THE TYPE OF NOISE OR INCONVENIENCE THAT MAY BE GENERATED BY THAT WORK.

AND AGAIN, WITH HOW URGENT IT MIGHT BE. BUT WE ALSO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY AND IT'S NOT JUST THE COUNTY, IT'S ACTUALLY OTHER CONTRACTORS, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES HAVE TO DO THE AFTER HOURS WORK.

WE MAKE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORS ARE NOTIFIED OF THIS WORK.

BUT CERTAINLY IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY YOU KNOW, THE EXCEPTION APPLIES.

OKAY. GOOD TO KNOW. AND REGARDING THE 10 P.M., I REALLY DO LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE COULD BUILD CONSENSUS AROUND MOVING A LITTLE EARLIER.

WE STARTED TO HEAR PRETTY STRONG NEIGHBORHOOD FEEDBACK.

I THINK IT'S SMART AND IT'S RATIONAL, AND WE LOOKED UP WHEN THE SUN REALLY DOES SET, IT'S ABOUT 830 IN JULY.

YOU COULD GIVE PEOPLE ANOTHER 30 MINUTES AND WANT PEOPLE TO BE SAFE, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE EXTREME TEMPERATURES NOW.

AND THAT THAT POINT AT WHICH PEOPLE GET VERY ILL FROM WORKING OUTSIDE IS, IS REAL AND IT'S HAPPENING MORE OFTEN.

BUT I THINK THAT COULD BE A, A SENSIBLE TIME WOULD BE NINE IN MY VIEW, AND I'D SUPPORT THAT.

SO THANKS. THANK YOU I, I ALSO AGREE 9:00 NEEDS TO BE THE CUTOFF FOR LAWN EQUIPMENT.

I LIKE USING MY CHAINSAW IN THE DARK. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT.

IT SEEMS LIKE A TERRIBLE IDEA. YOU DID NOT READ THE SAFETY GUIDELINES.

YOU DID NOT IN THE MANUAL RISK TAKER. AND THEN JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT IF THERE'S A MUSIC RELATED EVENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT'S PERMITTED, THEY CAN EXCEED THE 65 DECIBEL LIMIT WITH THE PERMIT.

BUT IF SOMEONE WANTS TO THROW A RAGER IN THEIR BACKYARD, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH NOT EXCEEDING THE 65 DECIBEL.

CORRECT. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE OKAY, AND THAT IS UP UNTIL 9 OR 10.

THAT WOULD BE UP UNTIL 10 P.M.. AND THEN AFTER THAT.

[01:15:03]

SO AT 9:00 QUESTIONS REGARDING SOME CONSTITUENTS WHO CONTACTED ME.

ONE WAS QUESTIONING THE ENFORCEMENT OF THIS, AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.

MY EMAIL IS NOT WORKING FOR ME RIGHT NOW. WE WE CAN ENFORCE THIS AND HAND OUT TICKETS AND STUFF LIKE THAT FOR POWERS.

YES. YES, WE CAN ENFORCE THIS. AND THE SECOND THING I BROUGHT THIS UP EARLIER, MADE OUR WORK SESSION.

I HEARD FROM THE DOWNTOWN DECATUR NEIGHBORS. IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE MORNING AND THE DUMPSTERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND SO WHEN I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF THEIR LEADERS THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR SANITATION FOLKS WHO SAID WE ACTUALLY ARE NOT DOING DUMPSTERS BEFORE LIKE 6:00 OR 7:00.

SO I JUST WANT TO CHECK IN ON THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY COULD JUST KIND OF COME AND TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE MISTER WOODSON WOULD BE CONVENIENTLY.

I SAW YOU COMING OUT OF MY PERIPHERAL VISION IMMEDIATELY.

SORRY, I DIDN'T SEE. OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

GOOD EVENING. THERE IS ONE AREA IN DOWNTOWN DECATUR THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE A TRUCK IN EARLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE ALL THE DELIVERY TRUCKS COME IN. THE GREASE TRAP TRUCKS COME IN.

BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THEM BLOCKING US, GETTING TO THE DUMPSTER, AND THEY'RE BACK THERE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

AND THAT SAME PROPERTY OWNER OR THEIR MANAGEMENT GROUP CONTACTS US DISAPPOINTED AND DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE TRASH WASN'T COLLECTED.

SO AT THE 400, THE FOUR 406 408 RIGHT HERE ON CHURCH STREET, THERE'S AN AREA THERE THAT WE HAVE TO GET IN THERE EARLY. AND HOW EARLY IS EARLY? THEY'RE THE LAST, LAST WEEK.

THE PROBLEM WAS THE GREASE TRAP TRUCK CAME IN.

THEY CAME IN ABOUT THEY WERE THERE BEFORE WE GOT THERE.

WE GOT THERE ABOUT 6:00, 545, 6:00, AND THE TRUCK WAS ALREADY THERE.

AND THEY WERE THERE UNTIL AFTER 730. THAT TRUCK MAKE NOISE.

IT HAS A VAC SYSTEM ON IT. YES, SIR. AND WITHIN THE CONFINES OF OUR NOISE ORDINANCE IS ABOUT TO BE AMENDED.

IT? IT DEPENDS ON IT. YES. YES IT COULD. YES, SIR.

IT COULD. BUT BEING MUFFLED BY THAT BUILDING THERE, IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO HEAR THAT NOISE AND REALLY COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT NOISE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO ACTUALLY BE WALKING OUT THERE, WALKING BY THAT TIME OF MORNING TO HEAR THAT NOISE.

IF YOU'RE UP IN YOUR TOWNHOUSE OR CONDO ACROSS THE STREET UP THERE, YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR THAT BACK DOOR.

YEAH, BUT I MEAN, YES, YOU COULD YOU COULD HEAR IT.

YES, SIR. I APPRECIATE IT. YES, SIR. WE HAD CONVERSATION LAST TIME.

I APPRECIATE YOU WALKING ME THROUGH IT. YES, SIR. I HAD THAT CONVERSATION. THAT ONE AREA.

I DO. I WISH THERE WAS A BETTER WAY TO PROVIDE SERVICE FOR THAT PROPERTY.

BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A WAY TO TELL THE GREASE TRUCKS TO COME TO THE RESTAURANT.

THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING THAT QUESTION. WELL, AS RESTAURANTS, THEY'RE THE EMPLOYEES.

THEY THEN COME IN AROUND THAT TIME. THEY BRING THEIR CARS SO NO ONE CAN BETTER GET BACK THERE.

FAIR ENOUGH. YEAH. OKAY. I'M SORRY. I APOLOGIZE.

I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR INFORMATION. THANK YOU. THAT'S GOOD.

OKAY. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CREDIT TO MR. WOODSON AND HIS TEAM BECAUSE BACK IN SEPTEMBER, WHEN WE HELD THE WORK SESSION, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I KNOW CAME UP WAS GLASS RECYCLING COLLECTION IN OAKHURST HAPPENING AND BEING VERY LOUD, VERY EARLY IN THE MORNINGS.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE MODIFIED THEIR SCHEDULE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING TOO EARLY IN THE MORNING.

SO I KNOW THAT OUR STAFF, WHEREVER POSSIBLE, WE TRY TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF NOISE TO THE POINT, UP TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE PROVISION, AT WHICH POINT, IF WE HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE TRASH COLLECTED VERSUS, YOU KNOW, HAVING A LOUD NOISE AT 6:00, I THINK THAT WE'D RATHER CHOOSE THE SERVICE PROVISION. ALL RIGHT. JUST ONE LAST THING. SO WHEN I LIVED IN THE ARTISAN, THEY WOULD BLOW THE.

YEAH, WE GOT THE PARKING LOT AT 11:00 AT NIGHT.

SO THAT WOULD BE ILLEGAL UNDER THE NEW NOISE ORDINANCE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, GREAT. IF I COULD, I'D JUST QUICKLY LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, TOO, THAT THE FEEDBACK WE GOT IS WAS VERY CONSTRUCTIVE AND HELPFUL. AND TONIGHT ESPECIALLY TO THIS IS LIKE REALLY SOME OF THE MOST PERSONAL STUFF WE TRY TO WORK OUT ABOUT HOW WE LIVE SO CLOSE IN PROXIMITY AND DO IT AS PEACEFULLY AND NEIGHBORLY AS POSSIBLE WHILE ENJOYING THE BENEFITS OF LIVING IN A CITY AND KNOWING THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE JUST

[01:20:06]

I GREW UP IN WYOMING, WHERE YOU DON'T NEED CURTAINS AND YOU CAN HOLLER AND YOU CAN HOOT, AND AND IF YOU HONK YOUR HORN, IT WAS TO SAY HI TO SOMEONE NOT TO TELL THEM TO GET DOWN THE ROAD.

IT WAS AN EXTREMELY WINDY STATE WHERE THIS CONSTANT STATE OF WIND, THOUGH, ACTUALLY DID DRIVE PEOPLE KIND OF BANANAS.

SO THESE LOW LEVEL ANNOYANCES CAN BE REALLY CHALLENGING.

I RECOGNIZE THAT IN A CITY, NOISE WOULD BE THAT EQUIVALENT, AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO WORK THROUGH IT AND LEARN AND HAVE A HEALTHY CITY, BECAUSE THIS IS A HEALTH ATTRIBUTE TOO. SO THANKS FOR THE HELPFUL FEEDBACK AND RECOGNIZING, THOUGH, HOW WE'RE ALL REALLY LIVING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY.

AND ONE QUICK THING, I HOPE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE CO-BENEFITS IN FUTURE, POTENTIALLY, OF LOWERING SPEED LIMITS AND AS MANY STREETS AS WE CAN.

I'VE READ THAT THAT CAN REDUCE SOME OF THE THE NOISE OF REGULAR CITY LIMIT CITY LIVING BY EVEN UP TO HALF.

SO THAT COULD HAVE A REALLY BIG BENEFIT FROM NOISE FOR NOISE REDUCTION AND FUTURE AS WE TACKLE THAT ISSUE TOO.

