Mar 17, 2025 Work Session & City Commission

[00:00:03]

I THINK WE ARE READY TO GET STARTED WITH OUR FIRST WORK SESSION, THE DECATUR LAND TRUST ANNUAL REPORT.

[WORK SESSION #1 – 6:30 P.M.]

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US. IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELF, EVERYONE.

GREAT. OKAY, SO WE WILL I WILL. OKAY. HERE WE GO.

AND SO PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE PUT MY INTRODUCTION SLIDE FIRST.

BUT THE OVERVIEW OF THIS EVENING I'M GOING TO PROVIDE AN INTRODUCTION AND TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO THE DECATUR LAND TRUST IS, OUR CURRENT PROJECTS, OUR FUTURE PROJECTS, FUNDRAISING PROJECTS AND CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.

AND I EVEN HAVE SOME PEOPLE HERE TO PROVIDE SOME PERSONAL NARRATIVES FOR YOU ALL.

AND GREETINGS! I AM HONORED TO PRESENT ON THE BEHALF OF DECATUR LAND TRUST AND UPDATE YOU ON THE AMAZING THINGS WE ARE ACCOMPLISHING IN THE CITY OF DECATUR. I AM VICKEIGN MITCHELL, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND I'M SO APPRECIATIVE TO THE MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND ALL OF THE CITY COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER FOR ALLOWING US TO COME MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.

SO THE DECATUR LAND TRUST WHO WE ARE. THE IDEA WAS CREATED IN 2019, AND WE WERE INCORPORATED IN 2021 AS AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT, 501C3 CORPORATION.

IN 2020, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE RECOMMENDED BUILDING AND FUNDING THE CAPACITY OF THE DOT TO PURCHASE PROPERTY.

THE FIRST PROJECT OF THE DOT LAUNCHED IN 2022.

OUR MISSION AT THE DECATUR LAND TRUST IS TO ACQUIRE AND CREATE HOMES AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES FOR COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND PERMANENT AFFORDABILITY, AND TO ENCOURAGE HOME OWNERSHIP BY STEWARDING NEW HOMEOWNERS AND MINIMIZING DISPLACEMENT.

OUR VISION WE HAVE A WELCOMING COMMUNITY WITH A DIVERSITY OF HOUSING TO HELP RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES OF ALL INCOMES AT ALL STAGES OF LIFE PROSPER. WE ARE ALSO GOVERNED BY A WONDERFUL BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT PASSIONATELY BELIEVES IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING BEING EQUAL AND AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE. SO THE CURRENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE AT DECATUR LAND TRUST RIGHT NOW IS OAK COTTAGE COURT PARK 108 EIGHT AND THE DECATUR HOME REHAB PROGRAM.

OAK COTTAGE COURT ONE OF THE. IT WAS THE FIRST PROJECT, SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT I SPOKE TO ON THE FIRST SLIDE.

AND IT WAS IT WAS SIX HOMES THAT WERE PRICED BETWEEN 210 AND $305,000.

SO THE CITY OF DECATUR AND THE DECATUR LAND TRUST AND THE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WORKED IN COLLABORATION WITH ATLANTA NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP AND ANDP AND THE DECATUR LAND TRUST, IMPLEMENTED DEED RESTRICTIONS TO AFFORD AND PRESERVE THE AFFORDABILITY OF THE COLLEGES IN PERPETUITY. TO QUALIFY FOR OAK COTTAGE COURT, HOMEBUYERS HAD TO MEET THE 100% AMI, AND PRIORITY PREFERENCE WAS PROVIDED TO HOMEBUYERS THAT FELL WITHIN THE DLT TIERED SYSTEM.

THEY MUST ATTEND A DLT INFORMATION SESSION, AND THEY ALSO HAVE TO SIGN A GROUND LEASE UPON CLOSING.

INITIALLY, THE DLT OFFERED HOMES ONLY TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES, CITY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, AND DECATUR HOUSING AUTHORITY EMPLOYEES.

SO IN JUNE OF 2024, WE IMPLEMENTED A TIERED SYSTEM.

AND SO WITH THAT TIERED SYSTEM, PREFERENCE AND PRIORITY WENT TO CURRENT CITY OF DECATUR EMPLOYEES.

CITY SCHOOL OF DECATUR EMPLOYEES AND DECATUR HOUSING AUTHORITY EMPLOYEES.

THE NEXT TIER WAS FOR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY OR ANY NONPROFIT IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.

AND THEN THE NEXT TIER WAS EMPLOYEES OF ANY BUSINESS IN DECATUR, AND THE NEXT TIER WAS FOR CURRENT RENTERS IN DECATUR, AND THE FINAL TIER WAS FOR ALL QUALIFIED BUYERS.

SO THIS COMMUNITY BOASTS SIX WONDERFUL HOMES.

WE HAVE FOUR THREE BEDROOM UNITS, ONE TWO BEDROOM UNIT AND ONE, ONE BEDROOM UNIT.

[00:05:04]

TODAY, I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE ALL SIX COTTAGES SOLD, WITH THE LAST ONE CLOSING TODAY.

WOO! YES! AND SO, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THE RESIDENTS THAT PURCHASED THOSE HOMES OUT THERE, WE HAD ONE FORMER CITY OF DECATUR EMPLOYEE. WE HAVE THREE CITY OF DECATUR SCHOOL TEACHERS OUT THERE, ONE STATE OF GEORGIA EMPLOYEE, AND WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S SELF EMPLOYED.

NICE. SO, THE DLT, IN COLLABORATION WITH TOLL BROTHERS, ENTERED A MEMORANDUM OF PURCHASE FOR THREE OF THEIR CONDO UNITS LOCATED AT PARK 108, WHICH IS IN THE HEART OF THE OAKHURST COMMUNITY.

THE DLT CURRENTLY HAS ONE STUDIO UNIT AND TWO ONE BEDROOM UNITS AT THIS PROPERTY.

THE STUDIO UNIT IS SET TO CLOSE ON THE 31ST OF THIS MONTH, AND IT'S CLOSING FOR 214,500.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE ONE BEDROOMS THAT ARE PRICED AT TWO 229,800, RESPECTIVELY.

AND THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE CONDOS INCLUDED THE HOMEBUYERS BEING THEY HAD TO MEET THE HUD 120% AMI, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE COTTAGE COURT PROPERTIES.

HOMEBUYERS ALSO HAD TO ATTEND THE DLT INFORMATION SESSION AND A HOMEBUYER EDUCATION CLASS, AND THEY ALSO MUST ABIDE BY THE DEED RESTRICTIONS PUT INTO PLACE.

SO DUE TO THE GENEROUS AWARD FROM THE CITY OF DECATUR, THE DLT HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE $30,000 IN DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE TO THREE OF THOSE HOME BUYERS, AND WE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO ASSIST FUTURE HOME BUYERS WITH DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE WITH THE REMAINING $45,000 THAT WE HAVE LEFT. THE NEXT PROJECT IS THE DECATUR HOME REHAB PROGRAM. AND SO WITH THIS PROGRAM, IT'S EXECUTED BY THE DECATUR LAND TRUST, AND IT PROVIDES FUNDING TO ASSIST WITH REPAIRS AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ON ELIGIBLE HOMES.

THOSE PROPERTIES MUST BE LOCATED IN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND BE FREE OF COLD OR NUISANCE CITATIONS, AND ALL EXTERIOR CODE CITATIONS MUST BE CURED AS A PART OF THE AWARD.

THE APPLICANTS MUST BE CURRENT ON CITY AND DEKALB COUNTY REAL ESTATE TAXES AND THE APPLICANTS ARE ACCEPTED YEAR ROUND.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE ACCEPTING REFERRALS FROM THE M.L.

KING PROJECT. THE APPLICANTS ARE SENIORS 55 YEARS AND OLDER, OR DISABLED ADULTS 21 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER, AND WHOSE TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME MEETS THE HUD 60% AMI.

AWARDS ARE MADE BASED ON ELIGIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS, AND EACH APPLICANT CAN QUALIFY FOR AN AWARD OF UP TO $15,000.

SO ANY REQUESTED REPAIRS FOR THE REHAB PROJECT MUST NOT BE PART OF ANY EXISTING HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE CLAIM OR PART OF AN EXISTING REPAIR OR REHAB PROJECT CURRENTLY. SO TODAY I'M HAPPY TO REPORT SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REHAB PROGRAM WE HAVE REPAIRED THREE ROOFS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, AND WE HAVE TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE PENDING.

AND THE ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO SAY ABOUT THESE ROOF REPAIRS IS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REPAIR THESE ROOFS BECAUSE THESE HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE WAS CANCELED AND DUE TO THEM HAVING A FAULTY ROOF.

AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO REPAIR THOSE ROOFS AND HAVE THEM MADE WHOLE SO THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE AGAIN.

WE ALSO HAVE AN HVAC REPLACEMENT PENDING IN PROGRESS.

WE'RE JUST WAITING ON A COUPLE OF PIECES OF PAPERWORK FROM ONE OF THE ESTIMATORS SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE TAKING REFERRALS FROM THE M.L.

KING PROJECT, AND WE DO AN INTAKE ON THEM, WE PROCESS THEM.

AND THE APPLICATIONS WILL BE PROCESSED PROCESS FOR APPROVAL.

SO OUR FUTURE PROJECT THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS 600 COMMERCE DRIVE, AND THE DECATUR LAND TRUST WILL SUPPORT THE CITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND SALES OF A PROPOSED QUADRUPLEX THAT WILL CONSIST OF THREE TWO BEDROOM UNITS, ONE TWO BEDROOM UNIT PLUS AN ADU.

[00:10:06]

FUND RAISING. THE MONEY PART THAT EVERYBODY LOVES TO HEAR ABOUT.

SO THE DLT, WE CONTRACTED AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR JUST TO PROVIDE US WITH SOME INSIGHT AND SOME INFORMATION TO HELP US INCREASE OUR FUNDS AND TO HELP US, YOU KNOW, JUST, YOU KNOW, BE A HOUSEHOLD NAME IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.

SO WHAT THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED DOING WAS CONDUCT A WEBSITE AUDIT, SET UP OUR GOOGLE GRANTS.

AND DIGITAL ADVERTISING, AND RECOMMEND ANY SOCIAL MEDIA AND SUSTAINER STRATEGIES.

AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE'VE GOTTEN SOME GREAT FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT OUR WEBSITE IS GOING TO LOOK BACK LOOK LIKE ONCE EVERYTHING IS COMPLETED.

SO I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. AND I HAVE DEDICATED COUNTLESS HOURS TO CREATING AND BUILDING A PHILANTHROPY AND DONOR POOL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS PARTNERS. CURRENTLY, THIS NUMBER HAS CHANGED BECAUSE I SUBMITTED TWO APPLICATIONS TODAY.

SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE NINE APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED REQUESTING GRANT AND OR AWARDS FUNDING.

WE HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS THAT ARE IN PROGRESS, AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THREE AWARDS FOR FUTURE SUBMITTALS.

AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY EXPLORING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS OUT THERE. MY HEAD IS EXPLODING BECAUSE I'VE BEEN READING AND LEARNING SO MUCH.

BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT OUR FIRST FUND RAISER, THE DECATUR ARTS ALLIANCE AND THE DECATUR LAND TRUST ARE PARTNERING TO PRESENT A POWERFUL ART FUNDRAISING, AND WE'RE CELEBRATING THE MULTIFACETED MEANING OF HOME.

AND THIS FUNDRAISER IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 2025 AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE IF IT HASN'T CHANGED IN THE LIBRARY ON THE TOP FLOOR, AND PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO COME AND SHOWCASE THEIR ARTWORK ABOUT WHAT HOME MEANS TO THEM.

AND SO WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING SPONSORS FOR THIS EVENT.

WE HAVE SOME GOOD PROSPECTS THAT HAVE SAID THAT THEY DEFINITELY WILL HELP TO SUPPORT THIS EVENT.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT OUR FIRST FUND RAISER, AND I JUST RECENTLY ATTENDED A MEETING ALSO LAST WEEK WITH THE DEKALB COUNTY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO APPLY FOR CDBG HOME FUNDS TO SEE IF WE CAN POSSIBLY GET SOME FUNDING FOR OUR 600 COMMERCE PROJECT. AND YOU'LL SEE ON OUR WEBSITE ALL OF THESE THINGS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUT UP THERE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BIOS AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE INFORMATION ON OUR BOARD MEMBERS, BECAUSE WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF BEGINNING TO RECRUIT NEW BOARD MEMBERS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL OF OUR EVENTS AND PROJECTS AND EVEN FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES.

WE DO ALREADY CURRENTLY HAVE A DONATE BUTTON ON OUR WEBSITE, SO YOU'RE ABLE TO DONATE ANY FUNDS AS YOU SEE FIT.

SO MY CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT WE HAVE SOLD ALL SIX COTTAGE COURTS PROPERTIES.

WE HAVE ONE CONDO THAT IS UNDER CONTRACT, CLOSING THE END OF THE MONTH, AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS THAT HAVE QUALIFIED FOR PARK 108. WE HAVE THE REHAB PROJECT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE LIVES OF SOME SENIOR RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, AND OUR FIRST FUNDRAISING EVENT IS IN PROCESS.

WE'VE ALSO SECURED OFFICE SPACE AT LEGACY PARK, WHICH ENHANCES DLT'S PRESENCE AND NETWORKING COLLABORATIONS.

AND THE DLT AND THE CITY OF DECATUR HAVE BEEN INVITED AS PANEL SPEAKERS AT THE AT A HOUSING CONFERENCE THAT'S HAPPENING IN MAY. IT'S THE SOUTHERN ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT PROJECT AND NORTH CAROLINA HOUSING COALITION AND HOUSING LOUISIANA.

THEY'RE HOSTING THIS CONFERENCE AND WE'RE PRESENTING ON MAY 1ST.

AND WHEN I SAY ME AND ANGELA THREADGILL, WE ARE PANEL PARTICIPANTS AT THIS CONFERENCE, AND THEY WANTED US TO COME AND TALK ABOUT THE DLT AND HOW IT CAME ABOUT AND THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE HEARD WE ARE DOING RIGHT.

SO WE WILL BE MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IN MAY.

AND SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. SO AT THIS TIME, I HAVE INVITED SOME RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF DECATUR TO JUST COME FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO GIVE THEIR PERSONAL TESTIMONIES ABOUT HOW THE DLT OR THE REHAB PROJECT HAS IMPACTED THEIR LIVES. SO. GOOD

[00:15:08]

I LIVE IN THE COTTAGE COURT. MOVED IN, I THINK I CLOSED ON THE HOUSE IN SEPTEMBER.

I MOVED IN AROUND NOVEMBER AND HAVE BEEN LOVING IT EVER SINCE.

I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT I WAS ACTUALLY WORKING FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR WHEN THIS PROJECT STARTED.

I REMEMBER GOING ON A FIELD TRIP WITH LYNN MINNIE TO ATHENS TO LOOK AT THEIR LAND TRUST, AND EVEN WHEN I WAS NO LONGER WORKING HERE AND I WAS OUT OF STATE.

I STILL, LIKE OBSESSIVELY FOLLOWED THE PROJECT, KNOWING THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET A HOME IN THAT PROJECT BECAUSE I KNEW IT WAS JUST GOING TO BE OPEN TO CITY EMPLOYEES AND CITY SCHOOLS AND DECATUR EMPLOYEES.

AND THEN ONE DAY I WAS LOOKING ON, I THINK IT WAS ZILLOW, AND I SAW THE HOMES LISTED, AND I ACTUALLY CALLED MEREDITH, AND I WAS LIKE, WHY ARE THEY LISTED ON ZILLOW? I WAS LIKE, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. SHE WAS LIKE, NO, IT'S OPEN TO LIKE OTHER PEOPLE.

AND SO I THINK LIKE FROM THAT POINT UNTIL LIKE FOR LIKE I THINK TWO MONTHS LATER, I WAS LIKE WELL INTO THE PROCESS OF CLOSING ON THE HOUSE.