AND WE WILL AMPLIFY THE OUTPUT. NO, BUT SO THANKS.

I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION ON THIS. THE MAYOR PRO TEM COURTNEY.

YES. I HOPE HE DID SO. AND THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS, FOR STAFF AND THE RESIDENTS AND THE NOISE COMMITTEE AND EVERYBODY.

YEAH, I DO APPRECIATE YOUR WORK. YOU HAVE COME BEFORE THIS BODY AND TWEAKED AND WORKED AND APPRECIATE THE GROUP THAT HAS WORKED ALONGSIDE THE WORK OF THOSE BEFORE ME. THIS HAS BEEN AN EFFORT GOING ON SINCE BEFORE I WAS EVEN AT A GRAD SCHOOL, FRANKLY. SO I'M GLAD TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP GET THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO I BELIEVE THAT IF I AM HEARING CORRECTLY THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A NOISE ORDINANCE ADOPTING ADOPTION WITH A I GUESS, CHANGE, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE CHANGING THE HOURS ON, ON UNDER NUMBER ONE FOR THE LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT TO BE BETWEEN 7 A.M.

AND AFTER 9 P.M.. I BELIEVE IN THAT NUMBER ONE.

SO IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL WITH THE ADJUSTMENT FROM 10 P.M.

TO 9 P.M. FOR THE USE OF LAWN EQUIPMENT ON WEEKDAYS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS AN ORDINANCE VOTE. SO I WILL ASK FOR A CALL VOTE.

COMMISSIONER MEYER. I. COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY.

AYE. COMMISSIONER WALSH. AND THE CHAIR VOTES I.

AND I'M SURE THE MAYOR PRO TEM WILL SUPPORT THIS AS WELL.

SO THE ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED AS AMENDED. SO. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. LISTEN, ALL THAT HOOTING AND HOLLERING.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT. SO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. RIGHT.

60DB. THAT APPLAUSE WAS FOR YOU, MR. WOODSON.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. NOW FOR MORE.

[VI.D. 2025 Sanitation Fee Schedule.]

I'M HERE TODAY. FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER.

I'M HERE TODAY TO PROPOSE TO PROPOSE TO RECOMMEND THE ADOPTION OF A SANITATION FEE SCHEDULE BASED ON BASED ON THE COST TO DELIVER THE SERVICE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL FEE, WITH THE AMOUNT OF 310, $310 A YEAR, BE INCREASED TO $350 PER PER UNIT.

THE FEE SHOULD FULLY COVER THE COST OF PROVIDING THE RESIDENTIAL SANITATION AND RECYCLING SERVICES.

CURRENT TRENDS CONTINUE TO SHOW A RISE IN THE COST OF CONSUMABLES NEEDED IN PROVIDING SOLID WASTE SERVICES, SUCH AS PRICE OF FUEL, VEHICLE PARTS AND SUPPLIES.

THE FEE RECOMMENDATION ACCOUNTS FOR THE ACTUAL COST.

BUDGET TRENDS. ECONOMIC INFLATION AND THE CONTINUED.

VOLUNTEER. EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY. VOLATILITY. THE VOLATILITY.

I'M SO SORRY. I'M SO SORRY. VOLATILITY IN THE RECYCLING INDUSTRY.

CITY STAFF WORK DILIGENTLY, DILIGENTLY TO CONTROL THESE COSTS AND PROVIDE QUALITY OF SERVICE.

THE CITY OF DECATUR SINGLE FAMILY RECYCLING PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO BE COLLECTED BY THE SANITATION DIVISION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THE RECOMMENDED FEE ALSO ACCOUNTS FOR THE COLLECTION OF COMMINGLED MATERIALS AND A SEPARATE COLLECTION OF GLASS.

[01:25:07]

THE SANITATION. THE CITY DECATUR RECYCLING PROGRAM INCLUDES CARDBOARD, PAPER, PLASTICS, BOTTLES AND JUGS, METAL AND GLASS COLLECTED SEPARATELY. CURRENTLY, MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITIES ARE ACCEPTING COMMINGLED RECYCLABLES THAT INCLUDE PLASTICS ONE AND TWO. THE GOAL OF THE RECYCLING PROGRAM IS TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE, SUSTAINABLE RECYCLING PRACTICES AND MAXIMIZE WASTE DIVERSION THAT SUPPORTS THE STRATEGIC PLAN. ACTION ITEM C, C++ .15.

RECOVERED. DISCARDED. RESOURCE. RESOURCES. APPROPRIATELY, THE RECOMMENDED FEE REPRESENTS AN APPROXIMATE PER TON COST OF $210 $219 PER TON OF RECYCLABLE COLLECTED.

MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY. CURRENTLY USED BY THE CITY OF DECATUR.

HAS INCREASED ITS TIPPING FEES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, IT'S GONE FROM $60 TO $70 A TON, WITH A MONTHLY AVERAGE OF BEING COLLECTED OF 150 TONS OF RECYCLABLES. THIS NUMBER DOES NOT INCLUDE GLASS.

IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE COLLECTED SEPARATELY. THE CURRENT RECYCLED GLASS AGREEMENT CONTINUES TO INCLUDE A $20 PER TON REVENUE.

THE AVERAGE MONTHLY COLLECTION OF RECYCLED GLASS FROM THE CITY OF DECATUR IS APPROXIMATELY 40 TONS A MONTH.

AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW OF THE SOLID WASTE DIVISION'S BUDGET AND OPERATION, THE RECOMMENDED FEE FOR RESIDENTIAL SANITATION FEES WILL SUPPORT THE COLLECTION OF HOUSEHOLD PAY AS YOU THROW BAGS, GARBAGE YARD WASTE, COMMINGLED RECYCLING, SEPARATED GLASS COLLECTIONS AND HELP COVER THE COST OF THE COMPOSTING PILOT PROGRAM. THAT PROGRAM WE ARE WE ARE PROBABLY 80% READY TO KICK OFF THAT PROGRAM WE HAVE. WE HAVE RECEIVED THE THE BINS.

WE HAVE RECEIVED THE TRUCK. I AM WORKING ON WHERE I HAVE SENT OFF TO GET THE PERMIT TO FOR US TO TRANSPORT FOOD MATERIALS.

SO WE SHOULD BE GETTING THAT PRETTY SOON. ALSO WE JUST PUT OUT SOME EDUCATION INFORMATION AND THE HOMES THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO START OUT THIS PILOT PROGRAM.

WE WILL DELIVER THOSE BINS TO THOSE FACILITIES, THOSE HOMES, AND GET STARTED ON THAT, HOPEFULLY BE STARTING BY APRIL OF THIS SPRING.

IT IS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE VARIOUS BAG PRICES INCREASE THIS YEAR.

THE INCREASES RANGES FROM $140 TO $170 FOR THE 33 GALLON, $1 $40.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. $1.40 TO $1.70 FOR A 33 GALLON BLUE BAG.

$0.70 TO $0.80 FOR THE 15 GALLON YELLOW BAG, AND $0.40 TO $0.45 FOR THE EIGHT GALLON GREEN BAG.

THE SOLID WASTE DIVISION WILL CONTINUE TO HOST SUCH EVENTS AS STYROFOAM RECYCLING, ELECTRONICS RECYCLING, DOCUMENT SHREDDING, AND NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS.

THEY ESTIMATE THE ESTIMATED COST TO HOST THE SPRING CLEANUPS FOR THE ENTIRE SPRING IS AROUND ABOUT $60,000.

ONE ELECTRONICS EVENT? IT DEPENDS ON NOW THE COMPANIES CHARGE US BASED ON THE TONNAGE THAT THEY COLLECT FROM THE CITY SO IT CAN RANGE. THIS LAST EVENT WAS LIKE $8,700.

THAT'S INCLUDING WHAT WE PAID THEM AND ALSO FOR THE EXPENDITURES AS FAR AS PERSONNEL STAFFING TO COVER THAT.

AND THEN THE SHREDDING EVENT, ANYWHERE FROM LIKE 5700 TO $6700 TO HOST THAT EVENT. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO HOST THOSE EVENTS.

IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2324, THE CITY STARTED TO PROCESS OF THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A CURBSIDE ORGANIC.

I SPOKE ON THE I'M SORRY. MAYBE 250 HOMES. VOLUNTEERED VOLUNTEERED FOR THIS PROGRAM BASED ON COLLECTION COSTS FOR COMMERCIAL SERVICES. IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMMERCIAL REFUSE CONTAINER CUBIC YARD CHARGE INCREASED FROM $4.25 TO $4.75 PER CUBIC YARD. IT ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT THE NINTH CART GOES FROM $800 TO $960 FOR ONE CART ONCE ONCE COLLECTED ONCE A WEEK FOR 52 WEEKS, AND ALSO THE THREE YARD CONTAINER DUMPSTER RELOADED THE DUMPSTER.

WE CURRENTLY CHARGED $1,210. WE WE RECOMMEND INCREASE TO 1450 FOR ONE CONTAINER SERVICE ONCE PER WEEK.

[01:30:08]

THE SOLID WASTE FUND DOES NOT CHARGE THE CITY, CITY, OR THE CITY SCHOOLS OF DECATUR FOR COMMERCIAL COLLECTIONS.

THE ESTIMATED CHARGE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR WILL BE ABOUT $48,000, AND FOR CITY SCHOOLS, THE DECATUR, WHERE WE'RE WE'RE CURRENTLY GIVING THEM $190,692 WORTH OF SERVICE.

THE RECOMMENDED FEES BASED ON A BUDGET PROJECTIONS OF OPERATING THE CAPITAL EXPENSES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

OPERATING EXPENSES FOR 20 2324 WERE 2,759,000 AND 303.

03,051,914. IN REVENUES. REVENUES IN 20.

24. I'M SORRY. 22. IT WAS 22. 24. I MEAN 22. 23.

AND FOR 23, 24. IT'S WHERE? TWO 2,886,670 $67.

AND THE FROM THE 305 WE WE RAISED THE THE FEE FROM 305 TO 310.

SANITATION FEE MAKE UP 83% OF OPERATION REVENUE, AND THE BALANCE IS GENERATED FROM THE THROWBACK SALES AFTER TRANSFER OF OVERHEAD COSTS AND NET POSITIONS DECREASED DURING THE 24, 20, 23, 24 YEAR.

IT DECREASED FROM 1,000,406 $773 TO EIGHT $805,414 IN THE ABSENCE OF IN THE ABSENCE OF THE RECOMMENDED INCREASES, PROGRAMS SUCH AS NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS AND ELECTRONIC RECYCLING AND ELECTRONIC RECYCLING WILL BE ELIMINATED FROM THE NEXT YEAR'S SERVICE OFFERINGS. THE CITY DOES NOT PROVIDE A FEE OFFSET FOR RESIDENTS RECEIVING THE S2 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR THE SOLID WASTE AND STORMWATER FEES. QUESTIONS. MR. ARNOLD HAS SOME ADDITIONAL DOCUMENT, MAYBE TO SHARE WITH US THAT IN CASE THAT WASN'T ENOUGH INFORMATION.

RIGHT. YEAH. THANK YOU. AND, MR. WOODS, DID YOU HAVE A DO YOU HAVE A COPY OF THIS AS WELL? I DO. OKAY, GREAT. I CAN'T HELP MYSELF. I JUST WANTED TO OH.

EXTRA COPY. EXTRA. OKAY. JUST REITERATE AND EMPHASIZE WHAT MR. WOODSON HAS PRESENTED HERE. I WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FIRST SECTION OF THIS FORM SAYS THE SOLID WASTE FUND EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES IN 2324.

YOU SEE, THE EXPENDITURES WERE ABOUT 3.6 MILLION, REVENUES WERE 2.9.

AND YOU SEE THAT DIFFERENCE, THAT USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS OF OF A -648,000.

THAT WAS WHERE IN THE MEMO, MR. WOODSON TALKS ABOUT THE DECREASE IN OUR NET POSITION FROM 1.4 MILLION TO 805,000 AND THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET. AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET.

2425 HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED WITH ANY REVISED NUMBERS, BUT WHAT WAS ADOPTED WAS ABOUT $3.5 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES AND ANTICIPATING REVENUES OF AROUND 3.1 MILLION.

SO CONTINUING TO TO TO DIP INTO THE RETAINED EARNINGS BY ABOUT 350,000.

AND THEN THIS 2526 THIS IS A VERY VERY VERY PRELIMINARY NUMBER.

BUT VERY CONSERVATIVELY, THE ONLY CHANGE MADE WITH THIS 2526 WAS TO PUT IN A SMALL SALARY INCREASE FOR THE EMPLOYEES, 2.5%. NO OTHER CHANGES ARE REPRESENTED HERE.

THAT WOULD BRING US TO EXPENDITURES OF $3.5 MILLION.

REVENUES OF 2.9 IF THERE ARE NO FEE CHANGES. AND SO A CONTINUED USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS OF OVER $540,000. SO AT SOME POINT THERE WILL BE NO RETAINED EARNINGS TO.

AND IT COULD BE AS SOON AS 2526 THAT THERE WOULD BE NO RETAINED EARNINGS TO BALANCE TO, TO USE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

SO WITH THE THE NEXT TABLE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROPOSED SOLID WASTE FEES THAT MR.

[01:35:03]

I THINK WE ESTIMATE THAT LIKE 6100 RESIDENTIAL UNITS FOR THE 310 TO 350 WOULD INCREASE THE REVENUE BY 244,000. AND THEN WITH THE OTHERS, IT DROPS PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.

COMMERCIAL CONTAINERS THAT INCREASE FROM 425 TO 4 75 CUBIC YARD WOULD BRING IN CLOSE TO 43,000.

THE 95 GALLON CARTS 800 TO 960 GENERATES JUST $14,000 AS AN ANNUAL NUMBER, AND THE THREE CUBIC YARD CONTAINER WOULD BRING IN JUST OVER 18,000. AGAIN, BASED ON CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS.

SO ABOUT $319,000 JUST FROM THOSE FEE CHANGES.

AND THEN YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN WITH THE BAG PRICES.

AND THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE WOULD BE ABOUT 94,000.

SO THE INCREASE IN THE BAG PRICES, ALONG WITH THE PROPOSED SOLID WASTE FEES, THAT TOTAL IN THE TABLE THERE AT THE BOTTOM WOULD BE ABOUT JUST OVER $412,000. SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR, 2526 KIND OF BEST CASE SCENARIO OF A USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS OF 544,000, THAT WOULD BE CUT, ACTUALLY A USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS CLOSER TO 130,000.

SO EVEN WITH ALL OF THIS, WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION, YOU KNOW, THE YOU KNOW, THE NUMBERS DO PLAY OUT.

STILL SHOWING SOME USE OF THE RETAINED EARNINGS, BUT IT CERTAINLY DOES SLOW DOWN THAT SPEND.

IT ALSO TELLS US WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING TO INCREASE REVENUES TO COVER ALL OF OUR COSTS, BUT WE'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, THIS WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE EXPENDITURE SIDE AND FIND AREAS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE YOU KNOW, WHERE WHERE WE CAN FIND SOME SAVINGS.

YOU KNOW, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND CONTROL THE EXPENDITURES TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.

BUT OF COURSE, MOST OF THIS FUND IS PERSONNEL SERVICES.

IT'S THE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE DOING THE HARD WORK EVERY DAY, AND IT'S THE TIPPING FEES AT THE COUNTY.

WHICH HAVE NOT CHANGED, EVEN THOUGH THERE DOES SEEM TO BE KIND OF A LINGERING THREAT THAT THE TIPPING FEES COULD CHANGE AT ANY TIME. AND, AND THEN, OF COURSE, ANOTHER LARGE AREA IS THE THE EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE.

THE MAINTENANCE ONE TRUCK GOES DOWN $25,000. THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL I MEAN, NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE THAT KIND OF REPAIR.

AND GASOLINE IS A BIG A BIG TICKET NUMBER. AND WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE WORKING WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE MECHANICS.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THE, THE VENDORS THAT WE USE ON THE OUTSIDE TO WORK ON THESE TRUCKS.

WE'RE GOING TO NEGOTIATE, TRY TO FIND A WAY TO NEGOTIATE THIS, THESE CHARGES THAT THEY'RE GIVING US.

WE'RE BRINGING THEM EQUIPMENT WHEN NEED TO BE, NEED BE.

THEY NEED TO WORK ON THOSE PRICES AND NOT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE A CITY TO, YOU KNOW, HIKE THE PRICES UP LIKE THEY DO.

SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. OTHER ONE QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE NUMBERS.

I KNOW YOU SAID THIS. SOME ONE OF YOU SAID THIS AND I APOLOGIZE.

IT JUST DIDN'T STICK. SO WHAT IS THE THE DIFFERENCE OF, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY WHAT IS THAT LIKE 100.

WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FISCAL YEAR 2425 REVENUES VERSUS WHAT IS PROJECTED FOR 2526.

SO THE REASON IT'S LESS IS THE 2425 HAS 170,000 FOR THE COMPOST GRANT.

YES. OKAY. SO WHEN I SAY EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. OKAY.

I MEAN TO TO THE PENNY. OKAY. I JUST I GET IT WAS THIS WAS A REAL IT WAS COPY AND PASTE AND I TOOK I DIDN'T WANT TO DOUBLE COUNT THAT REVENUE.

NO THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE.

TOTAL SENSE. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THE JUST THE INCREASES AND HOW THEY PANNED OUT ACROSS THE LINE ITEMS. AND I WAS SEEING THAT COMMERCIAL WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER INCREASES, WHICH I, I'M GOING TO SAY MAYBE THEY COULD ABSORB MORE READILY OR, YOU KNOW, IF I WERE TO PRIORITIZE, MAYBE HOW TO DO THAT.

THE CART AND THE CONTAINER WERE LIKE 20 AND 17% INCREASES, WHEREAS THE RESIDENTIAL WAS AT A 13%.

BUT THEN MY QUESTION WOULD BE ON THE COMMERCIAL CONTAINER, THAT'S ONLY AN INCREASE OF 12%.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE THE MOST MODEST OF INCREASES WAS ON THE COMMERCIAL CONTAINER.

WHY WOULD THAT BE? WELL, IN YEARS. IN IN OPERATIONS OF COMMERCIAL SOLID WASTE,

[01:40:05]

YEAH. PLEASE. YOU'LL DRIVE A TRUCK PICKING IT UP, YOU PICK IT UP AND YOU PUT IT BACK DOWN AND YOU MOVE ON.

YOU DON'T GET OUT OF TRUCK. THE LABOR INTENSIVE.

IT'S NOT THAT LABOR INTENSIVE WHERE THE 95 GALLON CART AND THE THREE YARD CONTAINERS TO BE.

TO BE HONEST, WE'RE FINALLY GETTING STARTING TO WORK OUR WAY.

TO WHAT? ACTUALLY, THAT SERVICE REALLY COST. WE HAVE WE HAVE.

OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE TRIED TO HOLD FAST AND TRY TO.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO CHARGE ANYONE, BUT AS WE SEE WHAT HAPPENED HERE IS BY US NOT CHARGING THE THE PROPER AMOUNT OF MONEY, CORRECT AMOUNT OF MONEY, WE HAVE FALLEN BEHIND AND WE NEED TO TRY TO CATCH UP.

OKAY. YEAH. THOSE ARE JUST ABSTRACT TO ME UNTIL I DID A PERCENT INCREASE AND THEN THAT WAS THE ONE I JUST NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

I WOULDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE THE SAME AMOUNT. AND I MEAN, TO TO MR. WOODSON'S CREDIT I MEAN, EACH YEAR HE ACTUALLY CALCULATES THE COST OF THE SERVICE FOR EACH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S 95 GALLON CART OR THE THREE CUBIC YARD CONTAINER.