LIKE, I WAS SO EXCITED. NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS DID I THINK I'D BE ABLE TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO MOVE BACK TO IN GEORGIA, AND I WAS STARTING TO LOOK IN MIDTOWN AND DOWNTOWN FOR RENTALS BECAUSE I JUST COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M IN A NEW BUILD WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO EVERYTHING.

THE BRICK STORE, YOU KNOW, I GET COFFEE SHOPS AND IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL GETTING TO MEET MY NEIGHBORS.

AND I'M EXCITED TO MEET OUR MOST RECENT NEIGHBOR.

I LIKE TO CALL US THE COTTAGE COURT COVEN. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN THAT APPROVED FROM ANYBODY ELSE.

RACHEL. BECAUSE IT IS ALL WOMEN, AND IT'S BEEN GREAT.

WE'VE WE MEET TOGETHER A LOT OF TIMES. WE JUST HANG OUT IN THE EVENING.

WE HAVE A WHATSAPP GROUP GOING ON. AND I AM JUST SO GRATEFUL.

IT FEELS GREAT TO BE BACK HERE AND TO BE SO CLOSE TO YOU ALL AND TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AGAIN.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SANDRA JOINER AND I LIVE ON DRIFTWOOD TERRACE OFF OF CANDLER ROAD.

I'D LIKE FOR EACH OF YOU TO KNOW HOW THANKFUL, HOW APPRECIATIVE I AM TO BE A PART OF OR A RECIPIENT PARTICIPANT OF THE DECATUR LAND TRUST REHAB PROGRAM.

THEY ARE ASSISTING ME WITH REPLACING A FURNACE.

THE FURNACE I HAD WAS 45 YEARS OLD OR SO. IT LASTED A LONG TIME.

BUT NOW IT STOPS GIVING GOOD HEAT AND THEN NO HEAT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

I WAS VERY HAPPY TO HEAR FROM MISS SMITH. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE FOR STAYING IN TOUCH WITH ME FOR ALL THESE MONTHS.

ACTUALLY, FOR ABOUT A YEAR, MAYBE YEAR AND A HALF SINCE I LEARNED ABOUT THE DECATUR.

LAND TRUST PROGRAM. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING GOOD HEAT AND EVEN AIR.

I NEVER HAD THAT BEFORE. AND EVEN AIR AS A RESULT OF BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MISS MITCHELL, WHO HAS BEEN VERY PERSISTENT AND CONSISTENT IN STAYING IN TOUCH WITH ME, AS WELL AS THE CONTRACTORS AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS ON TRACK.

I LOVE MY HOME. I BOUGHT MY HOME IN 1972-73.

I WAS ABOUT 28 YEARS OLD. SINGLE. RAISED MY CHILDREN.

DECATUR SCHOOL STUDENTS. I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

I WANT TO STAY THERE. IT IS WONDERFUL TO KNOW THAT PROGRAMS SUCH AS.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE THROUGH THE CITY OF DECATUR HELP SENIORS STAY COMFORTABLY IN THEIR HOMES. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND MAYBE I'LL GET A CHANCE TO COME BACK TO TELL YOU JUST HOW

[00:20:06]

SO THANK YOU, MISS SMITH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONERS. ANY OTHER? MY NAME IS JOYCE WASHINGTON JACKSON. AND LET ME SEE HOW I'M GONNA START THIS OFF.

I HAD MET JULIE. I MEAN, WORKED WITH HER, BUT I ALWAYS WORKED WITH PAUL FOR THE MLK PROJECT.

SO THIS YEAR, I BECAME OBSESSED. ME AND I DIDN'T WANT TO. AND I WAS TELLING HIM THAT I REALLY WANTED MY FLOORS DONE.

AND HE SAID, I THINK WE CAN DO THAT. SO I GOT MY FLOORS DONE.

BUT THEN I WAS I HAD A LEAK AROUND MY CHIMNEY AND I WAS LIKE, YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT.

HE SAID, WE GO DO IT. WE GO DO ALL OF THAT. YOU COULD TAKE CARE OF THAT.

SO HE I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU HOW. AMAZING.

THE CITY WAS, YOU KNOW, AND PAUL AND THE CREW FROM THE MLK PROJECTS.

SO WHEN THEY REPAIRED THE INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE.

AND I'M JUST AMAZED. I WAS REALLY I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH THE TEAM THAT I HAD THIS YEAR.

I MEAN, I MEAN, THE VOLUNTEERS, I MEAN CHRIS AND JERRY, THEY CAME AND, YOU KNOW, I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP, TOO.

SO WHEN THEY CAME, THEY WOULD SAY, WE COULD BRING SOME BOXES FOR YOU TO PACK UP YOUR STUFF.

AND I WAS LIKE, REALLY? SO I PACKED UP ALL I COULD, BUT MY INSURANCE WAS LIKE, OH, WE WILL CANCEL YOUR INSURANCE, HOME INSURANCE BECAUSE YOUR ROOF IS OLD.

I'M LIKE, OKAY, I NEED I NEED INSURANCE. SO I GOT A CALL FROM, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GOING ON, I GOT A CALL FROM MISS MITCHELL AND SHE WAS LIKE, I'M FROM THE LATER.

LET ME TELL YOU HOW THIS HAPPENED, Y'ALL. SHE CALLED MY CELL PHONE AND IT WAS A PRIVATE NUMBER, AND I DON'T USE IT, I DON'T I HAVE NEVER EVEN ANSWERED THE PRIVATE NUMBER.

BUT SOME SAY ANSWERED AND I ANSWERED THE PHONE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST AT HOME BY MYSELF, AND I WAS LIKE, OH, I AIN'T GONNA HAVE NO HOME INSURANCE, YOU KNOW? AND SHE WAS TELLING ME THAT JULIE HAD TOLD HER SHE HAD SUNROOF OUT THERE TO SEE FIX REPAIRS.

AND HE DID. HE DID A LITTLE REPAIRS, BUT HE TOLD HER THAT I NEEDED A NEW ROOF AND SHE SAID, WELL, MISS, MISS JACKSON, I THINK WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT.

I SAID, REALLY? I SAID, LIKE NEXT YEAR. SHE SAID, NO, LIKE AS SOON AS WE GET YOUR APPLICATION AND ALL YOUR INFORMATION. SO SHE THIS HAPPENED, SHE CALLED ME ON THE 22ND OF JANUARY, RIGHT AFTER THE MLK PARTY HAD ENTERED. AND SHE GOT ALL MY INFORMATION AND SHE WAS TELLING ME HOW MUCH MY LIMIT WAS FOR A ROOF. HE'S LIKE, CAN YOU CALL AND GET SOME QUOTES? YOU KNOW, ESTIMATED FOR THE ROOF REPAIRS. I SAID, YEAH, I CAN DO THAT.

I MEAN, SO I, SOMEBODY CAME OUT THE SAME DAY, AND I SENT TO ALL THE ESTIMATES TO HER, AND WE MET THE WEEK, MAYBE THE NEXT WEEK FOR ME TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION AND EVERYTHING.

AND THEN SHE WAS LIKE, YOU'VE BEEN APPROVED. AND I WAS LIKE, REALLY APPROVE? I SAY FREE, AND SHE SAID, YEAH, AND ME AND HER ON THE PHONE, WE AND I WAS JUST PRAISING I MEAN, I'M A RELIGIOUS AND I JUST WAS PRAISING GOD BECAUSE I HAD BEEN, YOU KNOW, SLEEPLESS NIGHTS WORRYING ABOUT THAT.

SO, AND WITHIN I SAY

[00:25:09]

I SAID, OKAY. I SAID, I CAN WAIT. SO IT RAINED AND THE CONTRACTOR, HE CALLED ME.

HE SAID WE'LL BE OUT THERE IF THE WEATHER PERMIT ON THAT THURSDAY.

SO, IT POURED DOWN RAIN. SO. ON FEBRUARY THE 14TH AT 8:30 IN THE MORNING, HIS CREW CAME OUT AND INSTALLED, START WORKING ON MY ROOF. AND THEY END FINISHED THE ROOF ON SUNDAY.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW HOW BLESSED I FEEL.

AND I FEEL WITH YOU, JULIE. JUST THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

CITY OF DECATUR. THANK YOU.

HELLO, EVERYONE. HELLO. MY NAME IS RACHEL DUBOIS, AND THIS IS MY SON, AIDAN.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY I AM, WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR OUR HOUSE AT OAK COTTAGE.

WE'VE BEEN IN FROM NEW YORK, AND WE'VE BEEN IN GEORGIA IN DECATUR FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS.

SO, I AM A NURSE NOW AT TALLEY. AND BEFORE WORKING AT TALLEY AND HAVING A CITY OF DECATUR POSITION, I WAS WORKING AT GRADY. BUT BEING A SINGLE CO-PARENTING A CO-PARENT, IT'S SORT OF LIKE, OKAY, YOU WORK LONG HOURS, BUT THEN I HAVE TO GET SOMEONE IN THE MORNING AND THEN PAY FOR AFTERCARE.

AND SO WHEN I ENDED UP GETTING THE JOB AT TALLEY, IT WAS A CUT IN SALARY.

BUT THEN PRIOR TO PRIORITIZING FAMILY TIME AND I DIDN'T REALLY SEE HOW I WOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORD SOMETHING IN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND BE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SO THIS DEFINITELY MADE IT POSSIBLE. I REMEMBER IN APRIL I DID THE VIRTUAL MEETING WITH JULIE, AND AFTER THAT JUST KEPT ON JUST VISITING. ACTUALLY, THAT WAS RIGHT BEFORE I GOT THE JOB AT TALLY.

WE WOULD JUST VISIT THE PROPERTY, LOOK AT THE HOUSES, AND KIND OF LIKE TAKE VIDEOS, KIND OF LIKE, OKAY, YOU KNOW HOW IT WOULD HAPPEN. SO THERE WERE SOME HURDLES GETTING A GRANT BECAUSE THE FIRST LENDER SAYING BECAUSE THE SALARY CUT, I DIDN'T QUALIFY, AND SO ON AND SO ON, SO FORTH, BUT BY MY REAL ESTATE AGENT REALLY ROOTING FOR ME AND SPEAKING TO THE LAND TRUST AND THEY WERE REALLY WELCOMING AND OPEN TO, OKAY, LET'S FIND ANOTHER LENDER THAT COULD SEE HOW TO SEE MY SITUATION IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. AND WITH THE GRANT AND EVERYTHING JUST WORKED OUT.

AND WE HAVE A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY. IT'S JUST AMAZING, REALLY.

IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF JUST A NEW LIFE. WE'RE JUST IT'S AWESOME.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT? THERE'S NOTHING TO SAY NOW, BUT WE ARE REALLY, LIKE, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR.

SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN LADIES FOR BEING ABLE TO COME AND SHARE YOUR STORIES.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. ONE THING I DID WANT TO POINT OUT IS WHAT WE FEEL LIKE IS NEXT FOR THE DECATUR LAND TRUST.

THE CONTINUED PRIORITY FOCUS, OF COURSE, IS GOING TO BE ON INCREASING THE DOT'S FUNDING SOURCES AND FUNDRAISING EFFORTS.

WE WANT TO MAKE THE DLT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DOT BE THE PRIMARY ENTITY FOR FULFILLING THE CITY OF DECATUR'S MANDATORY INCLUSIONARY ZONING REQUIREMENTS. SO IF WE COULD BE THAT GO TO ENTITY WHEN NEW BUILDS ARE GOING UP THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY FIRST COME TO THE DECATUR LAND TRUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT PRIORITY PREFERENCE. ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE DLTS FOR PORTFOLIOS FOR HOMEBUYERS AND EVENTUALLY RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT AND BECOME A HUD APPROVED HOUSING COUNSELING AGENCY SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER DIFFERENT TYPES OF COUNSELING CLASSES AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFORMATION TO OUR PARTICIPANTS IN OUR PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN HELP THEM MAINTAIN THEIR HOMES.

[00:30:06]

SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M WORKING ON AND CONTINUING TO NETWORK WITH, NOT JUST LAND TRUSTS HERE.

AMANDA RYAN, WE HAVE A STANDING MEETING EVERY MONTH.

BUT I HAVE BEEN NETWORKING WITH LAND TRUST ACROSS IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN AND MINNESOTA.

JUST GETTING IDEAS AND INFORMATION ON, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY CAME ABOUT AND HOW THEY'RE SUSTAINING IN THEIR PROGRAMS. SO I'M DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THE DECATUR LAND TRUST.

AND THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. AND I THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. WE HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION.

SO I THINK WE'LL, WE WILL, I WILL JUST GIVE COMMISSIONER MEYER A MINUTE IF SHE SINCE SHE REPRESENTS US, I THINK SHE'S JUST. HER BUTTONS ARE BUSTING OFF HER CHEST.

I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING TO ADD TO THAT OTHER THAN JUST MY SHEER DELIGHT IN COMING TO THIS BOARD AND TELLING YOU HOW AMAZING AND IMPORTANT THIS WAS GOING TO BE.

AND NANNY, NANNY BOO, BOO. I WAS RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO END.

WELL, YOU CERTAINLY SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN HAVING A DEDICATED PERSON.

CERTAINLY, JULIE SMITH GOT THINGS ROLLING. AND EVEN BACK WITH KATHERINE LEE, IT'S THE I GUESS FOUNDATION WAS LAID. BUT THANK YOU. AND MAYOR, IF I CAN ACKNOWLEDGE LINDA CURRIE, OUR CHAIR OF THE DECATUR LAND TRUST, WHO IS HERE TODAY AS WELL. OKAY. I SHE IS DIRECTLY WHERE I CANNOT SEE HER.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SO ALRIGHT, PAUL MITCHELL, A FEW PEOPLE KNOW YOU THAT HAVE BEEN UP HERE.

YES, A FEW 21 YEARS WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS AND I THINK THE MITCHELL THING IS GOING TO BE I LIKE IT, I LIKE IT, I LIKE IT. WE'RE DOING GOOD WITH MITCHELL'S.

SO YEAH, THIS COULD BE REAL INTERESTING. GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M PAUL MITCHELL, I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MARTIN LUTHER KING SERVICE PROJECT.

WE DO MAJOR YARD REPAIR AND HOME REPAIR FOR HOUSES AND DOING IT FOR 21 YEARS NOW, YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE CITY.

WE ALSO DO VETERANS, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW. WE DO VETERANS SENIORS OF LOW INCOME THAT LIVE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.

I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW THIS YEAR'S PROJECT TURNED OUT.

WE WORKED FOR THREE DAYS SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND MONDAY, AND THIS IS ALL OVER THE MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY.

THE WEATHER WAS VERY WARM ON THE FIRST DAY, SO THAT DROPS OUR NUMBERS.

WE HAVE THIS TEMPERATURE BAND. IF IT'S TOO NICE, EVERYBODY GOES TO THE PARK, IT'S TOO COLD.

THEY STAY HOME. SO THAT AFFECTED OUR NUMBERS.

WE STILL HAD 650 PEOPLE, SO NOT TOO BAD. WE HAD ALMOST NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER.

AND SO WE'RE READY FOR THE FIRST SLIDE. YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT.

ALL RIGHT. COOL. NO, IT DOESN'T MATTER. I CAN.

DO THAT ONE.

SO CAN EVERYBODY SEE? Y'ALL CAN SEE ALL THIS.

WE CANNOT. WE SEE EACH OTHER. YEAH. SO, IT'S A GRAPHIC.

I'LL EXPLAIN IT WITH. I'LL DO HAND SIGNALS TO EXPLAIN IT.

SO, YOU GOT IT. OKAY. SO, 650 VOLUNTEERS. NORMALLY WE HAVE ABOUT A THOUSAND, SO I THINK WE'LL GET BACK TO THAT NUMBER NEXT YEAR.

WE WORKED ABOUT 6700 HOURS THIS YEAR, WORKED ON 24 HOMES.

WE RENTED ALMOST 1500 TOOLS, WHICH WE HAVE TO COUNT, SORT, YOU KNOW, SORT THEM OUT BY HOUSE, ALL THAT. WE HAD 52 PEOPLE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.

WE USED 1500 TRASH BAGS FULL OF STUFF. AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE CITY PICKING UP ALL THE DEBRIS THAT WE PULL OUT.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT. SO SEAN AND EVERYBODY DOES A GREAT JOB GETTING ALL THAT UP.

AND THEY DID IT VERY, VERY QUICKLY. I GO BACK ABOUT A WEEK LATER AND SEE WHAT'S STILL LEFT AND IT WAS ALL GONE. SO THEY DID GREAT.

THE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY IS ABOUT $216,000.

SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR YOU GIVE, I THINK THIS YEAR IT WAS ABOUT $8.7 IMPACT.

SO IF YOU GIVE US A DOLLAR WE GET ALMOST $10 IMPACT BECAUSE IT'S ALL VOLUNTEER LABOR.

LET'S SEE. SO THIS IS KIND OF WHAT IT TAKES. SO THREE DAYS 650 PEOPLE.

I DO ALL THE ASSESSMENTS. JULIE DOES A GREAT JOB WHEREVER SHE WENT.

SHE DOES ALL THE OR THE APPLICATION GETS THEM IN, MAKE SURE THEY'RE QUALIFIES.

GIVES THEM TO ME. WE RAISE ALL THE MONEY OURSELVES.

WE GET THE PEOPLE TO DO IT. WE HAVE A POOL OF PEOPLE THAT WE CONTACT, AND SO SOME PEOPLE CAN DO IT SOME YEARS, SOME CAN'T. SO, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO HELP, LET US KNOW.

[00:35:03]

THAT'S GREAT. WE HAVE A 26 FOOT TRUCK LITERALLY JUST TO STORE ALL THE TOOLS, BECAUSE EVERY NIGHT ALL THE TOOLS HAVE TO GO ON EVERY MORNING.

THEY'VE GOT TO COME OFF. EVERYBODY GOES TO HOME DEPOT AND BUYS EVERYTHING.

LIFE CYCLE IS GREAT IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

THEY HAVE BASICALLY, LIKE IF YOU WANTED TO GET RID OF THIS, THEY WOULD TAKE IT APART AND PUT IT IN THEIR STORE AND SELL IT FOR ABOUT HALF PRICE.

THEY'VE SAVED OVER 1 MILLION POUNDS OF STUFF GOING IN THE LANDFILL.

SO REALLY GREAT ORGANIZATION. 17 TEAMS. WE DO IT ALL AT THE SOLARIUM.

1500 TOOLS TALKED ABOUT THAT. WE SERVE FOOD TO EVERYBODY.

SO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT BRING ALL THE FOOD, DELIVER THE FOOD TO ALL THE HOUSES.

AND WE THIS YEAR WE WEATHERIZED AND INSULATED THREE HOMES.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE. SO THIS IS KIND OF WHERE EVERYBODY IS JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU A FEEL FOR THE HOUSES.

SO, THESE ARE THE 25 HOUSES ALL THE ADDRESSES.

EVERYTHING'S BEEN MOVED A LITTLE BIT AND NO ADDRESSES TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT.

SO KIND OF SCATTERED. THAT'S WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THE SOLARIUM BECAUSE IT'S CENTRALLY LOCATED.

SO WE KIND OF START THERE AND FAN OUT. ALL RIGHT LET'S SEE.

OH, YEAH. SO WHERE ARE THE BEFORE AND AFTERS? DO YOU HAVE A POWERPOINT? OF COURSE. THERE MIGHT BE.

NO. OH, YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER. YIKES. OH, WELL.

OKAY. LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND THE ONES. THEY WERE ABOUT 20 SLIDES THAT SHOWED YOU GREAT BEFORE AND AFTER IN A CERTAIN ORDER.

AND THEY'VE GOTTEN MIXED. THERE THEY ARE. WE CAN SEE IT.

NO, THESE ARE NOT THE BEFORE AND AFTERS, SO. I CAN GO THROUGH THEM ALL TOWARD THE END.

YEAH. I'LL GO. WELL, SO HERE'S, DID YOU, YOU PUT THEM SIDE BY SIDE.

OKAY. OKAY. SO, THIS IS ONE WHERE WE REPAIRED THIS, YOU CAN SEE.

SO, THIS IS THE FLOOR. OOH. WHOOPS. OOH. WEIRD LIKE.

I MEAN, WATCHING IT. THERE WE GO. OKAY. OH, WOW.

YEAH, IT WAS QUITE DRAMATIC. AND I ASSUME YOU LIKE THEM.

YOU'RE OKAY WITH THEM? BEAUTIFUL. SO THIS. I'M SORRY.

SORRY. THEY'RE NOT IN SEPARATE SLIDES. IT'S BETTER IF YOU SHOW ONE AND THEN FLIP TO THE OTHER, BUT WE'LL FIX THAT FOR NEXT YEAR. SO, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS THE KITCHEN CABINET THAT WAS FALLING APART. ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE YOU REALLY CAN'T SEE THE FLOOR EITHER. BUT RIGHT HAND SIDE.

IT'S PRETTY DRAMATIC. YEAH. YEAH, WE CAN SEE IT SIDE BY SIDE IS.

WOW. DRAMATIC. WOW. SO THIS WAS BASICALLY A HOME THAT HAD DEBRIS.

IT WAS BASICALLY WOOD CHIPS AND THINGS THAT HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR YEARS. SO WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE THOSE OVER TO THE SIDE, SPREAD THEM ALONG THE PATH AND GET ACCESS TO THE BACKYARD.

YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THE BACKYARD. AND THIS GENTLEMAN ACTUALLY HAD THINGS IN HIS.

HE HAD A BIT TOO MUCH STUFF. SO HE ACTUALLY GOT HIM TO HELP GET RID OF SOME OF HIS STUFF AND GIVE IT TO SOME OF OUR OTHER FOLKS, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU ON ANOTHER SLIDE. THIS IS SOME OF THE WEATHERIZATION EFFORTS.

SO YOU SEAL THINGS UP, CLOSE THEM UP, FIX EVERYTHING.

YOU BASICALLY GO ALONG THE TOP OF EVERY, EVERY CEILING WHERE THE WHERE THE WALLS COME UP AND SEAL THAT GAP.

SO WE DO ALL THAT FIRST, THEN WE BLOW INSULATION.

SO IF YOU EVER HAVE INSULATION DONE IN YOUR HOUSE, MAKE SURE YOU DO THAT FIRST. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, INSULATION IS VERY LOW IMPACT BECAUSE THE AIR CHANGES TOO QUICKLY. THIS SEALS IT UP TIGHT, MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND NOT SURE WHERE THE REST OF THEM WE'RE MISSING. OH OKAY. WELL. OKAY. WELL ANYWAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO, WE WORKED ON WE DID A LOT OF CLEAN OUT, PAINTED MULTIPLE ROOMS, FIXED FIVE ROOFS.

WE'VE GOT TWO MORE TO GO. WE REPLACED TOILETS, WHETHER AS INSULATE THREE HOMES.

WE DID HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS. A LOT OF CONTRACTORS HELP.

M CARRY HELPS US. BRAY ELECTRICAL HELPS US. WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE CITY'S HELP.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR JULIE'S HELP.

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. IF WE IF WE CAN DO ROOF REPAIRS.

BUT RARELY CAN WE DO ROOF REPLACEMENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO EXPENSIVE.

THEY'RE 15 TO $20,000. IT MEANS A LOT TO THE HOMEOWNERS.

IT MEANS A WHOLE LOT TO THE VOLUNTEERS TO GET.

PEOPLE ARE SO EXCITED TO DO THIS. THEY LITERALLY JUST HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME DOING THIS.

SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE QUESTIONS?

[00:40:03]

JULIE, CAN YOU COME? OH, OKAY. YEAH. BIG PART OF THIS. YES. HELLO? HELLO. I'M NOEMI CARRILLO, AND I AM THE AMERICORPS VISTA.

[WORK SESSION #2 – 7:00 P.M.]

AND THE POSITION AIMS TO WORK ON THE JOINT CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLAN.

AND SO IN MY FIRST SIX MONTHS OR SO, IN THE POSITION I STARTED IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, AND I'LL BE HERE UNTIL AUGUST OF 2026.

I WAS TASKED WITH WORKING ON SOME SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES FOR THE MLK SERVICE.

PROJECT. AND SO WHAT THAT INCLUDED WAS RESEARCHING VARIOUS SENIOR HOME REPAIR.

ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE US SEEING WHAT SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES THEY MAY HAVE.

AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE METRO ATLANTA AREA AND SEEING WHAT.

MATERIALS THEY MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE AND WHAT THEY DO WITH THOSE MATERIALS.

AND SO FROM THAT RESEARCH, WE SETTLED ON A WASTE DIVERSION PROJECT FOR HOME CLEANOUTS FOR THE CITY OF FOR THE MLK PROJECT.

AND SO THIS PAST YEAR, WE FOCUSED ON. EIGHT HOUSEHOLDS WITH THE HELP OF 35 VOLUNTEERS FROM AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO ULTIMATELY DIVERT FOUR AND A HALF TONS FROM THE LANDFILL, WHICH INCLUDED ABOUT ONE TON OF HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, WHICH WERE DONATED CLOTHING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, ONE TON OF SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING, AND ALSO TWO AND A HALF TONS OF HARD TO RECYCLE MATERIALS. AND THIS WAS THROUGH THE HELP OF CREATING PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS WITH LIVE THRIVE CENTER FOR HARD TO RECYCLE MATERIALS, WORKING WITH THE DEKALB FARMERS MARKET RECYCLING CENTER, AND ALSO SECOND LIFE THRIFT STORE.

SO YES, AND WE ALSO DID SOME INVASIVE REMOVALS ON CITY OF DECATUR PROPERTY, WHICH IS THE PHOTO IN THE CENTER.

YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO THIS IS IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE OR I GUESS THIS NEXT YEAR, BUT THEN YES. SO MY POSITION IS FOR BUILDING CAPACITY.

THAT'S VOLUNTEER AND SERVICE TO AMERICA, THE AMERICORPS VISTA MOTTO OR WHAT IT STANDS FOR.

AND SO IDEALLY, NO, WHEN I'M DONE WITH MY POSITION BECAUSE IT'S A THREE YEAR TERM, BUT I'M SERVING FOR TWO YEARS.

THIS SHOULD BE SELF-SUSTAINING. SO IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO PERPETUATE INTO THE FUTURE WITHOUT MY PRESENCE BEING THERE.

SO THAT'S WHY I'VE DONE ALL THIS, LIKE, RESEARCH AND LIKE GETTING THE GROUNDWORK DONE.

SO THAT WAY, IN THE FUTURE, WE HAVE A FOUNDATION TO BUILD OFF OF THAT PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE THIS WORK.

ALL RIGHT. SO, ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ANY OF OUR PRESENTATION'S PRESENTERS THIS EVENING? I'D LIKE TO SAY THANKS AGAIN. YOU COME EVERY YEAR, AND IT'S ALWAYS JUST YOU MOVE THE NEEDLE IN A WAY THAT I DON'T THINK MANY ORGANIZATIONS DO IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WONDER HOW WE COULD SHARE MORE OF THE IMPACT SLIDES LIKE THAT ONE AND YOUR OTHER, THAT AT LEAST IT ENDS WITH FOR EVERY DOLLAR YOU GET THE EIGHT AND CHANGE BACK.

I MEAN, SOME OF THOSE HIGH NOTES WOULD BE JUST REALLY GREAT TO GET OUT MORE BROADLY.

WE CAN DO IT IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE FOCUS AND I'M SURE WE'VE WE'D LOVE TO HELP YOU GET THAT BACK OUT TO PAUL.

YEAH. IF YOU CAN COME BACK TO THAT. YEAH. SO ONE THING THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND ALSO ASKING FOR A HOUSE CAPTAINS, THAT'S PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST NEED IS HOUSE CAPTAINS.

AND IF THE CITY CAN GET A HOUSE CAPTAIN CREW TOGETHER AGAIN.

THEY DID FOR A WHILE AND KIND OF FADED AWAY. THAT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE WE NEEDED ABOUT THREE MORE HOUSE CAPTAINS CREWS, AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THOSE CREWS, THEN WE KIND OF MOVE THEM TO WE'LL DO A COUPLE OF REALLY CRITICAL THINGS, BUT WE'LL DO THE REST NEXT YEAR IF WE CAN. SO YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

WHO DO WE COORDINATE WITH? JULIE. PROBABLY START WITH JULIE.

OKAY. SO AND I THINK IT'S NOT JUST HOUSE CAPTAINS, BUT ALSO TO GET MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE QUALIFIED TO BE HOUSE CAPTAINS AND VOLUNTEER. AND I THINK WHEN PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO SEE THE IMPACT, AND I REALLY LOVE THAT WE ARE INCORPORATING NOT JUST LIKE THROWING AWAY STUFF THAT IS FOUND, BUT FINDING WAYS TO RECYCLE AND REDUCE WASTE, I THINK IS REALLY HELPFUL. AND THAT'S WHY I SAID IT'D BE GREAT IF WE CAN CONTINUE IT AND HAVE THIS PERPETUAL SORT OF PART OF THE MLK PROCESS, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW WITH THE INSULATION AND THINGS THAT WEREN'T MAYBE ORIGINALLY PART OF THE MLK PROJECT, BUT TO IMPROVE THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE OF THE HOMES BUT ALSO RECYCLE, REUSE AND

[00:45:06]

HOW DOES THAT PROCESS. SO BASICALLY YOU. JUST GETTING BACK TO MY CHAIR.

SO, JULIE KNOWS SOME FOLKS AND WE RUN ARTICLES IN THE FOCUS IS PROBABLY OUR BEST THING.

AND THEY TRY TO BE VERY SIMPLE. NEED YOUR HOUSE REPAIRED.

TALK TO JULIE SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST WAY. WE HAVE A NEIGHBOR WHO WE THINK COULD BENEFIT FROM THIS IS THERE? JUST TELL THEM. TELL THEM TO CALL JULIE. YEAH.

JULIE. JULIE WILL WALK THEM THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS.

MAKE SURE THEY'RE QUALIFIED. WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE. DO THEY HAVE TO KNOW? LIKE WE HAVE TO GO. HEY, I WANT TO NOMINATE YOU. IS THAT HOW IT STARTS? NO, NO, NO, NO. JUST GIVE.

GIVE JULIE, HER KNOCK ON THE DOOR. GIVE JULIE THE NUMBER. YEAH.

IT STARTS WITH A PHONE CALL, AND JULIE TAKES THEM THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROJECT.

WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. WE HAVE TO SAY WE CAN'T HELP YOU.

BUT THAT'S ALL IT TAKES. IS A PHONE CALL TO JULIE, AND SHE'LL START THE PROCESS.

SHE'LL MAKE SURE THEY'RE OKAY. I'LL DO THE ASSESSMENT, AND THEN WE'LL START ASSIGNING HOUSE CAPTAINS AND, YOU KNOW, BUILDING THE TEAM AROUND IT, SO. OKAY, GREAT. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. AND THERE'S ONE MORE SLIDE ON SEASON OF GIVING.

OKAY. BECAUSE WE'RE JUST PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER TONIGHT. BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO AGNES SCOTT, BLAINE MACDONALD IS HERE FROM AGNES SCOTT TONIGHT, WHO IS NOEMI'S SUPERVISOR.

AND THEY, IN SUPPORT OF NOEMI'S SUSTAINABILITY WORK, ALSO PAID ALL THE CHARM FEES, USE THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLES TO MAKE APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION RUNS TO DROP OFF. WE DID NOT HAVE A TRUCK, WHICH IS IN DISCUSSION FOR NEXT TIME, BUT IT WAS IT WAS A BIG CONTRIBUTION ON THEIR PART.

SO, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND JUST QUICK, IT'S IN A DIFFERENT ONE.

I THINK I SENT YOU THE WRONG FOLDER. SEASON OF GIVING WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.

WE SUPPORTED ABOUT 700 CHILDREN, TEENS AND SENIORS, WHICH IS ABOUT WHAT WE DO EVERY YEAR.

IT'S ABOUT $100,000 WORTH OF DONATED GIFTS. WE ALSO RAISED $12,000, IN ADDITION, THAT WE USED TO FILL IN THE GAPS WHERE WE NEED TO. WE HAD SOME REQUESTS FROM SENIORS THIS YEAR FOR GIFT CARDS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT MAKING CHANGES, WHETHER THAT MIGHT BE MORE APPROPRIATE.