AND I'VE HEARD HIM SAY FOR YEARS, IT'S LIKE, IT'S KIND OF LIKE, I WISH THEY COULD ALL HAVE THE THE COMMERCIAL CONTAINER BECAUSE IT'S JUST SO MUCH MORE EFFICIENT, EFFICIENT ONE. RIGHT.

VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I JUST MR..

I ALWAYS LIKE TO CALL IT. I LOVE THE PAY AS YOU GROW COMPONENT OF THIS.

JUST, YOU KNOW, CHARGING PEOPLE FOR THE WASTE THEY USE. I HAVE A COMPETITION TO SEE HOW MANY WEEKS WE CAN GO WITHOUT ACTUALLY PUTTING TRASH TO THIS.

THIS? YES, WE'RE SAVING PENNIES, BUT IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT BUT SO SO I HAVE THAT QUESTION.

AND THEN I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT YOU REFERENCED IN 2020 4TH MARCH, WE INCREASED SHIPPING FEE BY $5 OR THE RESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE FEE. YES, SIR.

BUT LOOKING BACK, I DON'T RECALL. IS DOING MUCH IN THE WAY OF RATE INCREASE. I'D LIKE TO SEE, LIKE A LONGER, IF YOU WILL, PERIOD OF WHAT THE RATE INCREASES HAVE BEEN.

JUST TO GIVE US A SENSE OF THAT. WE DON'T NEED IT TODAY, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THAT STORY, BECAUSE I HAVE A SENSE THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN RAISING IT, AND NOW WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO CATCH UP.

YES, SIR. YES, SIR. I WILL I CAN SEND IT TO YOU.

I CAN MEAN. YES, SIR. WE DON'T GET TO SEE YOU THAT OFTEN.

SO WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF STUFF TO TALK ABOUT. IS IT COMPLETE UTOPIA TO THINK WE COULD HAVE ELECTRIC SANITATION TRUCKS? IT'S COMING. YEAH. IT'S COMING. IT'S COMING. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND ONE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN SUPPORT THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE. DECATUR THE TRUCK WE LOOKED AT.

I LOOKED AT A SOLID WASTE TRUCK. UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU FLIPPED THE CARTS OUT BY THE CURB, IT. AFTER A HUNDRED OF THEM, YOU LOSE POWER. YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND CHARGE.

AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S CARTS ON EVERY ROUTE, SO.

BUT IT'S COMING. THAT TECHNOLOGY IS COMING. AND ONE LAST THING.

I'VE HAD A FAIR AMOUNT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY WE DON'T DO SOMETHING THAT SOME OTHER CITIES DO.

I'VE HEARD IN NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS THAT WE BAG OUR LEAVES VERSUS I THINK THERE'S BIG BLOWER SUCTION DEALS VACUUMS THAT CAN COME BY AND GET THEM. MIKE KNOW ABOUT THAT PROCESS. YEAH I REMEMBER THAT WHEN I WAS A KID.

AND THEY JUST COME BY AND THEY SUCK IT UP WITH IT.

WHEN I WAS A KID IT WAS BACK IN. THEY SEEM TO THINK IT WAS MORE EFFICIENT AND POTENTIALLY LESS COSTLY FOR US TO DO IT THAT WAY.

MAYBE IT'S EASIER FOR RESIDENTS NOT BAGGING AND BUYING THE BAG. IT'S EASIER FOR RESIDENTS. IT'S MORE IT'S EASIER FOR RESIDENTS. BUT AS FAR AS A SERVICE, SUCKING IT UP. YEAH. YOU JUST SUCK IT INTO A TRUCK.

WHEREAS OUR OURS. YOU PUT IT IN A BAG OR A CAN.

OUR TRUCK COMPACTS IT, SO YOU GET MORE IN THE TRUCK TO TAKE IT TO THE LANDFILL TO BE TURNED INTO MULCH.

WELL, THOSE CITIES, YOU GOT TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE BY AND SUCK IT UP.

IT'S JUST IT'S VERY TIME CONSUMING. IT'S KIND OF.

I'M TRYING TO USE THE RIGHT WORD, BUT IT'D BE NICE ABOUT IT.

IT'S KIND OF OLD FASHIONED. YEAH. IT'S IT'S IT'S MORE.

IT'S OUT THAT TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE. BUT CITY, THERE'S A CITY NEXT DOOR TO US.

THEY DO THAT. THEY STILL DO THAT NOW? I WOULD THINK THAT IT COULD POSE CHALLENGES FOR YOUR STORMWATER SYSTEM.

YES. WE HAVE THE LEAVES OUT. IT RAINS AND THEN YOUR STORMWATER SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE CLOGGED.

YES. AND NOW, WITH THIS GREAT ANSWER, I WON'T HOPEFULLY HAVE TO ANSWER.

I WILL HAVE THE BEST ANSWER FOR THIS PERSON NOW.

YEAH. YEAH. THANK YOU. OUTDATED IN STORMWATER.

WE DON'T WANT IT. YEAH. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. ONE MORE QUICK COMMENT, IF I MAY.

SURE. I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING WHAT WOULD BE SACRIFICED IF WE HAD TO IF WE DID NOT APPROVE THE INCREASE.

[01:45:05]

AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE THEY START SHARING IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU RELEASE THE DATES AND THE SCHEDULES SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN GET PREPARED.

I DON'T THINK RESIDENTS WOULD BE HAPPY TO GIVE THAT UP.

YES, MA'AM. ACTUALLY, WE STARTED THIS PAST SATURDAY AND WE PICKED UP 21.98 TONS.

THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE SERVICE, RIGHT? YEAH. NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP IS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I JUST THINK THAT YOUR DIVISION DOES EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I THINK I'VE EVER SEEN ANYWHERE ELSE I'VE EVER LIVED.

AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST USEFUL AND HELPFUL SERVICES YOU ALL PROVIDE.

SO GIVING THAT UP, I THINK ONE WOULD OUR RESIDENTS WOULD INCUR ANOTHER EXPENSE HAVING TO HAVE IT HANDLED PRIVATELY.

IT CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE MORE CONVENIENT AND I DON'T KNOW, ANYWHERE YOU CAN GO TO DISPOSE OF HARD TO DISPOSE OF MATERIALS FOR, YOU KNOW, $40, INCLUDING LABOR, TRANSPORTATION FEES AND SUCH.

SO. YES, MA'AM. BUT ACTUALLY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES LIKE CHAMBLEE, DEKALB COUNTY, AVONDALE, CITY OF SOUTH FULTON, ACTUALLY, THEY CHARGE YOU A NICE FEES, LIKE $75 TO PICK UP A COUCH THAT'S EXTRA WITH YOUR SANITATION FEE.

YEAH. SANITATION FEE. BUT IF WE PUT A COUCH OUT, THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE YOU 70. THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH. WHEREAS IN OUR RFE. ALL THAT IS COVERED.

YEAH, THE OVERSIZE MATERIAL PICKUP THAT Y'ALL DO WITHOUT GIVING ANYBODY A HASSLE.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP DAYS. THE HARD TO RECYCLE DAYS THAT Y'ALL HAVE ONCE A YEAR.

LIKE TO ME, THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT RESIDENTS TAKE FOR GRANTED.

AND I KNOW THE COST TO PRODUCE THAT KEEPS, YOU KNOW, INCHING UP EXPONENTIALLY, AS YOU KNOW.

YES, MA'AM. AS THE YEARS GO BY. SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING THAT PERSPECTIVE.

OH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND I'M SURE THEY I'M SURE THE RESIDENTS, THEY DO APPRECIATE IT.

AND AND THE CLEANUP AFTER THE MLK PROJECT AS WELL.

OH YES MA'AM. THE A LOT OF FOLKS NEED HELP CLEANING OUT AN ATTIC OR WHATEVER AND SOME THINGS THAT ARE A PART OF THAT PROJECT.

AND THEY'RE THAT GENERATES A LOT THAT THE CITY PICKS UP AND TAKES WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.

SO THANK YOU. AND I AGREE, I THINK THE THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP DAYS ARE OR SOMETHING THAT THE RESIDENTS LOOK FORWARD TO. I THINK DURING COVID ONE YEAR WE DIDN'T HAVE IT AND IT WAS ALWAYS PEOPLE WERE WONDERING, WILL WE BRING IT BACK? SO, ABSOLUTELY. ALRIGHT.

ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MISTER WOODSON? THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH EXPLANATION. AND WE'VE ALL LEARNED SOMETHING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL USE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

AND AND WE DO HAVE A FORD LIGHTNING WITH THE LIGHTNING AND THE THE MUSTANG.

I KNOW WE'RE GETTING THERE. WE'RE GETTING THERE. I KNOW IT.

SO. ALRIGHT. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADOPT THE SANITATION FEE SCHEDULE FOR 2025 AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED THE CHAIR VOTES I.

AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. AND I WILL SAY THAT MAYOR PRO TEM POWERS.

HE DIDN'T COMMENT ON THIS ONE, BUT HE WAS COMMENTING THAT HE ENJOYED THE HOOTING FROM THE AUDIENCE.

SO SO HE'S WISHING HE WAS HERE TO GIVE US SOME PUNS? I'M QUITE SURE. SO. ALL RIGHT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[VI.E. Tax Billing Ordinance.]

AS NORMAL. THIS WOULD INVOLVE TWO INSTALLMENTS.

ONE IN THE SPRING, ONE IN THE FALL. SO THE FIRST BILLS WOULD ISSUE APRIL 2ND.

THE WAY THE DAYS OF THE WEEK FALL THIS YEAR, DUE JUNE 2ND.

THESE DATES ARE FAIRLY TIME SENSITIVE FOR US TO MEET THE BUDGETED REVENUE THAT IS EXPECTED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

THE SECOND INSTALLMENT WOULD BE BILLED BY OCTOBER 22ND, DUE DECEMBER 22ND, AND EACH INSTALLMENT WOULD HAVE THIS TIME NINE BUSINESS DAY GRACE PERIOD. AGAIN, SORT OF THE WAY THE CALENDAR AND HOLIDAYS FALL OUT.

THIS GRACE PERIOD IS NOT REQUIRED BY STATE LAW OR THE CHARTER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT IS A NICE THING THAT I THINK THE TAXPAYERS APPRECIATE.