WE MOVED A COUPLE OF YEARS TO TEENS DOING GIFT CARDS.

BECAUSE THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO BUY FOR. AND THAT'S BEEN A REAL SUCCESS.

SO WE MAY DO SOME OF THAT WITH SENIORS. WE'LL SEE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

AND WHAT I WANTED TO SHOUT OUT, MY SEASON OF GIVING BOARD COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT.

BUT BETH THOMPSON, WHO SERVED ON THE BOARD FOR A LONG TIME, DEVELOPED AN ENTIRE PROGRAM COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR.

YOU SEE, I'M LIKE BILL GATES HERE FOR SEASON OF GIVING SO THAT EVERYTHING WAS ONLINE.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN BEFORE, IF YOU HAVE DROPPED OFF GIFTS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE GIANT NOTEBOOKS FILLED WITH PAPER ALL OVER THE PLACE.

SO MUCH NOTEBOOKS MOVING. AND WE DID NOT PRINT ANYTHING THIS YEAR.

IT WAS ALL COMPUTERIZED AND ALL THANKS TO BETH, WHO CREATED THE WHOLE PROGRAM AND MADE IT VERY SMOOTH.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THANK YOU. LET'S GIVE EVERYBODY ALL OUR GUESTS THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START THE EVENING? YES. FOR SURE. SO, WE WILL TAKE ABOUT A SEVEN MINUTE BREAK AND COME BACK FOR OUR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE

[I. Call to Order by Mayor.]

COMMISSIONERS WE HAVE SEVERAL MINUTES TO APPROVE, AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE FIRST ONE SEPARATE FROM THE MINUTES OF THE

[II. Approval of the Minutes.]

WE HAVE SOME AMENDED MINUTES FOR THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF JANUARY 27TH, 2025 THAT SHOW THE UPDATE OF THE ESTIMATE GIVEN BY THE CITY MANAGER WITH RESPECT TO THE BUDGET AND RELATED TO PERSONNEL IN ANY GIVEN YEAR. AND YOU SEE THAT CHANGE IN THE AMENDED MINUTES.

SO ARE THERE ANY? YES. COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY.

SO I YEAH, THIS WAS SOMETHING I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CORRECT, AND I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DONE IT ORIGINALLY.

AND SO THIS IS WE'RE DISCUSSING H BILL 581, AND I HAD ASKED A QUESTION AND SAID, YOU KNOW, ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION.

AND SHE GAVE HER BEST INFORMATION THAT SHE HAD AT HAND.

[00:50:01]

BUT THE MINUTES REFLECTED ACTUALLY THE ACCURATE INFORMATION INSTEAD OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID AT THE MEETING.

AND THE REASON THAT I COULD BE A LITTLE ANAL ABOUT THIS AND PROBABLY DRIVE PEOPLE CRAZY, BUT I FEEL THAT GOVERNMENT OFTENTIMES IS UNDER A MICROSCOPE, AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR REASONS TO DISTRUST US AND FIND SOME CONSPIRACY THEORY.

AND I THOUGHT THAT THE CONVERSATION AROUND HB DAY ONE WAS SUFFICIENTLY.

I WOULDN'T CALL IT CONTENTIOUS, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF DISAGREEMENT GOING ON THERE.

AND SO MY CONCERN IS SOMEBODY MIGHT GO BACK THERE, TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OH MY GOSH, LOOK AT THIS.

THEY ADMITTED AND ADMIT IT BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING OR JUST DO STUFF LIKE THIS SNOWBALLING.

AND IT STRUCK ME THE OTHER DAY WHEN ONE OF OUR UNELECTED LEADERS POSTED ON X AND THEN TOOK DOWN A COMMENT SAYING STALIN, HITLER, AND MAO DIDN'T MURDER MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, THEIR PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS DID.

AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT IS THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF OUR GOVERNMENT WHO ARE FOMENTING ANGER AND DISTRUST AGAINST GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE OF US WHO ACTUALLY WORK FOR A FUNCTIONAL GOVERNMENT, UNLIKE PERHAPS WHAT WE'RE SEEING AT HIGHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT IN THIS COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE WE JUST KIND OF DOT OUR I'S AND CROSS OUR T'S.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH ME AND REQUESTING THIS.

THE NEXT TIME I NOTICE IT, I'LL AMEND IT EARLIER AND LET IT MARINATE.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S ATTENTION AND TO OUR ATTENTION, AND FOR EXPLAINING THE WHY BEHIND THE NEED FOR AMENDING THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS AMENDED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MATURE VOTES. AYE. AND THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

NEXT, WE'LL LOOK AT THE MINUTES FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THE REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 3RD, 2025. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THOSE MINUTES DURING THE REGULAR MEETING? NOW THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THE REGULAR MEETING.

TOGETHER. TOGETHER. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR BOTH THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THE REGULAR MEETING FOR MARCH 3RD, 2025. SO, MOVED WITH A CAVEAT. I WILL ONLY VOTE ON THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND I WILL ABSTAIN FROM THE REGULAR MEETING AS I WAS HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES ZOOMING IN. OKAY, WE'LL SPLIT IT UP.

WE'LL SPLIT IT UP. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU WERE YOU WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY LISTENING IN.

SO THEN I WILL ASK FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FIRST.

IS THERE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? SO, MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? CHAIR VOTES AYE. AND THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

AND NOW WE WILL LOOK AT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 3RD, 2025.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES? SO MOVED.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ONE ABSTENTION. ONE ABSTENTION. THE MAYOR VOTES AYE, AND THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

NEXT, I AM HAPPY TO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION FOR ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH.

[III. Proclamation.]

AND GLAD YOU'RE HERE. AND YOU CAN JUST COME, COME STAND RIGHT IN FRONT OF US AS WE READ THE PROCLAMATION AND APPRECIATE THEIR SPONSOR AND ADVOCATE FOR THIS EVERY YEAR.

TERRY MOORE AND I AM HAPPY TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION IN CELEBRATION OF ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH.

WHEREAS ALCOHOL IS THE MOST COMMONLY USED ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCE IN THE UNITED STATES, WHEREAS ALCOHOL IS A PRIMARY FACTOR IN THE FOUR LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH FOR YOUTH AGES 10 TO 21. AND WHEREAS YOUNG PEOPLE WHO BEGIN DRINKING BEFORE AGE 15 OR 4 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP ALCOHOL DEPENDANCE THAN THOSE WHO BEGIN DRINKING AT AGE 21.

WHEREAS YOUTH WHO CONSUME ALCOHOL ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME, TO BE INVOLVED IN ALCOHOL RELATED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, AND TO HAVE SERIOUS SCHOOL RELATED PROBLEMS, AS WELL AS TO EXPERIENCE MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS.

AND WHEREAS, A SUPPORTIVE FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AND POSITIVE COMMUNITY NORMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LOWERED RATES OF ALCOHOL USE FOR ADOLESCENTS.

[00:55:07]

AND WHEREAS YOUTH WHO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR PARENTS AND LEARN ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE ARE 50% LESS LIKELY TO USE ALCOHOL AND DRUGS THAN THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE SUCH CONVERSATIONS.

AND WHEREAS THE DECATUR PREVENTION INITIATIVE, THE DPI YOUTH ACTION TEAM AND THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG DEPENDANCE DESIRE TO HELP FAMILIES ADDRESS THIS SERIOUS CONCERN IN THE COMMUNITY.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MAYOR PATTI GARRETT, CITY OF DECATUR, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 2025 ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH AND URGE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS.

SO LET'S GIVE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

I WOULD WE WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND SO AND TELL US WHERE YOU GO TO SCHOOL AND WHAT GRADE YOU'RE IN.

MY NAME IS KARA DIAMOND. I GO TO DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M A JUNIOR.

ALL RIGHT. IF YOU CAN ALL JUST COME TO THE MICROPHONE SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN SEE YOU.

WE ARE STREAMING THIS AND ON ZOOM AS WELL. SO MY NAME IS SAEED ABDULKADIR AND I GO TO DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL, A SOPHOMORE. HEY, MY NAME IS MADELINE PAPPAS.

I ALSO GO TO DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M IN JUNIOR YEAR.

MY NAME IS EVELYN AINGER. I ALSO GO TO DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M AN 11TH GRADER AS WELL.

HI, MY NAME IS EMMIE FIEDLER. I GO TO DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M ALSO A JUNIOR.

HI, MY NAME IS JUSTIN PATTON AND I GO TO THE HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M ALSO A JUNIOR.

HI, I'M NAWAZ SHARIF, I'M A JUNIOR. I ALSO GO TO DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL.

GREAT. SO WELCOME. AND I WOULD LOVE TO PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION.

HAS SOMETHING THEY WANT TO SAY, IF YOU DON'T MIND. WE JUST WERE HOPING WE COULD SAY A COUPLE WORDS.

OH, PLEASE. THANK YOU. OUR TEAM'S MISSION IS TO CREATE A HEALTHIER, SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY GENERATING AWARENESS FOR SUBSTANCE MISUSE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE TRYING TO EDUCATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE DANGERS OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, ESPECIALLY LEADING INTO THE SPRING SEASON WITH EVENTS SUCH AS SPRING BREAK AND PROM WHERE ALCOHOL AND DRUGS ARE COMMONLY MISUSED BY TEENS.

SO A MAJOR STEP IN ACHIEVING THIS GOAL IS BY ENCOURAGING CONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING ALCOHOL LAWS AND JUST GENERATING ALL AROUND SUPPORT IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE AWARENESS OF THIS CAUSE. THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD EVERY YEAR IN THE SPRING AT A TIME.

SOMETIMES THE SPRING WEATHER BRINGS OUT A BEHAVIOR THAT IS CAN BE RISKY.

AND APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING THE, WE CAN SAY IT ALL DAY LONG, BUT YOU ALL AS PEERS AND PEOPLE WHO INTERACT WITH YOUTH LIKE YOURSELVES IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THAT STAND AND TO COME NOT ONLY BEFORE US, BUT TO TAKE THAT STAND AMONGST YOUR PEERS AS WELL.

SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU THIS PROCLAMATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK THEY HAVE A LITTLE BAG.

YEAH, WE HAVE SOME GIFTS AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. SO I WILL THANK YOU ALL.

WOULD LIKE TO BRING THE GIFTS UP. THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

SO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GIVE THEM ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE A SCOUT HERE.

WE DO HAVE A SCOUT. SCOUT? I THOUGHT SO. SO WE'LL TAKE A MINUTE TO LET YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IF YOU WOULD GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND TELL US WHAT TROOP YOU'RE IN AND WHY YOU'RE HERE.

YEAH. SO MY NAME IS ETHAN FROST BOYCE. I'M A STAR SCOUT IN TROOP 175.

I LIVE AT 601 THIRD AVENUE, DECATUR, GEORGIA.

AND THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS TO KNOCK OFF A REQUIREMENT FOR CITIZENSHIP IN COMMUNITY.

ALL RIGHT. WELCOME. THANK YOU. I HAVE KNOWN YOU SINCE YOU DON'T KNOW IT, BUT I'VE KNOWN YOU A VERY LONG TIME.

SO WELCOME. I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. ALL RIGHT.

[01:00:03]

[IV. Presentations. ]

MY NAME IS KARA SHEARER. I SERVE AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF PUBLIC WORKS.

I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE THIS EVENING JIMMY GARRISON, A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER AND PRINCIPAL WITH THOMAS AND HUTTON, AND A KEY MEMBER OF THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION TEAM FOR OUR CHURCH STREET PROJECT.

HE'S HERE TO PRESENT THIS ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD.

WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. IT'S AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE AN ACHIEVEMENT THAT REFLECTS NOT ONLY TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE, BUT ALSO COLLABORATION, VISION, AND A COMMITMENT TO YOUR COMMUNITY.

THIS WAS A PROJECT THAT WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF.

AND AS PART OF THAT, A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO, THE AMERICAN CONSULTING ENGINEERS COUNCIL ALONG WITH ABOUT 1500 IN ATTENDANCE, RECOGNIZED THE CITY'S PROJECT AS A GEORGIA ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD.

SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU AND TO MR. SAXON, PLEASE. THIS IS THE GEORGIA ENGINEERING AWARD 2025 ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE HONOR AWARD IN THE TRANSPORTATION SMALL PROJECTS DIVISION.

IT'S PRESENTED TO THOMAS AND HUTTON IN THE CITY OF DECATUR FOR AND THIS IS THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE PROJECT, BUT WE KNOW IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. STATE ROUTE ONE, 55 CHURCH STREET AND COMMERCE DRIVE AT THREE LOCATIONS LCI, IF YOU REMEMBER THE LCI PROCESS. SO WITH THAT ACS GEORGIA, IT'S AN HONOR TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU AND IT WAS AN HONOR TO BE A PART OF IT.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] NO BAD DIRT INVOLVED. GOOD DIRT. THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR A GREAT PROJECT THAT WE'RE PROUD OF.

SO ALL RIGHT. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. SAXON. THANK YOU. MIGHT WIND UP ON THE COVER OF THE FOCUS AGAIN.

ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT, I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME DECATUR YOUTH COUNCIL PEOPLE HERE.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A FUN EVENT COMING UP.

HI. MY NAME IS CLAIRE VALL. I'M A JUNIOR AND I GO TO DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL.

HI. MY NAME IS AUSTIN NOBLES, I'M A SOPHOMORE AT DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL.

HI. MY NAME IS ALLIE HOGAN, I'M A 10TH GRADER AT DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL.

HI, MY NAME IS LAURA JUSTINA AND I'M A JUNIOR AT DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL.

HI, MY NAME IS ISAAC MILANI AND I'M A I'M A FRESHMAN AT WESTMINSTER.

SO, THIS SATURDAY WE'RE HAVING OUR SECOND FAIR ON THE SQUARE.

AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CFCI TEAM TO HAVE THIS UP AND RUNNING.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LOTS OF BOOTHS LIKE TICKETED GAMES, LIKE WE'RE HAVING OUR DUCK POND AGAIN.

WE'RE HAVING AN INFLATABLE AX THROWING. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE WELL, WE CAN'T HAVE THE MECHANICAL BULL OR THE DUNK TANK THIS YEAR.

SO, WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THEM WITH SOME OTHER GAMES.

AND WE'RE ALSO HAVING THINGS LIKE A TEMPORARY TATTOO BOOTH AND POSSIBLY BALLOON ANIMALS.

AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO INCLUDE LOCAL STUFF LIKE FOOD TRUCKS AND LOCAL BANDS TO HAVE LIVE MUSIC AT THE SQUARE.

SO. CAN YOU TELL REMIND US OF THE TIME THIS SATURDAY? YES, IT'S FROM 12 TO 5 THIS SATURDAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO GREAT. I WONDERED WHY I HADN'T GOTTEN THE DUCK TANK.

CAN'T SAY I'M TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTED, BUT THAT WAS COLD WATER.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE YOUTH COUNCIL.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A FUN SATURDAY. SO THANKS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE HAVE AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE FOR CONSUMPTION ON PREMISES.

[V. Alcoholic Beverage License.]

[01:05:07]

SO LOCATED AT 222 OR 225 EAST TRINITY PLACE. THEY ARE THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE ARLO.

AND THE TYPE OF LICENSE IS BEER, WINE AND SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS, LIQUORS FOR CONSUMPTION ON PREMISES.

SO, THE ISSUANCE OF THE LICENSE IS RECOMMENDED.

SO, THERE ARE QUESTIONS FOR MISS ARNOLD. RIGHT.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE FOR CONSUMPTION ON PREMISES OF BEER AND WINE AND SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS TO JAMES KIM AND YOON YOUNG KIM FOR KOREAN 9292 KOREAN BARBECUE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I OPPOSED THE CHAIR VOTES, I AND THE MOTION PASSES.

NEXT, WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. WE HAVE SEVERAL AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. THIS EVENING WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE CHARTER REVIEW CONSULTING SERVICES FOR A CHARTER REVIEW PROCESS THAT WILL HAPPEN STARTING VERY SOON. WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ORDINANCE FOR READY TO DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

WE HAVE THE AWARD OF A CONTRACT FOR THE DECATUR SQUARE TRANSFORMATION IMPROVEMENTS, AND WE HAVE THE CITY MANAGER EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT RENEWAL. SO THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT ON.

ANYTHING ELSE WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU WAIT TO BRING THAT BEFORE THIS BODY.

DURING REQUEST AND PETITIONS. WE'LL ASK FIRST TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE IN OUR AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD A COMMENT ABOUT ANY AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. SO, WE WILL OPEN IT UP NOW. AND IF THERE'S SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, WE'D ASK YOU TO PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND MAKE YOUR COMMENT.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE I DON'T I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR ONLINE PARTICIPATION, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYONE THAT IS ONLINE THAT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE A COMMENT AND BLESS THE NEW STATION WOULD LIKE TO. SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP AND FOR JUST A MINUTE.

SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ACTION ITEMS AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE CHARTER REVIEW CONSULTING SERVICES CONTRACT.

[VII.A. Charter Review Consulting Services.]

AND OUR CURRENT CHARTER WAS LAST UPDATED IN 2001.

BEST PRACTICE FOR REVIEWING AND REVISING A CITY CHARTER IS EVERY TEN YEARS, SO WE ARE 24 YEARS OVERDUE.

IF APPROVED, THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE WILL LEAD OUR COMMUNITY IN AN EIGHT MONTH PROCESS TO REVIEW LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, GATHER INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS, MAP OUR TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS, AND DEVELOP AND PRESENT THE PROPOSED CHANGES.

A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THIS PROCESS WILL BE THE APPOINTMENT OF A CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.

MEMBERS OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION WILL BE APPOINTED THROUGH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM YOU, THE CITY COMMISSION AND CITY STAFF IN A MANNER THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES, AS WELL AS BY A CIVIC LOTTERY. THE CIVIC LOTTERY IS A TOOL FOR RANDOMLY SELECTING RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN DEMOCRATIC INITIATIVES IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE. THE CIVIC LOTTERY WILL BE CONDUCTED IN JUNE, AND APPOINTMENTS TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION WILL BE APPROVED AT THE JULY 21ST CITY COMMISSION MEETING. NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE WILL BEGIN ITS WORK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR.

IF YOU APPROVE THIS CONTRACT, THE COMMUNITY WORK WILL BEGIN IN AUGUST IN THE WORK OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION,

[01:10:04]

FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IS AVAILABLE IN THE ADOPTED CURRENT YEAR BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THIS CONTRACT FOR SERVICES IS RECOMMENDED, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

ARE THERE QUESTIONS? JUST MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS BODY KNOWS THAT I'M ON THE BOARD FOR THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE, AND WAS PART OF THE PROCESS SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO DEVELOP A MODEL CITY CHARTER AS KIND OF A GUIDEBOOK, GUIDEBOOK AND REVIEW FOR CITIES TO USE AS IN ASSISTING IN LOOKING AT CHARTERS AND MAKING UPDATES TO THOSE.

I WAS AT A NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE BOARD MEETING A WEEK AGO, AND WE WERE.

I HAVE TO SAY, THE STAFF IS SUPER EXCITED ABOUT DOING THIS WITH US.

AND I WANT TO JUST SAY ONE OF THE PRIMARY, THE REAL FOCUS OF THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE IS TO FOCUS ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, AND HOW TO IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICES THAT GO FAR BEYOND WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT, BUT I THINK IT GOES A STEP BEYOND IN RECOGNIZING DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES THAT INVOLVE COMMUNITY INPUT.

AS BROAD AND WIDE AS WE CAN MAKE IT. AND THE ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED.

I THINK 100 YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY, TO PROMOTE GOOD GOVERNANCE AND AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND PROFESSIONALISM, AND ACTUALLY WAS THE FIRST ORGANIZATION TO TO TALK ABOUT HAVING PROFESSIONAL CITY MANAGERS AND HAVING PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AS PART OF MAKING IT A, A, JUST A POLITICAL PROCESS.

AND BUT TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAINED AND SKILLED IN MANAGEMENT AND SPECIFICALLY IN GOVERNANCE OF GOOD CITIES AND TO WORK WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND BECAUSE A LOT OF ABUSES WERE BEING SEEN BY GOVERNMENTS THAT WERE EITHER NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THEIR COMMUNITY OR NOT EVEN ASKING THEIR COMMUNITY FOR THEIR FOR THEIR INPUT. SO IT'S BEEN A REAL AND THOSE OF US WHO HAVE GONE TO.

THEY ALSO HOST THE ALL-AMERICA CITY AWARD THAT WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED TWICE RECENTLY FOR THINGS THAT WE DO, SO I'M REALLY THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM COME TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO WORK WITH US, AND I THINK WE'LL BE REALLY PROUD OF THE PROJECT AND THE RESULT, AND THAT IT WON'T BE ANOTHER 24 YEARS, AND IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER TO DO THE NEXT TIME AROUND.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL, UNLESS THERE'S FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

COMMISSIONER WALSH, PLEASE. THIS IS JUST A REALLY IMPORTANT ENDEAVOR, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AND AROUND IT FOR A LONG TIME.

I WANT TO SAY I'M REALLY IN FAVOR OF THE PROCESS AND DOING IT.

I THINK MAYBE FOR THE THE FACT THAT IT'S ALREADY A VERY HEALTHY CHARTER SUPPORTED AND PROTECTED BY RESPECT FOR NORMS AND EVERYONE BUYING INTO LITTLE D DEMOCRACY.

THE CITY MANAGER CALLS IT LITTLE D DEMOCRACY.

AND ALSO WHAT I THINK IS HAVING LITTLE P PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY.

SO ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE WORKED REALLY WELL TO MAYBE ALLOW US TO GO OVER TIME WITH, WITH THIS REVIEW.

SO HAVING SAID THAT, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY WELL FOR OUR CITY, I BELIEVE.

BUT COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY ALSO POINTED OUT, TOO, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO BE REALLY INTERESTED AND DEDICATED TO THE DETAILS AND GETTING THINGS RIGHT. AND I THINK THEN GETTING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IN, BOTH SEEING THAT AND BEING PART OF GETTING IT RIGHT.

SO WHEN I FIRST SAW THE NUMBER, THOUGH THE AMOUNT, I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED.

I ACTUALLY THOUGHT, WOW, THAT'S A BIG TICKET ITEM.

BUT I HAD TO WALK MYSELF THROUGH. I CONFERRED WITH MAYOR GARRETT TO ABOUT JUST HOW ELABORATE AND IMPORTANT AND DETAILED IN DEPTH THIS PROCEDURE, THIS PROCESS IS GOING TO BE. SO A, THE TIMEFRAME IS LENGTHY.

I THINK THERE ARE MULTIPLE INTERACTIONS WITH THE CONSULTANTS AND THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS REALLY THE BIGGEST PART OF IT.

SO WE DO NEED TO INVEST IN THAT PART OF IT TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT, BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED.

WE HAVE ALSO HAD, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A STEP BACK FROM THAT SINCE COVID.

[01:15:04]

AND MAYBE THIS MAYBE THERE'S AN AMBIVALENCE OR AN APATHY THAT WE CAN BREAK THROUGH BY REALLY ATTACKING THIS WITH A REALLY ROBUST, HIGH QUALITY PROCESS. SO I GOT MYSELF RIGHT WITH THE NUMBER AND TRIED TO UNDERSTAND IT BETTER FOR MY OWN BENEFIT, BUT I JUST THOUGHT WE COULD SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE ON A SHORT WHITE PAPER, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GET THE WHOLE GIST OF JUST HOW BIG AND IMPORTANT THIS IS FOR A CITY, HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD BE PART OF IT, AND WHY IT'S WORTH DOING AND WORTH PAYING THIS AMOUNT.

BUT I REALLY HOPE WE SOMEHOW TOUCH ALMOST EVERY PERSON IN OUR CITY IN SOME WAY BY DOING IT.

WHETHER THEY EVEN JUST RECEIVE A POSTCARD THAT SAYS YOU'RE INVITED TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION, BUT SOMETIMES JUST BEING INVITED THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT TOUCHPOINT OR ENTREE TO GETTING SOMEONE ON BOARD.

SO THANKS FOR LETTING ME SAY THAT, BECAUSE I DO THINK THIS COULD GET SOME OF THIS COULD GET LOST IN IN INTERPRETATION YOU JUST SEE A NUMBER CONSULTANTS CHARTER REVIEW.

BUT IT'S A LOT MORE THAN THAT. AND I THINK IT RIVALS A TEN YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS IN MY VIEW.

UNLESS SOMEBODY DISAGREES, I THINK IT'S THAT BIG.

24 YEARS. IT'S NOW OUR TIME. SO I JUST WANTED TO SET THE SCENE FOR THAT.

IT TOOK ME A COUPLE REREADS OF IT AND THINKING THIS THROUGH BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE IT, SO WE DON'T HAVE A FIRSTHAND EXPOSURE AND GO, OH YEAH, IT WORKS LIKE THIS AND IT'S A BIG DEAL. AND SO, YOU KNOW, ANYWAY, THANKS FOR LISTENING BECAUSE THAT'S I HAD TO THINK ABOUT IT IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT I'M EXCITED FOR IT. I THINK THE PROCESS MAY GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE A SIMILAR PROCESS IN GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED IN OTHER PLANNING THAT WE DO, KIND OF THE RANDOMIZED SELECTION AND INVITATION OF PEOPLE THAT WE MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO REACH TO COME OUT. AND IF YOU GET A PERSONAL INVITATION THAT TO DO SO, THEN THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD USE IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.

SO, ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS. I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $90,300 FOR CHARTER REVIEW CONSULTING SERVICES.

I HEAR A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES? AYE. AND THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.

ALL RIGHT. THREADGILL. GREAT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COMMISSIONERS, I AM ANGELA THREADGILL,

[VII.B. Amendment to Alcoholic Beverages Ordinance for Ready-To-Drink Alcoholic Beverages.]

I AM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO REQUEST CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN TEXT AMENDMENTS TO THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ORDINANCE THAT RELATE TO TEMPORARY RETAIL SALE OF READY TO DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BY NONPROFIT OR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS DURING THEIR SPECIAL EVENTS.

SO CURRENTLY, WHEN NONPROFITS OR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS APPLY FOR A TEMPORARY LICENSE TO SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AT THEIR SPECIAL EVENTS, THEY'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO SELL BEER AND WINE. AND SINCE THIS ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN, I THINK THE LAST TIME WE MODIFIED THIS SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE WAS IN 2011. YOU KNOW, IT JUST THIS IS WHAT IT WAS.

IT WAS BEER AND WINE. BUT SINCE THAT ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN THERE HAS BEEN AN EXPANSION OF PREPACKAGED DRINKS THAT NOW INCLUDE PRE-MIXED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES THAT COME IN READY TO CONSUME PACKAGING, READY TO DRINK, OR RTDS IS WHAT THE INDUSTRY CALLS IT TYPICALLY COMBINES SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS, WINE OR BEER WITH MIXERS AND FLAVORS.

AND SO, WITH THE CONTINUED SUCCESS AND SUPPORT OF THE ISSUANCE OF TEMPORARY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES FOR RETAIL SALES ON PREMISES DURING SPECIAL EVENTS BY NONPROFIT AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS, THEY ARE ABLE TO DO ADDITIONAL FUNDRAISING THROUGH THESE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES. BUT WE ARE RECOMMENDING JUST A COUPLE OF CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE.

IN SECTION 6-2, THERE IS AN ADDITION OF A DEFINITION FOR READY TO DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AS FOLLOWS.

READY TO DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE MEANS A PRE-MIXED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTAINED IN A SINGLE SERVE.

SEALED CAN OR BOTTLE DESIGNED FOR IMMEDIATE CONSUMPTION WITHOUT THE NEED FOR FURTHER MIXING OR PREPARATION, AND THEN IN SECTION 6-8. IT JUST WHERE IT SAYS BEER AND WINE, YOU'LL NOTICE THE ADDITION OF READY TO DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES FOR ON PREMISES CONSUMPTION FOR THOSE TWO SUBSECTIONS.

SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO AMEND THIS.

[01:20:03]

WE DEFINITELY RECEIVED A LOT OF ASSISTANCE FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND THE PREPARATION IN THE RESEARCH.

AND SO IT IS APPROVED BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO ITS LEGAL FORM.

AND WITH THAT, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, BUT WE ARE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENTS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE QUESTIONS FOR MISS THREADGILL? COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY. A QUICK QUESTION. JUST LOOKING TO READ THE AMENDMENT.

IT LOOKS LIKE IF YOU LOOK AT SECTION 68-B, 68B THAT YOU COULD NOT GET AN ANNUAL LICENSE FOR WINE BEFORE NOW.

SO WE'RE ALSO ALLOWING ANNUAL LICENSE FOR WINE IN ADDITION TO READY TO DRINK.

AM I MISREADING THAT? LOOKS LIKE YOU DO FOR BEER AND WINE.

NOT JUST DRINK, BUT ALSO WINE FOR THAT SECTION.

THIS. THAT'S. WE HAVE NOT CHANGED THAT PARTICULAR SECTION.

BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THE ATTACHMENTS. CORRECT.

YES. AND THAT PARTICULAR SENTENCE WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING ANY CHANGE TO THAT.

IT'S ONLY WITHIN THE FIRST SENTENCE OF SUBSECTION.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT I THINK THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A TYPO JUST WITH THE RED LINING.

OKAY. OKAY. WE WILL DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SECOND SENTENCE IS NOT CHANGING, BECAUSE THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT THE INTENT.

IT'S ONLY TO ADD IN THE READY TO DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN THE VERY FIRST SENTENCE.

SO IF WE HAVE TO MAKE A MODIFICATION TO THAT SECOND SENTENCE TO MATCH WHAT'S IN THERE.

OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I WAS SAYING THE FIRST SECTION, THE RED LINE DOCUMENT THAT COMES WITH THE ATTACHMENTS.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ADDING WINE. THAT WINE WAS NOT IN THERE INITIALLY, RIGHT? IT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE WINE WAS NOT PART OF 6.8 B, I MEAN.

OKAY. BUT SO THE NO BEER AND WINE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ALLOWED DURING THE SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE CHARITABLE AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

YES. YEAH. THE EDIT IS THE STRIKETHROUGH OF THE AND IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE JUST CHANGED THE FONT COLOR OF WINE.

YEAH. IT USES THE TRACK CHANGES IN THE WORD DOCUMENT.

SO HOWEVER THAT GOT MODIFIED OR CHANGED WITHIN WORD DOCUMENT.

YES. REGARDLESS WE END UP WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

I KNOW. BUT I STILL THINK THAT'S A SERIOUS QUESTION.

YEAH, I JUST SAID THIS WAS RESPONSIVE TO A NONPROFIT.

I HAD HEARD SAY THAT THIS COULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN THE EVENTS THAT ARE MULTIPLE, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THEY'D SEEN ACROSS MAYBE IN TOWN, ATLANTA, AND THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE. SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING RESPONSIVE TO THOSE FOLKS.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, BECAUSE THIS WOULD TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY IF IT IS APPROVED TONIGHT.

AND SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS BEING AMPLIFIED TO CATER.

THEIR CONCERT IS COMING UP HERE VERY SHORTLY IN APRIL.

AND I BELIEVE THE DECATUR ARTS ALLIANCE AND THE ARTS FESTIVAL WILL BE OFFERING THIS AS WELL.

THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO COME BACK FOR A REVISION TO THEIR ABL LICENSE, WOULD THEY? WE'LL DOUBLE CHECK WITH THAT. OKAY. WE'LL CHECK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GREAT QUESTIONS. ANY OTHER EXCUSE ME? OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MISS THREADGILL? MOVE. APPROVAL.

ALL RIGHT. MOVE APPROVAL FOR ORDINANCE 0-25-XX.

THAT AMENDS THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ORDINANCE.

SO THIS IS A ORDINANCE VOTE. SO COMMISSIONER MEYER.

HAD TO MAKE A SECOND. OH, WE DO NEED A SECOND.