I DO WANT TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED DIRECTLY TO THIS ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO EXEMPTIONS.

SO EXEMPTIONS ARE GOVERNED BY STATE LAW AND LOCAL ACTS AS WELL AND NOT THIS BILLING ORDINANCE.

[01:50:02]

IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU'RE YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR TO GET IT IN BY MARCH 15TH.

SINCE WE'RE GOING TO BE ISSUING THE BILLS FIRST THING IN APRIL, AND IT'S A LOT TO PREPARE THOSE BILLS TAKE.

IT REALLY TAKES MORE THAN TWO TWO WEEKS. BUT EVEN JUST THE PRINTING AND OUR PRINT AND MAIL HOUSE AND THEIR TIME REQUIREMENTS, IT'S LESS AND LESS TIME EVERY YEAR IT FEELS LIKE.

SO WE DO ASK RESIDENTS TO, IF THEY DO HAVE AN EXEMPTION APPLICATION, TO GO AHEAD AND GET IT IN BY MARCH 15TH.

IF THEY WANT IT TO APPEAR ON THEIR FIRST INSTALLMENT BILL, THEY'LL STILL GET CREDIT FOR IT FOR THE WHOLE YEAR IF THEY TURN IT IN LATER THAN THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, HELP US AVOID SENDING A CORRECTED BILL OR WAITING TO FACTOR THAT BILL INTO A TOTAL RECOMPUTATION ON THE DURING THE SECOND INSTALLMENT.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN EXISTING EXEMPTION DO NOT NEED TO REAPPLY FOR THAT IN ORDER TO KEEP IT.

SO I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO QUALIFY FOR A NEW ONE ON THE BASIS OF THEIR AGE OR REDUCED INCOME, OR THEY'VE MOVED INTO TOWN, OR THEY'VE MOVED EVEN WITHIN TOWN TO A DIFFERENT HOUSE.

YOUR EXEMPTIONS DON'T TRANSFER FROM FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE AUTOMATICALLY.

THERE DOES HAVE TO BE AN APPLICATION, AND IF SOMEBODY DOES NEED TO APPLY, YOU CAN DO IT IN PERSON OR THEY CAN DO IT ONLINE IF THEY GO TO DECATUR GA.COM/HOMESTEAD. ALL OUR EXEMPTIONS ARE DESCRIBED THERE AND THERE'S LINKS TO ONLINE APPLICATIONS FOR EACH OF THEM AS WELL.

BUT GETTING BACK TO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AFTER THAT, GRACE, AFTER THAT NINE BUSINESS DAY GRACE PERIOD EXPIRES, INTEREST WOULD BEGIN TO ACCRUE. THAT INTEREST WOULD BE ADDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A STATE FORMULA THAT THIS YEAR WORKS OUT TO 0.875% PER MONTH. THIS IS A LITTLE LOWER THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR, BUT THE SAME AS IT WAS IN 2023. JUST A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, UNDER 1%. AFTER THAT AND AFTER THE AFTER 2025 IS OVER. IF YOU DID, IF YOU HAD UNPAID 2025 TAXES, THEN THE LIENS COULD BE SET.

REALISTICALLY, WE WOULDN'T DO THAT ON, YOU KNOW, IN JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THERE'S A WHOLE PROCESS LEADING UP TO THAT ITSELF.

BUT THE ORDINANCE DOES ALLOW FOR THOSE LIENS TO BE PLACED THE FOLLOWING YEAR AFTER THE TAXES WERE DUE.

AND IF YOU LET A 120 DAYS ELAPSE BEFORE YOU MAKE A PAYMENT, YOU WILL HAVE A 5% PENALTY ON ANY UNPAID AMOUNT. AND THAT IS THE ORDINANCE IN A NUTSHELL, AND I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF IT.

OKAY. SO IF SOMEONE LIKE IS FALLING UNDER THE SCHOOL TAX EXEMPTION, BUT BETWEEN THE AGES OF LIKE 65 TO 69, IF THEY TURN 70 THEN THEY BECAUSE THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR AN ADDITIONAL I GUESS EXEMPTION, THEY WOULD NEED TO REAPPLY FOR THAT.

IS THAT CORRECT? IF YOU HAVE. YES, THAT. WELL THAT'S A VERY THAT'S A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE WITH WITH SOME NUANCE TO IT.

I WOULD SAY YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE TURNED 70 BEFORE JANUARY 1ST, BECAUSE JANUARY 1ST IS THE PIVOT DATE FOR ALL AGE BASED EXEMPTIONS.

SO YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO AGE INTO THAT NEW BRACKET PRIOR PRIOR TO THE FIRST OF THE YEAR WITH THAT AGE 65 TO 69.

WE WE DO NOT MAINTAIN A DATABASE OF BIRTH DATES.

SO I CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE FROM SOME HOMEOWNERS PERSPECTIVES, THIS, YOU KNOW, HEY, IF I'VE I SHOULD HAVE IT, YOU KNOW MY BIRTHDAY. WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW YOUR BIRTH DATE AND WITH WITH THE S5 EXEMPTION, WHICH IS THE AGE 65 TO 69. I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN AROUND FIVE YEARS.

AND SOMETIMES WE CAN APPLY A LITTLE LOGIC AND SAY, WELL, IF YOU'VE HAD AN AGE 65 TO 69, EXEMPTION FOR FIVE OR MORE YEARS.

YOU OBVIOUSLY 70 NOW, SO WE'LL JUST CONVERT YOU.

THE ONLY TIMES WE REALLY DO THAT IS WHEN WE IMPLEMENT A BRAND NEW EXEMPTION.

AND THERE'S SO MUCH OPERATIONAL WORK AND SO MUCH FOOT TRAFFIC THAT WOULD GENERATE THAT.

WE GO AHEAD AND APPLY SOME LOGIC TO, TO, YOU KNOW, ALLOW PEOPLE IN AUTOMATICALLY.

BUT AS A YEAR TO YEAR THING WITH THE PREEXISTING EXEMPTION, WE DO ASK THEM TO COME IN BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT KNOW OTHERWISE TO APPLY IT.

AND IF THEY DIDN'T INDEFINITELY, IF THEY DIDN'T APPLY ONLINE, IF THEY APPLIED ON A PAPER CARD, IT WOULD BE REALLY HARD FOR US TO REMEMBER THAT THEY'VE NOW MOVED INTO A NEW AGE GROUP.

SO THAT MIGHT BE AN IMPORTANT BIRTHDAY FOR PEOPLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO.

62, 65, 70 AND 80 WOULD BE YOUR YOUR CRUCIAL BIRTH DATES TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.

[01:55:05]

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 025 DASH Y.Y.

ESTABLISHING THE PAYMENT DATES FOR REAL PROPERTY TAXES AS DESCRIBED.

YOUR SECOND SECOND MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER MEYER I.

COMMISSIONER. DUSENBURY. COMMISSIONER WALSH. I MAYOR VOTES I AND THE ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED.

SO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MISS

[VI.F. Amendment to Alcoholic Beverage Ordinance.]

I SERVE AS THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF VICTORIA COHEN, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.

SHE SENDS HER HER REGRETS THAT SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT THIS MEMO AND REQUEST.

BUT I AM HERE TO REQUEST THAT THE CITY COMMISSION ADOPT, OR AT LEAST CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENTS TO THE OPEN CONTAINER DISTRICT, WHICH IS IN THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ORDINANCE, AND THIS IS SPECIFICALLY TO EXTEND THE HOURS OF THE OPEN CONTAINER DISTRICTS.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO REVIEW THE HISTORY OF THE OPEN CONTAINER DISTRICTS.

IF YOU CAN THINK BACK ABOUT FOUR YEARS, WHEN WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CORONAVIRUS CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, THE CITY COMMISSION ADOPTED A TEMPORARY ORDINANCE TO CREATE THE OPEN CONTAINER DISTRICTS.

JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE NOT EATING AND DINING INDOORS.

SO THIS ORDINANCE ALLOWED PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, BE AT THE SQUARE, BE AT HARMONY PARK.

YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY BE OUTDOORS. AND BEFORE THAT TEMPORARY ORDINANCE HAD EXPIRED OR SUNSETTED.

THE CITY COMMISSION ADOPTED IN DECEMBER OF 2021 TO MAKE THAT A PERMANENT ORDINANCE.

THAT ORDINANCE ESSENTIALLY CREATED THE OPEN CONTAINER DISTRICTS FOR THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, 11 A.M. TO MIDNIGHT. AND THE ORDINANCE THAT IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AT LEAST THE TEXT AMENDMENTS EXTENDS THAT TO ALL SEVEN DAYS.

STILL THE SAME HOURS, STILL THE SAME STRUCTURE OF THE ORDINANCE IS JUST EXTENDING THE HOURS OF THE OPEN CONTAINER DISTRICTS.

AND THERE ARE SIX APPROVED RESTAURANT DISTRICTS THAT REMAINS THE SAME.

BUT THERE'S THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT, THE WEST PONCE BUSINESS BUSINESS DISTRICT, THE OLD DEPOT BUSINESS DISTRICT, EAST COLLEGE AND WEST COLLEGE BUSINESS DISTRICTS, AND THEN ALSO THE OAKHURST BUSINESS DISTRICT.

SO ALL THOSE REMAIN THE SAME. THERE'S MAPS WITHIN THE ORDINANCE WITH THE BOUNDARIES INDICATED.

THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY VIOLATIONS REPORTED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SUCH AS PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS OR OTHER SIMILAR ISSUES. SO WE HAVE NOT SEEN OVER THIS TIME. WE'VE MONITORED THAT AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY ISSUES.

SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE MOVE FORWARD TO ALL SEVEN DAYS.