OKAY. OKAY. ALRIGHT. AND NOW WE HAVE ONE. SO.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO NOT A COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION.

SO. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL VOTE.

ND THE ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND NOW FOR THE BIG TICKET ITEM, BOB SQUAREPANTS.

[VII.C. Award of Contract for the Decatur Square Transformation Improvements.]

MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS, I'M DAVID YOUNGER, THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT JUST BACK IN JUNE OF 2024, WE WERE BEFORE YOU MAKING A REQUEST TO APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH AN ENGINEERING FIRM FOR THE DESIGN OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE RECOMMENDING AWARDING FOR CONSTRUCTION, SO THERE ARE SEVERAL PARTS TO THE RECOMMENDATION THIS EVENING.

THE FIRST IS APPROVING OF A PROJECT BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $8.5 MILLION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE.

I DID ATTACH AN ITEMIZED LIST OF THE PROJECT BUDGET.

APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT WITH JHC CORPORATION OF NEWNAN, GEORGIA WAS THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER IN THE AMOUNT OF

[01:25:07]

THIRD, APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT WITH ASCENSION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $150,000 FOR OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE SERVICES.

THIS PROJECT WILL BE FINANCED THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION, SPECIAL PURPOSE, LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX BONDS. THAT WAS A MOUTHFUL, WHICH WE SPENT QUITE SOME TIME TODAY WORKING ON.

THE DECATUR SQUARE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT WILL ENHANCE AND REVITALIZE THE EXISTING DECATUR SQUARE COMMUNITY SPACE.

IT IS BASED ON THE TOWN CENTER 2.0 PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY YOU ALL JUNE 20TH OF 2023.

KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE A NEW PERFORMING ARTS STAGE WITH A GREEN ROOM, NEW RESTROOM FACILITIES, A PLAY AREA, AND EXPANSION OF AMENITIES ONTO NORTH MCDONOUGH STREET, FEATURING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND UPGRADES TO THE MARTA PLAZA, INCLUDING LANDSCAPE AND HARDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS SITE FURNISHINGS.

THE PROJECT DOES REQUIRE THE DEMOLITION OF THE CURRENT GAZEBO AND INCLUDES RELOCATING THE CELEBRATION SCULPTURE FROM THE MARTA PLAZA TO NORTH MCDONOUGH STREET. TWO BIDS WERE RECEIVED FOR THIS WORK ON FEBRUARY 27TH OF THIS YEAR.

THE TWO BIDS AS YOU SEE SHOWN. TRI SCAPES LLC $6,903,012.57.

JHC SECOND BID $7,062,825. JHC CORPORATION IS A HIGHLY SKILLED CONTRACTOR WITH A STRONG TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING COMPLEX CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT INVOLVE MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING MUNICIPAL AND STATE LEVEL OVERSIGHT.

CURRENTLY, JHC IS WORKING ON A VARIETY OF CITY AND COUNTY PROJECTS, BOTH FUNDED BY GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WHICH OBVIOUSLY REQUIRES SEAMLESS COORDINATION WITH BOTH THE MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES AND GDOT.

THE COMPANY IS ALSO ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN SEVERAL MIDTOWN ALLIANCE PROJECTS, COLLABORATING WITH MIDTOWN STAKEHOLDERS AND THE CITY OF ATLANTA.

ITS EXPERTISE EXTENDS TO STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS THAT REQUIRE CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS IN URBAN SETTINGS.

JHC HAS ALSO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED WORK ON TWO MARTA PROJECTS, ONE AT COLLEGE PARK STATION AND THE OTHER AT FIVE POINTS STATION.

ADDITIONALLY, JHC COMPLETED A TOWN GREEN AND AMPHITHEATER PROJECT IN POWDER SPRINGS, GEORGIA, WHICH INCLUDED A STAGE, RESTROOMS, AND GREEN ROOM.

DURING THE BIDDING PROCESS, REFERENCE CHECKS WERE CONDUCTED WITH BOTH GOVERNMENT CLIENTS AND DESIGN PROFESSIONALS.

FEEDBACK ON JHC PERFORMANCE WAS VERY POSITIVE.

RESPONDENTS CONFIRMED THAT THE PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED ON TIME AND WITHIN BUDGET.

JHC WAS NOTED FOR BEING HIGHLY RESPONSIVE AND SOLUTIONS ORIENTED.

THEIR WORK WAS QUALITY AND DESCRIBED AS EXCELLENT.

ALL CLIENTS EXPRESS STRONG WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE WITH JHC ON FUTURE PROJECTS.

IF YOU ALL APPROVE THIS THIS EVENING, WE ANTICIPATE CONSTRUCTION COULD START IN ABOUT SIX WEEKS, TAKE APPROXIMATELY TEN MONTHS, AND WILL BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE FIFA WORLD CUP BEGINS IN JUNE OF 2026.

DUE TO THE COMPLEXITIES OF THIS DEMOLITION, CONSTRUCTION AND THE ACCELERATED TIMELINE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING EMPLOYING ASCENSION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, LLC AS AN OWNER REPRESENTATIVE TO PROVIDE STAFF SUPPORT AND ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT SERVICES.

ASCENSION SPECIALIZES IN THE AREAS OF OWNER REPRESENTATION, PLANNING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT.

ASCENSION HAS PROVIDED SIMILAR SERVICES FOR NUMEROUS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS GWINNETT COUNTY, DEKALB COUNTY, CITY SCHOOLS OF DECATUR, AND COCA-COLA.

MOST RECENTLY, ASCENSION ASSISTED THE CITY SCHOOLS OF DECATUR WITH OVERSIGHT OF THE LEGACY PARK TRACK AND FIELD PROJECT AS WE PROCEED. IF THIS IS APPROVED THIS EVENING IN UPCOMING MEETINGS, WE WILL BE NEEDING TO BRING ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO PROCEED WITH MARTA. GEORGIA POWER ATLANTA GAS LIGHT.

PRELIMINARY COST ESTIMATES FOR THE UTILITY WORK ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT BUDGET THAT WAS ATTACHED.

I BELIEVE THERE'S A QUESTION REGARDING YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO PROCEED WITH JEC CORPORATION VERSUS TRI

[01:30:09]

SO THE BID DOCUMENT INCLUDED KIND OF A LINE ITEM LIST OF PROJECT COMPONENTS.

NEAR THE BOTTOM. THERE'S A MISCELLANEOUS CONTINGENCY NUMBER.

THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE CITY. AND IT WAS NOT.

BUT BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO THAT POINT THE TWO PROPOSALS THAT WERE RECEIVED TRI SCAPES WAS INCOMPLETE.

THERE WAS A WHOLE SECTION THAT WAS REQUIRED FOR CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATION STATEMENTS.

IN OUR BID DOCUMENT, IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT ALL BIDDERS WERE TO PROVIDE THE AIA, WHICH IS AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, A SECTION 501 OR 510, WHICH IS THE CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATION SECTION.

THAT ENTIRE SECTION WAS NOT PART OF THE TRI SCAPES PROPOSAL, WHICH IS A MATERIAL DEFECT IN THE BID DOCUMENTS.

AND SO THAT DISQUALIFIED THEM AS A BIDDER. AND THEN SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, IN READING THROUGH THE LINE ITEM DETAILS IN THE BID PROPOSALS. THE NUMBER THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE WAS THE OWNER CONTINGENT MISCELLANEOUS CONTINGENCY NUMBER THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE BID DOCUMENT AND WHAT THAT DOES. IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THE BUDGET SUMMARY, THERE'S A BASE BID NUMBER.

AND THIS FOR THIS EXAMPLE, THIS IS FOR THE JHC PROPOSAL.

THE BASE BID IS $6,726,500. AS PART OF THEIR MISCELLANEOUS CONSTRUCTION CONTINGENCY, THEY LISTED $336,325. THE OTHER BID ONLY INCLUDED 100,000 IN THE MISCELLANEOUS CONTINGENCY. SO, PRIOR TO THE BIDDING PROCESS, THE CITY FELT LIKE $300,000, WAS THE OWNER CONTINGENCY NUMBER THAT WE WANTED IN THAT BID? WE FAILED TO PUT THAT IN THE TABLE. SO, AS WE'RE TRYING TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES, AND WE REMOVE THAT NUMBER OUT OF THE BID. IT DID MAKE JHC THE LOW BIDDER. AND WE FELT LIKE WE KNEW THAT $100,000 WAS NOT GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE MISCELLANEOUS CONTINGENCY FOR THIS PROJECT.

SO THAT'S WHY THOSE NUMBERS ARE WHAT THEY ARE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION. SO ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS? WITH ASCENSION, DID WE GO OUT TO BID FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT? NO. BECAUSE IT'S PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH HIM ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS.

WE DID SEEK A PROPOSAL FROM OUR UNCALLED ENGINEERING FIRM, WHICH WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.

AND SO WE FELT LIKE FOR OWNER REPRESENTED. SO THE ROLE THAT JACOBS WILL BE PROVIDING ON THIS CONTRACT IS CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION WITH VERY SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES. ASCENSION PM WILL BE HIRED REALLY AS STAFF AUGMENTATION AS IT RELATES TO PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, OVERSEEING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.

SO BUT WE DID NOT SEEK MULTIPLE PROPOSALS FOR THAT.

SOME OF THAT WAS ALSO TIMING. AND I RECOGNIZE AS MY NEXT COMMENT WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT JC.

I MEAN, IT'S GOOD, EVEN THOUGH IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ONLY HAVE ONE QUALIFIED BID THOUGH. IS THAT CORRECT? ESSENTIALLY THAT WOULD BE CORRECT.

OKAY. SO I GUESS THERE'S SOME PROOF CHECK AT LEAST GETTING TO HOW MANY PEOPLE DID WE SOLICIT BIDS FROM? I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER FOR YOU. I COULD KIND OF GET BACK TO YOU WHEN WE.

SO WE UTILIZE BOTH THE LEGAL ORGAN, THE CHAMPION, WE POST IT ON THE CITY OF DECATUR WEBSITE, AND WE ALSO POSTED IT TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA PROCUREMENT REGISTRY.

AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO ENTER A I APOLOGIZE.

I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE ABBREVIATION STANDS FOR.

NIGP CODE. IT IS CODES THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO VERY SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES.

AND SO IF YOU'RE INTO SPORTS EQUIPMENT YOU HAVE A CODE.

AND SO IF A BID IS POSTED FOR SPORTS EQUIPMENT IT GOES OUT TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS REGISTERED TO RECEIVE THAT.

AND SO WHEN WE DID THIS IT WENT OUT TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BECAUSE WE PUT IN THE CODES FOR GENERAL CONTRACTORS, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, PEOPLE WITH CIVIL STORMWATER EXPERIENCE, VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION, YOU NAME IT.

AND SO TO TO SEE HOW MANY GENERAL CONTRACTORS THAT ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO MAY BE DIFFICULT, BUT POSSIBLE.

[01:35:02]

TIGHT TIMELINE AND THE FACT THAT SO MANY MUNICIPALITIES WERE SAYING POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT THEIR TIMELINESS AND COMING.

THAT WAS GOOD. I COMPLETELY AGREE. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME NOT ONLY CONTACTING OTHER GOVERNMENT CUSTOMERS THAT THEY HAVE HAD, BUT ALSO, AGAIN, THE DESIGN PROFESSIONALS BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE THEY SHOULD.

THEY COULD ADD A PERSPECTIVE TO A BACKGROUND.

AND IT WAS VERY COMFORTING WHEN WE MADE THOSE TELEPHONE CALLS WITH FULTON COUNTY.

I THINK IT'S KEY. YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THEY, YOU KNOW, HAVE DONE UTILITY WORK AS WELL. AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF THINGS THAT SORT OF HAPPEN. AND HAVING, YOU KNOW, AN ON SITE, YOU KNOW, OWNERS REPRESENTATIVE IN ADDITION TO JHC, IT'S GOING TO MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS TO GET THIS DONE. WE HAVE A VERY TIGHT TEN MONTH TIMELINE.

SO ALL THE REASSURANCES AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TRI SCAPES PORTFOLIO LOOK LIKE, BUT I ALWAYS LOOK AT WHAT OTHER COMPANIES HAVE DONE.

AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU MENTIONED THE FACT THAT YOU CALLED ALL THE OTHER ENTITIES.

THAT'S VERY REASSURING FOR ME AS I LOOK TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, A $100,000 FOR A SIDEWALK PROJECT.

THIS IS OUR, YOU KNOW, FOREVER FRONT PORCH FOR AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS OR SO.

WOULD YOU MR. YOUNGER OR PERHAPS YOU MISS ARNOLD, EXPLAIN IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL HOW THIS IS BEING PAID FOR? CERTAINLY. THE AS MR. YOUNGER PUT IN THE MEMO, IT'S THE SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX AND WE CALL IT SPLOST TWO. THIS IS THE SECOND SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX APPROVED.

I THINK IT WAS BY AT LEAST 80%, 87% OF THE VOTERS IN DEKALB COUNTY.

AND WE ARE ALLOWED TO SPEND THOSE FUNDS ONLY ON CAPITAL PROJECTS.

AND ALSO AS PART OF THE REFERENDUM WHEN IT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.

THE VOTERS ALSO DID APPROVE THE ISSUANCE OF UP TO $10 MILLION IN DEBT.

OR BASICALLY WE ARE ALLOWED TO BORROW UP TO $10 MILLION AGAINST THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALES TAX.

YOU KNOW WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING BORROWING CLOSE TO THE BUDGET NUMBER 8.5 MILLION.

AND THEN THAT THAT LOAN ESSENTIALLY WILL BE PAID OFF BY THE SALES TAX THAT'S COLLECTED BY THE COUNTY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND THEN DISTRIBUTED TO ALL OF THE CITIES, INCLUDING THE CITY OF DECATUR.

THANK YOU. YES. SO IT IS SALES TAX MONEY. IT IS NOT PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE PAYING.

AND AND WHEN THE REFERENDUM WAS VOTED UPON, THIS WAS A PROJECT THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED AS ONE POTENTIALLY TO BE FUNDED THROUGH THE SPLOST.

SO THIS WAS THIS WAS ANTICIPATED AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE PUT THE VOTE IN FRONT OF IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS.

THANK YOU. YES, SIR. AND I RECALL FROM OUR PRESENTATION AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT NON-CALLABLE BONDS SO THAT BECAUSE THE PAYBACK PERIOD WOULD.

IT'S A SHORT PAYBACK PERIOD, RIGHT. BECAUSE THE SPLOST IS ONLY FOR SIX YEARS.

SO BY THE TIME WE ISSUED THESE BONDS, WE'LL JUST HAVE FIVE YEARS LEFT.

SO, YEAH, NON-CALLABLE FIVE YEAR, THEY'LL BE PAID OFF IN FIVE YEARS.

AND AGAIN, ABOUT EIGHT, $8.5 MILLION. AND THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE DATE OF YOUR NEXT MEETING, APRIL 7TH, THAT THAT WILL ACTUALLY SELL THE BONDS AND THEN COME TO YOU THAT EVENING FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE BONDS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS.

ALL REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS PROJECT TO GET GOING AND TO MAKE OUR SQUARE EVEN MORE INVITING AND USABLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS, FOR VISITORS. AND I THINK IT'S A PROJECT THAT WE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT ON.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND THAT THE PROCESS GOT US HERE, AND THE ABILITY TO FUND IT THROUGH SPLOST, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I THINK WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

WE KNOW THERE WILL BE SOME GROWING PAINS AS IT HAPPENS, BUT I THINK OUR WILL WORK WITH OUR BUSINESSES AND ACCOMMODATE THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN. AND IT WILL BE A LOVELY PLACE WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT FEATURES FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT AUDIENCES.

[01:40:02]

SO ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.

DO I HEAR I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THIS IN THREE DIFFERENT MOTIONS.

SO THE FIRST IS A MOTION TO APPROVE A PROJECT BUDGET OF $8.5 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE. IS THERE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED. THE CHAIR VOTES AYE.

AND THAT MOTION IS APPROVED. THE SECOND IS APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT WITH JHC CORPORATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,062,825 FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE.

IS THERE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES AYE.

AND THAT AGREEMENT IS APPROVED. AND THEN FINALLY, THE APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT WITH ASCENSION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $150,000 FOR OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE SERVICES.

IS THERE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? ONE MORE IN ME.

SO MOVED. OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. GOT A MOTION MADE AND SECONDED.

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

AND WE ARE READY TO GO. ALL RIGHT. GET STARTED.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WATCH IT RAIN FOR TWO YEARS.

NO, NO. SO, WE'RE GOING TO BE STANDING OUT THERE WITH UMBRELLAS.

THE WORLD'S LARGEST UMBRELLA. EXACTLY. SO NEXT, IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO BRING FORWARD THE CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT

[VII.D. City Manager Employment Agreement Renewal.]

I HAVE WORKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR THE LANGUAGE TO BRING THIS TOGETHER AND BRING IT HERE FOR YOU.

THE ONLY CHANGES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IN THE CITY MANAGER'S AGREEMENT IS THE COMPENSATION LEVEL. AND ANOTHER THING THAT IS A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT THIS YEAR IS THAT WE NORMALLY DO THIS A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE YEAR. THERE WERE THERE WAS A CONFLUENCE OF EVENTS AND THE PROCESS TOOK LONGER THAN USUAL.

BUT HER OFFICIAL AGREEMENT AND HER SALARY AGREEMENT ENDED AT THE END OF 2024.

SO THIS WILL BE RETROACTIVE BACK TO JANUARY 1ST ONE OF 2025.

SO THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ARE THAT I AM BRINGING, BRINGING FORWARD TO THE CITY COMMISSION IS BASED ON A SALARY STUDY WITH HER DEKALB COUNTY CITY PEERS.

IT WILL BRING HER SALARY MORE IN LINE WITH WITH HER PEERS, BUT THERE WILL STILL BE A GAP WITH HER CLOSEST PEER CITIES.

ON THIS TWO YEAR CONTRACT. AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO CONSIDER WAYS TO WORK TO CLOSE THE GAP WITH THE NEXT CONTRACT.

AND I THINK SEVERAL THINGS WE CONSIDER AS WE LOOK AT THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.

ONE IS THAT WE ARE A UNIQUE CITY. WE ARE TRULY A FULL SERVICE CITY.

WE HAVE OUR OWN SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE HAVE OUR OWN HOUSING AUTHORITY.

WE HAVE OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE DO ALL OF OUR OWN SANITATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

AND SO AND WE HAVE OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND A NUMBER OF THESE SERVICES ARE CONTRACTED OUT IN DIFFERENT CITIES.

AND WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE OTHER ENTITIES, LIKE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT WE INTERACT WITH, AND CERTAINLY THAT THE CITY MANAGER INTERACTS WITH.

SO, I WANT TO JUST SAY I'M GRATEFUL FOR HER CONTINUED SERVICE, AND I'M THRILLED THAT SHE IS WILLING TO SIGN THIS CONTRACT FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS. I THINK MY COLLEAGUES, I BELIEVE, WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

AND SO THE SALARY THAT WE ARE OFFERING AS THE ONLY CHANGE IN THE CONTRACT IS $229,500. SO I WILL BRING THAT FORWARD. AND

[01:45:02]

SO, I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR I KNOW PEOPLE MAY WANT TO SAY SOME THINGS AT THE END OF THE MEETING, BUT I'LL OPEN IT UP NOW. I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD MY COMMENTS.

I THINK YOU SORT OF HIT ALL THE UNIQUENESS WITH US OPERATING OUR OWN SCHOOL SYSTEM, POLICE, PUBLIC WORKS. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT OTHER CITY MANAGERS DON'T HAVE IN THEIR PURVIEW.

BUT ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GOES OFTEN UNNOTICED IS THE TIME THAT SHE SPENDS IN MEETINGS FOR TECHNICAL REASONS, WHETHER IT'S AN ARBITRATION HEARING OR IT'S A DEPOSITION IN COURT, THAT AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT GET TO SEE, BUT WE GET TO LEARN OF HER, YOU KNOW, REALLY HER EXPERTISE IN THOSE FIELDS.

AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT TO ME, IS ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A VERY NIMBLE AND GREAT CITY MANAGER.

SO I AM COMFORTABLE IN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THESE FIGURES, KNOWING THAT WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF VALUE FOR THE JOB THAT SHE DOES, FOR THE WORK THAT WE SEE EVERY DAY AND THE WORK THAT WE DON'T SEE EVERY DAY.

ALL RIGHT. I THINK I VERY MUCH ENJOYED THE PROCESS.

I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE JUST THE OVERALL CONVERSATION WITH THE JOB, OUR EXPECTATIONS. IT'S BEEN A GOOD PROCESS. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. AGREED THAT THE PROCESS WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT I FELT LIKE WE'VE HAD REALLY HOLISTIC AND HEALTHY CONVERSATIONS. AND THAT YOU STEWARD, CITY MANAGER, STEWARD IS A CITY THAT'S ALSO GROWN A LOT IN THE LAST DECADE, WHICH I THINK WE DON'T TALK ENOUGH ABOUT HOW WE HAVE TO SCALE UP, HOW WE SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

JUST PRACTICALLY SPEAKING. SO WITH EXTERNAL THINGS CHANGING AROUND US THE DOWNSIDE OF BEING A BURGEONING, GROWING, DYNAMIC CITY COULD BE VOLATILITY, BUT WE DON'T SEE VOLATILITY.

AND I CREDIT YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR STEWARDSHIP AND YOUR ABILITY TO RELATE TO US IN A IN A GREAT WAY.

SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. I AM REALLY HAPPY AS A PART OF THIS PROCESS.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US WE DO ALSO DO A CITY MANAGER EVALUATION.

AND SO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PROCESS.

WE DO THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH BRINGING FORWARD THE CONTRACT.

SO IT WAS WE ARE PROUD OF OUR CITY MANAGER AND ABSOLUTELY ARE THRILLED THAT SHE WANTS TO CONTINUE WORKING HERE.

SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS FOR ALL OF US. SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE CITY MANAGER AS PROVIDED.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. OPPOSED. AND THE CHAIR VOTES AYE AND WE'LL PAY YOU NOW.

SHE'S BEEN WORKING FOR FREE SINCE JANUARY? EXACTLY.

SO ALL RIGHT. SO NEXT WE'LL MOVE TO REQUESTS AND PETITIONS.

AND SO IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS TO THIS BODY, NOW IS THE LAST TIME TO DO SO AT THIS MEETING.

SO, I WOULD INVITE ANYONE TO COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND BRING FORWARD ANY COMMENTS OR ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE WILL OPEN IT UP TO PARTICIPANTS ONLINE. I DO NOT SEE ANY RAISED HANDS OR PEOPLE WANTING TO PARTICIPATE ONLINE. SO, WE WILL CLOSE REQUEST AND PETITIONS AND LOOK AT REPORTS AND OTHER

[IX. Reports and Other Business.]

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL RIGHT. MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.

[01:50:01]

OPPOSED? AND THE CHAIR VOTES AYE. AND THE MOTION IS APPROVED AND THE EXECUTIVE SESSION IS CONFIRMED.

SO I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MISS ARNOLD. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THERE ACTUALLY IS ONE MORE VOTE THAT. OH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE IS ONE MORE VOTE.

ASKING THE CITY COMMISSION FOR. EARLIER THIS EVENING, THE CITY COMMISSION DID MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL TO DISCUSS A WORKER'S COMPENSATION CLAIM. AND IN THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVED A RECOMMENDED SETTLEMENT WITH AN EMPLOYEE WHO WAS INJURED ON THE JOB. AND AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW, I'M ASKING THE CITY COMMISSION TO CONSIDER A MOTION IN A PUBLIC SETTING TO APPROVE THIS SETTLEMENT, AND I'LL ASK MAYOR PRO TEM POWERS IF YOU WOULD READ THAT MOTION FOR CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU, MR. ARNOLD. I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT OF WORKERS COMPENSATION CLAIM FILED BY DENNIS HOLMES UPON THE TERMS DISCUSSED WITH COUNCIL AND APPROVED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, INCLUDING FULL AND FINAL RELEASE OF APPLICABLE CLAIMS BY CLAIMANT, CONTINUED PAYMENT OF AUTHORIZED MEDICAL EXPENSES AND INCOME BENEFITS UP THROUGH THE DATE OF FINAL APPROVAL, AND A PAYMENT OF A LUMP SUM IN SATISFACTION OF ALL CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION, BENEFITS, MEDICAL EXPENSES AND ATTORNEY'S FEES.

THE AMOUNT WHICH IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL PENDING FINAL APPROVAL BY THE STATE BOARD OF WORKERS COMPENSATION.

THAT IS MY MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES AYE. AND THE WORKERS COMPENSATION MOTION IS APPROVED.

NOW WE I THINK THAT'S OUR LAST VOTE. SO I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER.

I WAS ASKED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THERE WILL BE AN OAKHURST MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH FROM SIX UNTIL 8 P.M. AT THE OAKHURST RECREATION CENTER.

ACTUALLY, I HAVE THREE ITEMS I JUST WANT TO RUN THROUGH.

AND THIS. I'M PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO YOU.

I RECEIVED THIS FROM MISS SHEARER, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR PUBLIC WORKS EARLIER TODAY.

SHE SAID THAT GDOT'S SAFE DRIVING SUMMIT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW.

AND YOU MAY RECALL THAT THAT GDOT AND CITY STAFF DISCUSSED THIS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND THIS IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THE CITY OF DECATUR, AND CITY SCHOOLS OF DECATUR. AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO REACH OVER 300 DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL TEENS TO HELP EDUCATE AND PROVIDE AWARENESS OF SAFE DRIVING. AND WHEN YOU'RE BEHIND THE WHEEL AND AS A PASSENGER AND TEENS WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, THEY'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM SURVIVORS OF ACCIDENTS, THEY'LL HEAR FROM FIRST RESPONDERS AND MORE.

AND I JUST DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR PARKS AND REC EMPLOYEE, DAEJHANAE MARTIN, WHO RAISED HER HAND WHEN THIS REQUEST CAME UP A YEAR AGO. SHE SAID THE CITY WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, AND IT CERTAINLY IS HAPPENING.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE LOGISTICS. THEY SAID THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE GROUPS OF 100 STUDENTS WALKING TO THE CONFERENCE CENTER UP ON CLAREMONT EVERY FEW MINUTES, STARTING AT 8 A.M.. AND SO MAYBE SOME OF OUR, MAYBE SOME OF OUR YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL GET TO ENJOY THIS TOMORROW.

BUT I'M THRILLED. AGAIN, JUST A GREAT EXAMPLE OF ONE, YOU KNOW, GDOT.

I THINK IT REPRESENTS THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH GDOT.

THEY KNEW THAT THEY COULD REACH OUT TO US, THEY COULD COUNT ON US, AND WE HAD A CITY STAFF PERSON WHO ALSO WAS WILLING TO RUN WITH IT.

AND AGAIN, A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SO GLAD TO SEE THAT'S HAPPENING. AND CERTAINLY, WE'LL GET MORE INFORMATION AFTER THE FACT AND REPORT THAT BACK TO YOU AS WELL.

AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED IN TOUCH A TRUCK, TOUCH A BUDGET.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE BUDGET THAT YOU GOT TO TOUCH.

AT THE EVENT. IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. AND I THINK THE FACT THAT IT TOOK PLACE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT RIGHT AFTER TOUR DECATUR DID NOT HURT. I THINK WE WERE A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT THE THAT THE LOGISTICS WERE GOING TO BE A LITTLE A LITTLE WONKY.

[01:55:03]

AND WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD OVER 500 HATS.

AND WITHIN THE FIRST HOUR, I THINK THEY HAD GOTTEN RID OF ALL THEY HAD RUN OUT OF ALL OF THEIR LITTLE FIREFIGHTER HATS.

BUT IT'S A IT'S A BIG UNDERTAKING. AND THERE'S, THERE'S SO MANY STAFF COME OUT.

AND AGAIN, JUST A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR STAFF TO INTERACT WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THEIR PARENTS.

AND SO HOPEFULLY THE PARENTS LEARNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND OUR GOALS FOR THE NEXT YEAR, AND JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A POSITIVE INTERACTION WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THANKS TO ALL THE STAFF. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

WHO ALSO JUST MADE THAT MADE THAT HAPPEN. AND MARCH IS BUSY, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF CITY EVENTS BETWEEN TOUCH-A-TRUCK AND THEN THE FAIR ON THE SQUARE AND I'LL SAVE THE I'M ASSUMING YOU MENTIONED THE RIBBON CUTTING AT THE END OF THE MONTH, BUT A WHOLE LOT THAT'S GOING ON IN MARCH IN OUR CITY.

AND THEN FINALLY, I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION REALLY FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR TAKING THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROCESS MY PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, TAKING THAT VERY SERIOUSLY AND PUTTING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME, MAYBE MORE TIME THAN YOU HAD HAD BARGAINED FOR.

IT WAS A NEW PROCESS FOR US. IT WAS A NEW EVALUATION TOOL.

BUT AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE TIME, THE THOUGHTFULNESS THAT WAS PUT INTO THE EFFORT.

AGAIN, ALSO APPRECIATE THE RESULT AND THE RESULTING EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.

I DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND I DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE BUT TO CONTINUE TO, TO CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN THIS ROLE.

AND IT WAS VERY EYE OPENING TO HEAR THE PERSPECTIVE OF EVEN THE CONSULTANTS WHO FACILITATED THE PROCESS. I MEAN, THEY WORK WITH MANAGERS, THEY WORK WITH ELECTED BODIES CERTAINLY ALL OVER THE SOUTHEAST.

AND, YOU KNOW, TO HEAR THEIR PRAISE OF, YOU KNOW, OF THIS TEAM, YOU KNOW, THIS BODY.

I THINK IT REFLECTS WELL ON OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE COMMUNITY.

AND AGAIN, I JUST I KNOW THAT I AM EXTREMELY LUCKY AND FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO, TO WORK WITH THIS BODY.

AND AGAIN, TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE IN THIS ROLE AND THIS ORGANIZATION BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THIS, THIS PROCESS, YOU KNOW, THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS PROVIDED, I THINK WILL JUST MAKE US A STRONGER TEAM AS WE ARE IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR. IT IS YOU KNOW, DEMOCRACY WITH THE LITTLE THE LITTLE D IT IS ABOUT BEING A PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY BEING OPEN AND TRANSPARENT ACTING ETHICALLY AND WITH INTEGRITY.

AND AGAIN, I THINK THE PROCESS JUST MAKES US BETTER IN THAT REGARD SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT IS IT FOR ME. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER MEYER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, MISS ARNOLD, FOR AGREEING TO STAY FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER TWO YEARS.

YOU PROBABLY DESERVE $1 MILLION SOMETIMES FOR HAVING TO PUT UP WITH THIS FEISTY COMMISSIONER.

SO PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE APPRECIATED. AND YOU ARE.

IT'S NOT JUST MY OPINION THAT YOU'RE THE BEST.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO THE WORK THAT YOU DO ALSO CONSIDER YOU THE GOLD STANDARD.

AND WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU. SO WELCOME BACK AND KNOW THAT KNOW THAT YOU ARE APPRECIATED.

TODAY WE HAD WORK SESSIONS THAT WERE JUST THEY JUST FED THE SOUL.

AND BUT MY FAVORITE PART OF THE WORK SESSION, OF COURSE, WAS THE PRESENTATION BY OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LAND TRUST, VICKI MITCHELL. I COULD GUSH ON AND ON ABOUT HOW AMAZING I THOUGHT THAT PRESENTATION WAS, BUT I WILL JUST, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHT TWO PRETTY IMPORTANT PARTS.

THE FIRST ONE BEING THAT WE HEARD FROM A VARIETY OF RESIDENTS WHOSE HOUSING NEEDS WERE MET IN A WAY THAT THEY NEVER BELIEVED THAT THEY COULD. WE HAD WE HEARD FROM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF DECATUR WHO SAID THAT UNTIL

[02:00:05]

IT DID NOT HAVE CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING. AND SO NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE SHE HAS RESIDED IN HER HOME, SHE WILL BE ABLE TO FLIP ON A SWITCH AND ENJOY.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T EVEN CONSIDER A LUXURY ANYMORE.