LASTLY, I'LL SAY THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS REVIEWED THE DRAFT ORDINANCE FOR LEGAL FORM AND HAS APPROVED IT AS TO THE LEGAL FORM. SO WITH THAT, I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE TEXT AMENDMENTS TO THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ORDINANCE SPECIFIC TO EXTENDING THE HOURS OF THE OPEN CONTAINER DISTRICTS. SAY A WEST COLLEGE DISTRICT. REMEMBER ADDING THAT I DON'T SEE IT LISTED. AM I MISSING? DOWNTOWN BUSINESS. WEST.

PONCE. OLD DEPOT. EAST COLLEGE AND OAKHURST. YES.

SO, ARE YOU READING FROM THE MEMO? YES. SO THAT IS A CORRECTION THAT I AM MAKING TONIGHT, BECAUSE WHEN I REVIEWED THE ORDINANCE, AS IT'S WRITTEN TODAY, THERE ARE SIX BUSINESS DISTRICTS.

SO IN DECEMBER OF 2021, WE ADDED THAT SIXTH DISTRICT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CORRECTION TONIGHT.

ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS? I AM GLAD WE MARK, BECAUSE I EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT IT.

I'M NOT SURPRISED. THERE'S NO ROWDY BEHAVIOR, NO HOOTING, NO HOLLERING.

YEAH. I START HAVING THAT. ALL RIGHT. SO I THINK THE RESTAURANTS REALLY APPRECIATE US TRYING TO MAKE IT. NOT DON'T THEY DON'T HAVE TO THINK SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT DAY IT IS.

SO. AND LESS A LITTLE LESS CONFUSING AND MORE CONSISTENT.

SO. YES. AND DINERS AS WELL. SO EXACTLY. BUT CERTAINLY THE RESTAURANTS HAVE BENEFITED FROM THIS PROGRAM.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO AMEND CHAPTER SIX ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

[02:00:07]

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADOPT THAT? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER MEYER. AYE. COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY.

AYE. WALSH. AYE. AND CHAIR VOTES. AYE. AND THAT ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED.

SO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YES. NO. EASEMENTS FOR DEKALB

[VI.G. Easements for DeKalb County Watershed Project.]

I'M THE SENIOR ENGINEER FOR THE CITY, AND I'M HERE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVE EIGHT TEMPORARY EASEMENTS AND FOUR PERMANENT EASEMENTS TO DEKALB COUNTY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF AN EXISTING SANITARY SEWER LINE THAT CROSSES EIGHT CITY OWNED PARCELS.

THE DEKALB COUNTY WATERSHED PROJECT AFFECTS FIVE PARCELS ON MADISON AVENUE, ONE ON SECOND AVENUE AND TWO ON THIRD AVENUE.

THE PROJECT SPANS 1928FT, STARTING IN THE CITY OF ATLANTA AT 2304 FIRST AVENUE, WHICH IS WHAT WE WOULD KNOW AS HAWK HOLLOW AND ENDS AT 1301 OAK VIEW ROAD IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.

THE PROJECT AIMS TO REPLACE THE EXISTING SEWER PIPE WITH A LARGER DIAMETER PIPE TO ACCOMMODATE EXISTING AND PROJECTED FLOWS IN THE SEWER SYSTEM.

THE EXISTING SEWER MAIN VARIES IN DIAMETER FROM 8IN TO 12IN, AND CONSISTS OF DUCTILE IRON PIPE.

THE PROPOSED REPLACEMENT WILL UPSIZE IN DIAMETER FROM 12IN UP TO 16IN, AND WILL CONSIST ALSO OF DUCTILE IRON PIPE, BUT COATED INTERNALLY WITH CORROSION RESISTANT COATING.

THERE ARE TWO EXISTING AERIAL CROSSINGS IN THIS SEWER LINE.

THE EXISTING AERIAL PIPES WILL BE CUT IN PLACE AND PLUGGED.

THEN THE SURROUNDING SEWER PIPE WILL BE ABANDONED WITH FLOWABLE FILL.

THE PROPOSED REPLACEMENT PIPE WILL LARGELY BE IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE EXISTING PIPE, WITH NO AERIAL CROSSINGS.

THE PROPOSED LINE WILL BE ENTIRELY BURIED. THE AGREED UPON TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS AND PERMANENT SEWER EASEMENTS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN SUCH THAT THE CITY WILL STILL BE ALLOWED TO INSTALL AND OR CONSTRUCT TRAILS, BOARDWALKS, AND OR PATHS IN THE EASEMENT AREA SO LONG AS THE INSTALLATION OR CONSTRUCTION DOES NOT IMPAIR THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SAID SANITARY SEWER LINES.

AND LASTLY, THE CITY ARBORIST APPROVED THE COUNTY'S TREE PLAN FOR THIS PROJECT.

A TOTAL OF 30 TREES WITHIN THE CITY OF DECATUR WILL BE REMOVED AS PART OF THE PROJECT, AND EACH TREE THAT IS REMOVED WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW TREE PLANTING.

THE PROJECT DOES COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE TREE CONSERVATION PLAN, WHICH CONSISTS OF PAYMENT FOR CANOPY LOSS AND REPLANTING.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SO I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT FOR EVERY TREE YOU CUT DOWN, YOU HAD TO PLANT TWO. AND YOU'RE NOT THE.

I AM NOT THE ARBORIST. I KNOW THAT SHE HAS APPROVED THEIR TREE PLAN, AND ON THE TREE PLAN IT SAYS 30 ARE REMOVED AND 33 WILL BE REPLACED.

I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT BECAUSE I DID SEND AN EMAIL ASKING THAT QUESTION.

I THOUGHT, WHO KNOWS, MAYBE MY EMAIL WASN'T OKAY. THEY'RE ALSO PAYING INTO THE TREE BANK. THEY ARE? YES THEY ARE. YOU PAY THE TREE BANK, THEY REMOVE A TREE.

YOU HAVE TO PAY THE TREE BANK. RIGHT. AND THEN YOU GENERALLY HAVE TO REPLACE IT.

AND YOU GENERALLY GET 50% CREDIT FOR EVERY TREE BECAUSE WE DON'T EXPECT EVERY TREE TO GET TO FULL CANOPY.

SO THAT'S JUST MY QUESTION IS OKAY, SO MAYBE WE CAN GET AN ANSWER TO THAT.

YEAH I CAN FOLLOW UP I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY.

THANK YOU. I KNOW THERE ARE ALSO THREE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS OF TREES TO REMOVE THEIR BANDING.

BIGGER ONES WHEN THEY'RE TAKING OUT SMALLER ONES, I DON'T KNOW. OKAY, I KNOW THERE ARE NEWLY PLANTED TREES IN THE 609 THIRD AVENUE PARCEL THAT ARE GOING TO BE RELOCATED. I KNOW YOU ALSO INCLUDED A TREE REPLACEMENT PLAN, BUT THEN I'M HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY EMAIL.

OKAY. OKAY, SURE. QUESTIONS? I KNOW THIS IS HAS BEEN NEEDED FOR A WHILE.

YES. IN THAT AREA. SO I'M SURE THE RESIDENTS WHOSE HOMES BACK UP THERE.

AND IS THERE A POTENTIAL START DATE TIME? THEY ARE WAITING ON OUR APPROVAL OF THESE EASEMENTS.

THAT WAS THE LAST PIECE. THEY ARE READY TO GO.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS. SO. OTHER QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE EIGHT TEMPORARY EASEMENTS AND FOR PERMANENT EASEMENTS TO DEKALB COUNTY FOR THE REPLACING REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING SANITARY SEWER LINE THAT CROSSES CITY OWNED PARCELS AS DESCRIBED.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? SO MOVED. THERE A SECOND.

[02:05:02]

HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? CHAIR. VOTES. AYE. AND THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.

SO THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE THE FOLLOW UP ON COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY QUESTION.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW OPEN THE MEETING UP FOR THE LAST TIME THAT WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT IN THIS MEETING

[VII. Requests and Petitions.]

IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS.

AND JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT WE WE DON'T DO A BACK AND FORTH IN THE COMMENT PERIOD, BUT WE WOULD ADDRESS THEM AT THE END OF THE MEETING.

SO WELCOME. YES. OKAY. STEPHANIE HOLCOMB, JEFFERSON PLACE.

THIS SEEMS VERY MILD COMPARED TO A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE TENNIS PROGRAM AT THE PARK IN PARKS AND REC.

IT SEEMS LIKE THE OPTIONS FOR COACHING AND THINGS HAVE BEEN DIMINISHING SINCE WE MOVED HERE.

IN THAT WE CAN ONLY USE THE COACHES AT GLEN LAKE OR.

AND WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING OUR OWN COACHES IN.

LIKE, IF WE KNEW SOMEBODY. AND THEN MY UNDERSTANDING AND I MIGHT, THIS IS JUST WHAT I HAVE FOR INFORMATION IS THAT JABARI COLES CONTRACT HAS BEEN REVISED AND HE'S NO LONGER ABLE TO GIVE US TENNIS LESSONS.

AND MY TEAM SEEMS VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT'S LAST MINUTE.

WE'RE STARTING THIS WEEK AND THAT WAS IT. THAT WAS WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ARE THERE OTHERS WHO HAVE ANY COMMENTS?

[VIII. Reports and Other Business.]

AND THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS WILL MEET MONDAY, MARCH THE 10TH.

NEXT MONDAY. AND THIS ROOM AT 7:30 P.M.. THEY HAVE SOME MINUTES TO APPROVE, AND THEN THEY HAVE NEW BUSINESS.

ERIC SULLIVAN, CONTRACTOR, HAS APPLIED FOR A VARIANCE FROM THE DECATUR TREE ORDINANCE TO REMOVE A TREE AND CONSTRUCT AN EXTERIOR GARAGE FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 152 MICHIGAN AVENUE AND THE CITY OF DECATUR AND KADIR SADIQ HAVE APPLIED FOR A VARIANCE TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM ACCESSORY STRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS TO CONSTRUCT AN ADU AT THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 206 FAYETTEVILLE AVENUE, FAYETTEVILLE ROAD, AND THEN THEY WILL ELECT OFFICERS FOR THE NEW YEAR.