WE HEARD FROM TWO RESIDENTS WHO ARE WOMEN, WHO SAID THAT THEY NEVER BELIEVED THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO BE HOMEOWNERS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, AND NOW THEY ARE ONE OF WHOM NOW ENJOYS WALKING HER SON TO SCHOOL AND THEN WALKS TO WORK.

THAT IS EXACTLY WHY WE'RE DOING THIS. AND SO I AM JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT WE GET TO DO.

I AM GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALLOW ME TO CONTINUE TO SIT ON THE BOARD OF THE DECATUR LAND TRUST.

IT IS ONE OF THE FAVORITE THINGS THAT I GET TO DO, AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE WORK THAT THE LAND TRUST IS DOING. THE SECOND THING I'D LIKE TO SHARE IS THAT A WEEK BEFORE LAST, I ACTUALLY HOSTED A COMMUNITY MEETING AT OAKHURST REC WITH DOCTOR REMY EPPS, WHO IS THE HEAD OF PARKS AND REC. AND THE TURNOUT WAS MORE THAN I EXPECTED.

THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CAME IN TO TALK ABOUT CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD WITH JUST THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH PARKS AND REC, BUT THE BUT THE FOCUS ON THE CONVERSATION WASN'T A COMPLAINT SESSION.

IT WAS A HOW DO WE SHARE OUR CONCERNS SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM RESOLVED, AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO CONTRIBUTE? I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF THAT. I DID NOT SHY AWAY FROM THE TOUGH QUESTIONS AND BELIEVE ME, THERE WERE MANY, ESPECIALLY FROM THE TENNIS COMMUNITY WHO. APPARENTLY THE BALL IS SUPPOSED TO BOUNCE ON THE TENNIS COURT, BUT I REALLY ENJOYED HEARING FROM THEM. IT KIND OF REMINDS ME OF OUR PORCH SESSIONS THAT WE USED TO DO IN THE HEIGHT OF COVID, WHERE WE'D GET TOGETHER WITH PEOPLE IN THEIR YARDS, ON THEIR PORCHES AND SPREAD OUT AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THAT THAT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT I HAD TO HEAR ABOUT THINGS THAT I'M NOT USUALLY FOCUSED ON, AS I AM TYPICALLY FOCUSED ON HOUSING EQUITY AND AFFORDABILITY.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT AGAIN VERY SOON.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME, MAYOR. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING THIS COMMISSION ON THE LAND TRUST AND ALSO FOR WE SORT OF KNEW THAT THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE LIVELY MEETING THAT YOU WERE GOING TO WITH PARKS AND REC.

REC. GIVEN THE CONVERSATION THE WEEK BEFORE. SO, THANK YOU.

SO THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY.

THANK YOU. FIRST, I'LL START JUST I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD.

BESIDES I THINK WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE ANDREA AS OUR CITY MANAGER [INAUDIBLE] THE TENNIS BALLS, SOMETIMES THEY BOUNCE, BUT THE COURTS ARE LIKE THIS.

THERE ARE A COUPLE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING THAT I WAS HAPPY TO SEE.

WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR THIS POSITION, GOODNESS GRACIOUS, FIVE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, A COUPLE OF THINGS I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN WAS POSSIBLE DIRECT ELECTION OF THE MAYOR, WHICH IS MANIFESTING ITSELF NOW WITH THE CONVERSATION ABOUT UPDATING OUR CHARTER AND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION, AND THEN ALSO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN. I'M PARKED DOWNTOWN, WHICH NOW IS MANIFESTING ITSELF WITH THE SQUARE.

SO YOU KNOW, IT JUST IS A LITTLE REWARDING FOR ME TO SEE A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

I WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE COMING FORWARD. I JOKED THAT WHEN COMMISSIONER MEYER AND I RAN, THAT WE WERE PRESCIENT TO PUT OUR PLATFORM BEING FOR PANDEMIC AND RACIAL JUSTICE, BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT THOSE WOULD BE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES OF [INAUDIBLE].

SO YOU GET A LITTLE SIDETRACKED. BUT THIS IS A HIGHLY FUNCTIONING ORGANIZATION.

AND. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR A GREAT MEETING, EVERYBODY.

THANKS FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S ATTENDED TONIGHT, AND WE HAD A GREAT GROUP EARLIER TOO.

I KNOW IT'S HARD TO STAY ALL NIGHT, SO I APPRECIATE WHEN YOU ARE HERE TILL 9:00.

TO START WITH THE CITY MANAGER, I GUESS I'D SAY PERSONALLY A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR AT LEAST ONCE.

WE KNOW IN MAY THERE'S A DAY WE GET SOMETIMES.

BUT MY HUSBAND WILL SAY, I COULD NEVER DO WHAT YOU DO.

AND THAT'S THE BEST THING SOMEONE CAN SAY. I REALLY COULD NOT DO YOUR JOB.

I THINK MOST OF US WOULD SAY THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE'D EXCEL AT THE WAY YOU DO.

WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU DO IT AND THE WAY YOU DO IT.

AND WITH THE PASSION AND THE DEDICATION, THE ETHICS AND THE COMMITMENT.

[02:05:01]

AND YOU DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. AGAIN, A LOT OF LEADERSHIP IN THE ROOM THANKS TO THE YOUTH COUNCIL FOR BEING HERE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EVENT THIS WEEKEND. I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE WEATHER. IT'S TOO EARLY. HOPE IT'S GREAT. HOPE THAT EVERYONE'S GOING TO COME. AND I KNOW YOU HAVE ONE UNDER YOUR BELT SO YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN AND HAVE GREAT SUCCESS.

A LOT OF YOUNG LEADERSHIP IN THE ROOM. GOOD LUCK TO THE EAGLE SCOUT LEADERSHIP RUNS IN YOUR FAMILY.

YOU HAVE SOMEONE NEXT TO YOU THERE WHO DEMONSTRATES THAT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, BUT QUITE A LOT.

THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE ZBA CASEY AND I SEE, I SAW PEOPLE IN A PICTURE TODAY.

MS. [INAUDIBLE] I THINK I SAW YOU IN A MLK DAY REVIEW WE HAD EARLIER.

SO, IT'S JUST FUN TO SEE MORE AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.

I GET EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THAT'S ONE OF MY THINGS.

I'D LIKE TO SEE WAY MORE PEOPLE COME TO OUR MEETINGS.

SO, THERE'S ANYTHING YOU ALL CAN DO TOO MAYBE SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT GET SOME GET MORE FOLKS IN THE ROOM WE'D LIKE TO SELL OUT.

I'M THRILLED ABOUT THE DON'T QUOTE ME ON SELL OUT.

WE WANT TO SELL ALL THE TICKETS TO THE SEATS IN THE ROOM.

NOT IN A POLITICAL WAY. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE SQUARE RENOVATION.

THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ENDEAVOR. WE'RE JUST DOING SUCH BIG THINGS.

IT'S EXCITING. AND AS COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY SAID, WHEN YOU GET TO SEE IT COME ALIVE LIVE REAL TIME.

AND MAYBE DURING YOUR TENURE, A LOT OF THINGS WILL HAPPEN AFTER WE'RE GONE.

BUT IF IT HAPPENS WHILE YOU'RE WHILE YOU'RE HERE, SUPER EXCITING.

SO LOOK FORWARD TO THAT HAPPENING FAST AND ON TIME.

AND I THINK THAT OUR CITY'S VERSION OF SPRING FEVER IS RIBBON CUTTINGS RIGHT NOW.

WE HAD TWO ON FRIDAY, TWO TODAY AND I THINK ONE MORE ON WEDNESDAY.

AND IT'S JUST REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE YOU CAN BE NEXT TO SHOULDER TO SHOULDER TO PEOPLE WHO ARE SO EXCITED TO BE IN OUR CITY, OPENING A BUSINESS. AND THEIR EXCITEMENT DEFINITELY TRENDS OVER TO YOU AND YOU WANT THEM TO SUCCEED.

AND WE ALL AGREE WE'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO HELP THEM AS WELL.

SO THEY TAKE A RISK ON US AS A CITY. SO, YOU KNOW, THE RISK FOR US IS TO GO BACK TO INVESTING IN THEM AND SAYING, WE'RE HERE FOR YOU AND JUST REALLY EXCITING BUSINESSES OPENING.

AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

I THINK THAT IS EVERYTHING I HAD AGAIN. LOOK FORWARD TO A CONTINUED FUN, BUSY SPRING AND THANKS FOR GIVING ME.

MAYOR PRO TEM. SO GREAT MEETING. I WON'T REPEAT ANY OF THE COMMENTS.

I WILL DITTO, DITTO, DITTO, DITTO WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO SAY.

ON TUESDAY THE 25TH THERE WILL BE AN INAUGURAL ELIZABETH WILSON LECTURE SERIES PUT ON BY THE CITY OF DECATUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT'S GOING TO IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, IT'S TUESDAY, MARCH 25TH, FROM 9 TO 1030.

IT WILL FEATURE FORMER DEKALB CEO MICHAEL THURMOND.

SO, 9 TO 1030 AT THE DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS BUILDING.

IT SHOULD BE A LIVELY LECTURE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BROTHER THURMOND CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT STUFF.

DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT TO OFFER. I AM EXCITED WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

AND I WAS WALKING BY THE OLD DECATUR PRINT PLACE THE OTHER DAY, AND I NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALKS HAVE BEEN SORT OF TAPED OFF, SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE MIGHT BE GETTING SOME MOVEMENT ON OUR HOTELS, SO HOPEFULLY SOMEONE CAN CONFIRM THAT.

OR MAYBE NOT, BUT THAT IS CORRECT. YEAH, WE EXPECT THEM TO APPLY FOR THEIR LAND DISTURBANCE PERMIT ANY TIME NOW SO THAT THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP. AND THAT IS IT'S THE PROCESS IS VERY MUCH IN MOTION.

GOOD. I WAS HOPING THAT THAT WAS THE CASE. SO GOOD.

THAT'S YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK, YOU KNOW, JUST THINKING BACK TO WHEN OUR CHARTER REVIEW WAS DONE IN 2001, WE HAD JUST CROSSED OVER FROM BASICALLY Y2K. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE 24 YEARS SINCE, LOOK AT THE TRANSFORMATION DOWNTOWN, I MEAN, SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON THE YOUTH COUNCIL, I CHALLENGE YOU TO ASK YOUR PARENTS WHAT DOWNTOWN WAS LIKE IN THE YEAR 2001 AND LOOK AT IT NOW, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO CELEBRATE SOMETHING BIG AND SPECIAL.

AND I WON'T STEAL THE MAYOR'S. THUNDER. BUT THERE'S JUST SO MUCH HAPPENING IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE ARE THE COMMUNITY THAT JUST WON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.

AND I THINK THAT THE ATTITUDE AND THE SPIRIT AMONGST THE ELECTED BODY AND OUR FEARLESS CITY MANAGER, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A GREAT PLEASURE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO REALLY BE A SORT OF A, I GUESS, GUINEA PIG FOR THIS PROCESS NOW. BUT IT WAS VERY FITTING THAT IT'S GOING TO HELP YOU, BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO BENEFIT OTHER CITY MANAGERS, AS WE DON'T THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DYSFUNCTION HERE.

IN FACT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALL SAID TO OUR INTERVIEWERS WERE WE GENUINELY LIKE EACH OTHER.

[02:10:02]

SO IT WAS A PLEASURE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, BUT TO ALSO REWARD YOU BASED ON WHAT YOUR CITY, WHAT YOUR PEERS ARE DOING AND SO THAT DIDN'T GO UNNOTICED AMONGST ME AND MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.

SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT'S GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL FAIR ON THE SQUARE.

AND OUR EAGLE SCOUT BACK THERE. AND THOSE JUST SHOWED UP JUST TO SHOW UP.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SEE HOW GOOD GOVERNANCE WORKS.

AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THAT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. SO GREAT MEETING EVERYONE. ALSO REALLY LOVED OUR WORK SESSIONS.

WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START. AND THE TONE OF OUR MEETING TO HEAR ABOUT THE WORK OF THE LAND TRUST AND ALSO HEAR ABOUT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR SERVICE PROJECT, AND ALSO OUR SEASON OF GIVING SOME THREE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS.

ONE, NEWER THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN AS, AS A COMMUNITY AND VALUE.

SO, I'M GOING TO WEST CHESTER ELEMENTARY TOMORROW.

I GET TO GO TO MOST OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND TALK WITH THE SECOND GRADERS.

THEY LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOVERNMENT AND GO AND TALK ABOUT WHAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS AS COMPARED TO.

THEY LEARN ABOUT STATE GOVERNMENT AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.

AND SO IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO GO AND LISTEN TO THEIR QUESTIONS AND JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I DO UP HERE.

AND IT WILL BE A ALWAYS A I'M ALWAYS INTRIGUED BY SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.

AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY ALSO WANT TO HAVE A PROJECT THAT THEY'LL BRING FORWARD TO ME AND ASK ABOUT, HOW CAN WE DO SOMETHING THAT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR? SO, I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO THE CITY MANAGER, AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT SHE REALLY MENTORS OTHER CITY MANAGERS. SHE GOT STARTED REALLY YOUNG AT COMING AS WORKING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND BECOMING AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. I THINK AT FIRST A FINANCE DIRECTOR AND THEN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND NOW A CITY MANAGER.

AND SO, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE OLDER BUT NOT WISER THAN OUR CITY MANAGER AND, AND YOUNG, YOUNG MANAGERS THAT SHE MENTORS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF.

SO I'M THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THE CONTRACT AND TO KEEP HER.

AND WE ALL RELY ON HER AND HER SOUND JUDGMENT.

SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME EVENTS, ONE COMING UP THE THIS COMING WEEKEND.

AND THEN ON MARCH THE 29TH, I HAVE THIS LOVELY PICTURE TO SAY.

WE ARE CELEBRATING THE OPENING. OFFICIAL OPENING OF LEGACY TRACK AND FIELD.

IT HAS COME ABOUT MUCH SOONER THAN WE THOUGHT IT WOULD WITH THE MASTER PLAN FOR LEGACY, BUT IT WILL HAPPEN ON MARCH 29TH AT 10 A.M. FROM 10 TO 2. SO IT IS GOING TO BE A FUN EVENT.

WE'LL HAVE A IT'LL BE A GRAND RIBBON CUTTING.

SO WE'LL HAVE A RIBBON CUTTING. WE'LL HAVE A FORMAL CEREMONY WE'VE INVITED.

WE INVITE THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE'VE ALSO INVITED OTHER PARTNERS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH AND CERTAINLY INCLUDE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THIS IS A JOINT PROJECT WITH CITY SCHOOLS OF DECATUR.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LEGACY LAB, A MASCOT RACE, AND THEN JUST COMMUNITY FUN WITH ACTIVITIES AND THINGS THAT YOU CAN COME AND ENJOY WITH YOUR FAMILY. AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MAYBE HAVE NOT BEEN OR SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT LEGACY PARK TO REALLY INTRODUCE THAT BEAUTIFUL SPACE AND SEE THE NONPROFITS OUT THERE, AS WELL AS THIS PROJECT THAT REALLY KIND OF BRINGS TOGETHER THE GROUPS.

YOU'LL GET TO SEE THE HOUSING ON THE SOUTH END, THE SOUTH HOUSING VILLAGE THAT IS I THINK WILL BE READY BEFORE CERTAINLY BEFORE THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR. BUT TO SEE ALL A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT PIECES COMING TOGETHER AT LEGACY AS WE CELEBRATE THIS VERY KEY PROJECT THAT WILL BRING COMMUNITY MEMBERS OUR SCHOOLS, AND IT WILL BE A PLACE THAT, AGAIN, LIKE OUR SQUARE, WILL BE ENJOYED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. SO THANKS TO EVERYONE AGAIN.

HOPE EVERYONE HAS A HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY.

AND WITH THAT THAT CLOCK IS AN HOUR SLOW. SO THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 8:55.

[02:15:05]