AND IF THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR COME TO THAT MEETING AND EXPRESS ANY INTEREST IN THE TSBA MEETING, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OR TO CONTACT NAHUM TAYLOR, WHO IS THE STAFF MEMBER FOR THAT AND TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS. THESE ITEMS DO NOT COME BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION.

THEY ARE DECIDED BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS AND CAN ONLY BE APPEALED IN SUPERIOR COURT.

SO THEN WE HAVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA AND IT IS A CANCELLATION NOTICE.

SO THEY WILL NOT MEET MARCH THE 11TH, AS THAT WOULD BE THEIR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.

AND THEY WILL MEET AGAIN ON APRIL THE 15TH INSTEAD.

SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MISS ARNOLD. THANK YOU.

I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT. AND THIS IS RELATED TO THE GEORGIA POWER PROJECT FOR THE TRANSMISSION LINES.

I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE THE THE PROGRESS OF THAT PROJECT.

THE GEORGIA POWER I DID PROVIDE A COMMENT TO THE NEIGHBORS ON SYCAMORE DRIVE ON YESTERDAY, ON SUNDAY, AND I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE WHAT I SHARED WITH THE THE SYCAMORE STREET NEIGHBORS.

I EXPLAINED THAT CITY STAFF DID MEET WITH GEORGIA POWER REPRESENTATIVES LAST WEEK.

AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE ARE STILL IN DISCUSSIONS WITH GEORGIA POWER ABOUT ALTERNATIVE ROUTES.

AND I DO EXPECT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM GEORGIA POWER BY THE END OF MARCH OR EARLY APRIL.

I KNOW THERE HAD BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT A RESOLUTION FROM THIS BODY, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC STATEMENTS BY THE CITY BEFORE HEARING BACK FROM GEORGIA POWER WOULD BE PREMATURE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SHARING WITH THE RESIDENTS AND JUST, YOU KNOW, LETTING FOLKS KNOW CONVERSATIONS ARE CONTINUING WITH GEORGIA POWER.

[02:10:02]

YES. AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS WORK HAS A NUMBER OF BUDGET RELATED UPDATES.

DO YOU INDEED. I HAVE THREE UPCOMING WAYS YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN OUR BUDGET PROCESS.

THE FIRST IS WHAT MR. LEAK TOLD YOU ABOUT LAST WEEK IS OUR BUDGET TRELLISES ARE UP THERE ON THE SQUARE IN HARMONY PARK AND AT GLEN LAKE PARK. I THINK THEY ARE FAST FILLING UP, BUT THEY'LL BE OUT THERE AND WE'RE REPLACING THE STARS BETWEEN NOW AND MARCH 14TH.

THEN ON MARCH 15TH, WHICH IS A SATURDAY, IS THE RETURN OF TOUCH A TRUCK AND TOUCH A BUDGET THAT WILL BE FROM 10 A.M.

TO 1 P.M. IN THE UPPER PARKING LOT AT DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL.

SOMETHING NEW THAT WE'RE TRYING OUT THIS YEAR IS A SENSORY FRIENDLY HOUR FROM 10 A.M.

TO 11 A.M., SO IF YOU REALLY WANT TO COME TALK TO STAFF ABOUT THE BUDGET, I'D RECOMMEND THAT'S WHEN YOU COME, BECAUSE THE SIRENS AND THE HORN HONKING AND THE HOOTING AND HOLLERING WON'T HAVE STARTED YET, SO YOU'LL HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF HAVING HOLDING CONVERSATIONS FOR LONGER.

BUT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND THEN OUR THIRD OPPORTUNITY IS STILL COMING TOGETHER.

BUT WANT TO PUT OUT THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY BEVERAGES AND BUDGET BOOK CLUB IN APRIL.

THERE WILL BE AT LEAST TWO, MAYBE THREE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME MEET WITH STAFF AND GO OVER CHAPTERS OR SECTIONS ASSIGNMENTS IN THE BUDGET. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FUNDS AND HOW THE BUDGET IS PUT TOGETHER OVER A BEVERAGE OF SOME KIND.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND SOME LOCATIONS TO HOLD THESE BOOK CLUBS.

THERE MAY BE AN ONLINE COMPONENT AS WELL, SO WE'RE STILL FLESHING OUT THE DETAILS, BUT THAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN APRIL.

SO JUST WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT OUT THERE.

ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS ON THAT. THAT'S MY CONFUSING TWO EVENTS.

IS THERE A BIKE RODEO? IT IS PART OF THE TOUCH-A-TRUCK AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS, BUT YEAH, I SAW SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I THINK IT'S LIKE RIDE YOUR BIKE, MAYBE HAVE SOME SAFETY SKILLS.

I DON'T KNOW, I THINK THAT'S IN PART I'M ASSUMING WE CAN GET THEM REGISTERED AT THE SAME TIME.

I WOULD IMAGINE SO. BUT WE WILL GET MAKE SURE ALL THE DETAILS FOR ALL THE COMPONENTS OF THAT MORNING ARE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY.

LOTS TO LOTS TO DO. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

I THINK THAT'S IT. OKAY. FROM STAFF COMMISSIONER MEYER.

GREAT. THANK YOU. SO JUST TWO QUICK COMMENTS TODAY.

THE FIRST ONE. MISS HOLCOMB, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

MY PHONE ACTUALLY BLEW UP TODAY WITH SIMILAR COMMENTS TO YOURS.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY AND SHARING YOUR CONCERNS ON THE RECORD.

I HAVE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK RELATED TO OUR PROGRAMING WITHIN PARKS AND REC.

SO I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT DOCTOR REMI EPPS AND I WILL BE HOSTING AN OPEN HOUSE AT OAKHURST REC THIS THURSDAY FROM 6 TO 8 FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME IN, ASK QUESTIONS, SHARE CONCERNS, TALK ABOUT WAYS THAT THOSE CONCERNS CAN BE ASSUAGED AND ALLEVIATED, AND JUST GIVE EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION DIRECTLY WITH DOCTOR REMI AND WITH MYSELF, A FORUM IN WHICH THEY CAN DO SO. SO, YOU KNOW, PLEASE INVITE ALL OF YOUR TENNIS FRIENDS.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM. ALSO, PARENTS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN YOUTH SPORTS PLEASE COME OUT BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROGRAMING IS, YOU KNOW, THE BEST THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AND THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING THE BEST PROGRAMING IS BY GETTING FEEDBACK AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, SO THAT WE'RE ALL INVESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUTSTANDING PROGRAMING FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR ADULTS.

THE SECOND COMMENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE I'M SURE EVERYONE IS VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE TRACK AT LEGACY OPENING.

OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A VERY STRONG STATEMENT RIGHT NOW, AND I AM GOING TO DEMONSTRATE AS MUCH RESTRAINT AS I CAN.

I DO NOT GIVE A FLYING FLIP HOW MUCH MONEY YOU PAY IN TAXES IN THE CITY OF DECATUR DO NOT CARE HOW LONG YOU HAVE LIVED IN THIS CITY OR HOW MANY TIMES YOU DINE OUT AT A RESTAURANT IN CITY OF DECATUR.

NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DESTROY COMMUNITY PROPERTY.

NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DESTROY COMMUNITY PROPERTY.

AND THE AUDACITY, THE PEOPLE, THE AUDACITY OF INDIVIDUALS MOVING, CONSTRUCTION,

[02:15:01]

ARGUING WITH CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TRYING TO PROTECT THE TRACKS SO THAT IT CAN OPEN ON TIME BLOWS MY MIND.

IT'S NOT KIND. IT'S NOT CITY FORWARD. IT'S NOT COMMUNITY FORWARD, AND IT'S JUST GROSS.

SO MY REQUEST FORMALLY ON THE RECORD IS PLEASE STAY YOUR HAPPY TAILS OFF THE DOG ON TRACK UNTIL THE SURFACE IS COMPLETELY CURED AND INSTALLED. COMMISSIONER MEYER THANKS YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.

THANK YOU. MARCH THE 29TH. MARCH THE 29TH. RIGHT.

SO. ALL RIGHT. ARE YOU ALWAYS LIKE TO FOLLOW COMMISSIONER MEYER? WELL, I'M THINKING, LIKE, HAVING RUN A PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH WHAT SHE SAYS. I GUESS I'VE SEEN SO MUCH WORSE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE SHOULD EXPECT MORE OF OUR OUR CITIZENS AND OUR RESIDENTS TO RESPECT THE THING.

THERE'S COSTING ANYBODY ELSE MONEY, AND THEY MAKE THINGS WORSE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS KIND OF SHE'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW. LET'S SEE, I'D HEARD A BIT ABOUT FROM THE TENNIS COMMUNITY, TOO. JUST ABOUT THE CHANGES. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA.

I HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE. I'D ALSO HEARD CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE COURT, UNLIKE JUST SOME OF THE BUBBLING AND PLAYABILITY, SO I PROBABLY NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT. BUT I DO WANT TO EXPRESS THAT AND REITERATE THAT I'VE HEARD A NUMBER OF THOSE CONCERNS.

NUMBER ONE, WE'RE LOSING COURTS TO PLAYABILITY BECAUSE OF OF THE TOP.

AND THEN OUR JABARI IS A VERY POPULAR COACH. SO I HEARD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.

I WANTED TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER AND MISS ROARK AND THE MAYOR FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH A CHARTER.

YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE THING OF MINE, SO I'M REALLY I'M EXCITED TO TO SEE THAT MOVING FORWARD.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER FOR MAKING A STATEMENT ABOUT GEORGIA POWER.

SO IF I SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, WE DON'T DO IT. I FEEL WE NEED TO GIVE AN EXPLANATION ABOUT WHY WE'RE NOT DOING IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THAT, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS I SAW THAT THE MAYOR OF ATLANTA HAS STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS. I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND IT. IT WAS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE HE HE FRAMED EVERYTHING KIND OF LIKE AS A CITY OF LOVE AND TALKED BUT WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE? AND IN THESE TIMES WHERE I THINK THERE'S SOMETIMES SOME CRUELTY, SOME ABSENCE OF LOVE, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR ONE OF THE MORE PROMINENT POLITICAL FIGURES IN OUR STATE FRAMING THINGS AROUND LOVE.

AND IT GOT ME BACK TO OUR CITY COMMISSION RETREAT, WHERE WE ALL KIND OF CHOOSE A WORD AND WE HAVE A LONG LIST, AND WE KIND OF WORK IT OUT. AND BASICALLY WHAT MOST EMBODIES OUR BELIEFS.

AND TWO YEARS AGO, COMMISSIONER MEYER CHOSE LOVE AND I ACTUALLY CHOSE LOVE.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF NEAT. AND THIS YEAR, COMMISSIONER MEYER STILL CHOSE LOVE.

MARY GARRETT CHOSE ACCOUNTABILITY, I CHOSE ACCOUNTABILITY.

YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING I CHOSE ACCOUNTABILITY BACK IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

AND NOW KIND OF LOOKING AT IT, I FEEL THAT THE THE WORD I SHOULD HAVE CHOSEN WAS LOVE.

NO DISRESPECT TO THE MAYOR, BUT I JUST AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO LIKE WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE? LOVE LOOKS LIKE STAYING OFF THE DASHBOARD CRACK SO EVERYBODY CAN USE IT AND ENJOY IT.

WE CAN OPEN IT IN TIME. SO JUST YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE? IT'S OUR SANITATION DEPARTMENT DOING GOOD WORK.

I MEAN, JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO TO TO WEAVE INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT AND JUST ASK EVERYBODY ELSE TO KIND OF JUST LEAN INTO THAT.

THANK YOU. YEAH. SPEAKING OF LOVE, I LOVED AND APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THE PROCLAMATION TODAY AND THAT WE WERE NOTIFIED BY A RESIDENT THAT WE COULD DO MORE TO RECOGNIZE THE MUSLIM CELEBRATION OF RAMADAN AND ITS CONCLUSION IN EID.

AND I MINORED IN THEOLOGY IN COLLEGE AND TAKING SOME CLASSES AND HAD THE THE GREAT FORTUNE TO WORK WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS, BUT ALSO WITH PRACTICING MUSLIMS. AND SO I'M GRATEFUL WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT TODAY AND MAYBE IN FUTURE DO MORE TO ENHANCE OUR COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE, INCLUDING MINE, TO OF OF THE CELEBRATION AND WHAT THE MONTH IS ABOUT.

AND OUR MUSLIM COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MIGHT WANT TO BE MORE INVOLVED WITH THAT.

AND SO MAYBE THIS WAS JUST A START THIS YEAR, AND WE CAN DO MORE MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE I DO THINK WE'RE A CITY OF LOVE THAT LOVES NO MATTER WHAT SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS OR THEOLOGICAL PRACTICE YOU HAVE, THAT WE HAVE ROOM FOR THAT.

AND WE WANT TO BE CURIOUS AND AND WELCOME THAT.

WE DON'T LOVE NOISE. SO WE GOT WE GOT A LITTLE BIT BETTER HANDLE ON THAT TODAY.

[02:20:01]

THE CHOIR CITY LOVE SANITATION. SO JUST GREAT WORK.

IT'S THE GRITTY, DIFFICULT WORK THAT BRINGS PERSONALITIES NEIGHBORING HOW WE LIVE TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY AND GET IT FIGURED OUT.

AND I HOPE THAT IT'S A REALLY SMART ORDINANCE AND THAT WE TAKE THE NEXT 12 MONTHS TO LEARN FROM HOW HOW IT RESPONDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND IF WE HAVE EXCEPTIONS THAT ARE CHALLENGING, WE'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO THOSE AND MAKE THE ORDINANCE A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER OR BETTER.

AND I CAN'T SAY ANY MORE ABOUT THE THE SHARED FACILITY THAT IS A GIFT TO OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY AND TO ALL OF US THAT WILL BE THE TRACK AND FIELD AND THAT WE'RE ALMOST THERE, AND WE HAVE TO DO BETTER, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.

TALK TO OUR NEIGHBORS. COMMISSIONER MEYER AND I MIGHT JUST GET A COUPLE LAWN CHAIRS AND BE OUT THERE SOMETIMES, BUT. TAG TEAM IN. EXACTLY. IT IS A VALUABLE RESOURCE THAT WE CAN ALL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IF WE DON'T SCREW IT UP AND GET IT OPEN AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT REALLY IS AND WHAT IT STANDS FOR.

SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO URGE PEOPLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

LET'S GET IT DONE AND BE RESPECTFUL OF THE PUBLIC AND SHARED RESOURCE.

I THINK THE SCHOOLS WILL ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT COMMENTARY AND MAYBE SOME OF OUR YOUNG USERS TOO.

WE COULD THINK ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT WANT TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT ABOUT.

I THINK IT'S ADULTS WHO ARE TRIPPING UP OVER THERE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EAGER.

I APPRECIATE THAT WE CAN DO BETTER, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT MESSAGE ALSO.

SO THANKS FOR A GOOD MEETING TONIGHT. APPRECIATE IT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE HAVE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF FOLKS WITH RESPECT TO TENNIS.

I WILL ASK THE CITY MANAGER JUST TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

SHE IS AWARE AND JUST TO RESPOND. SO IF YOU WOULD.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. CERTAINLY, IF THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE TENNIS PROGRAM OR ANY OF THE PROGRAMS GENERALLY, I THINK THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY COMING UP TO MEET WITH COMMISSIONER MAYER, ALSO WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.

BUT AGAIN, IF THAT'S NOT SATISFACTORY. PEOPLE CAN ALWAYS FIND ME TO SHARE CONCERNS AGAIN ABOUT ANY PROGRAMING, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO A PERSONNEL MATTER WITH AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE EVER GOING TO DISCUSS IN A PUBLIC SETTING.

SO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS THAT IS CLEAR TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THAT PERSONNEL MATTERS ARE CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS.

AND SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMING.

AND BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS OR SPECIFIC EMPLOYEES.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WELL, THANKS, EVERYONE FOR A GREAT MEETING.

I GUESS I'LL ADD MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE TRACK BECAUSE I LIVE VERY CLOSE BY, AND I'VE BEEN KEEPING AN EAGLE EYE WHEN I WALK BY THERE.

AND ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS OR WORKERS SAID THAT SOME OF THE LAYERS THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING DOWN.

IF YOU WALK THROUGH IT AND THEN WALK THROUGH THE TURF, IT IS SOME OF IT IS CORROSIVE TO THE TURF AND COULD NOT ONLY BE MESSING UP THE TRACK, BUT COULD, WOULD, COULD AFFECT THE ACTUAL TURF ITSELF.

AND IT IS IT IS HIGHLY DISRESPECTFUL. AND I THINK IT IS I THINK WE ALL EXPECT BETTER OF OUR, OUR RESIDENTS KNOWING THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USING IT BEFORE IT'S BEEN FORMALLY OPENED.

AND WHEN IT WAS JUST TAR OR WHATEVER IT WAS AROUND THERE, THAT WAS ONE THING.

BUT WHEN LAYERS ARE BEING PUT DOWN, LAYER AFTER LAYER AFTER LAYER TO GET THE LOVELY EIGHT LANE TRACK THAT IS GOING IN THERE.

IF IT CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE, IT JUST MAY MEAN MAY MEAN DELAYS AND CERTAINLY WILL COST MONEY.

AND I WOULD APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE DOING THEIR PART AND BEING RESPECTFUL BECAUSE THAT WE WE LOVE OUR CITY AND BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE TO BE WILLING TO TAKE CARE OF, AN AMENITY THAT WE ARE SO PROUD TO HAVE, AND WE WANT IT TO OPEN ON TIME AND WE WANT IT TO BE ON BUDGET.

AND THE MORE PEOPLE THAT WALK THROUGH IT, THE LONGER IT'S GOING TO TAKE AND WE'RE GOING TO BE RUNNING THEM OFF FOR, YOU KNOW, LONGER THAN THAN WE SHOULD HAVE TO BE.

SO I APPRECIATE THE I SEE OUR DECATUR REPORTER ZOE IS HERE, AND I'M HOPING THAT DECATUR WILL HELP US GET THE WORD OUT THAT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO.

IT'S NOT JUST A YOU KNOW, IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT, DON'T GET ON THE TRACK.

[02:25:05]

SO, I ALSO WANT TO SAY I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CHARTER REVIEW PROCESS.

IT WAS WE WORKED ON THAT CHARTER REVISION HANDBOOK FOR OVER A YEAR, AND I THINK CAME OUT WITH A GREAT MODEL CITY CHARTER HAD VOICES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND SO, I'M EXCITED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT.

AND I THINK THE PROCESS WILL BE ONE THAT WE ARE PROUD OF AND THAT WILL GET AN OUTCOME THAT THE CITY WILL BE PROUD OF AS WELL. AND I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THE PROCLAMATION I SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE ISLAMIC OR NOT ON THE BOARD, THE ADVISORY COUNCIL OF THE ISLAMIC SPEAKERS BUREAU.

AND THEY ARE NOW SHORTENING THEIR NAME TO ISB.

BUT BECAUSE THEIR MISSION IS MUCH MORE THAN A SPEAKERS' BUREAU.

BUT IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE TO LEARN MORE TO APPRECIATE MY MUSLIM FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND TO REALLY APPRECIATE THE FAITH TRADITION FROM A LEVEL THAT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH BEFORE. AND I THINK IN A DAY WHERE WE SOMETIMES DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TOLERANCE FOR OTHER BELIEF SYSTEMS, I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE VALIDITY, VALIDITY, AND MEANING OF FAITH TRADITIONS IN PEOPLE'S LIVES, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE. SO THANKS FOR A GREAT MEETING.

I KNOW JUST FROM THE COMMENTS I GOT FROM THE MAYOR PRO TEM, I KNOW HE WISHES HE COULD BE HERE AND THAT HE COULD TALK ON ZOOM, BUT HE WILL BE BACK FOR OUR NEXT MEETING IN THE MIDDLE OF MARCH.

AND SO, IT IS 9:40 AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.