[00:00:03] >> GOOD EVENING. [WORK SESSION #1 5:45 P.M.] TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE TOPICS TOWARDS THE BUDGET YEAR AND THAT'S THE FEE SCHEDULE. IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE VERY DRAFT, VERY PRELIMINARY FEE SCHEDULE. THERE AREN'T MANY RECOMMENDED CHANGES THIS YEAR, BUT WE'LL GO OVER WHAT ARE BEING PROPOSED TO BE CHANGED. I HAVE FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WITH ME HERE TONIGHT THAT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS BEYOND WHAT I CAN ANSWER, THEY ARE HERE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. THE FIRST ONE REALLY TO LOOK AT, AND FOR COLOR CODING SAKE, THERE ARE A COUPLE ITEMS IN THE PROPOSED COLUMN THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN. THOSE ARE ACTUALLY ALREADY FEES THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED, SO THE QUALIFYING FEE THAT YOU ADOPTED BACK IN FEBRUARY, AND THEN LATER DOWN IN THE SCHEDULE ARE THE SANITATION FEES. IF THEY ARE IN A BLUE COLOR, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NEW THIS YEAR. THE FIRST TIME YOU SEE BLUE IS ON PAGE 5 IN THE FILMING SECTION, AND THEN THERE WILL BE A HANDFUL OF CHANGES ON PAGE, I THINK THAT'S SEVEN IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION SECTION. WE WILL START WITH THE FILMING. THAT THEY ARE JUST SOME TWEAKS FROM PAST YEARS. THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT PARKING, AND I REALLY SHOULD JUST SAY PARKING ON DOWNTOWN STREET, NOT PONCE DE LEON, I WILL FIX THAT. BECAUSE THEY'RE PROPOSING TO ADD A FEW STREETS, BEFORE IT WAS JUST AROUND THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH, DECATUR FIRST METHODIST. NOW, IT'S INCLUDING THOSE STREETS, PLUS COMMERCE DRIVE, CHURCH STREET, SYCAMORE STREET, EAST COURT SQUARE, CLAREMONT AVENUE, AND NORTH MCDONOUGH STREET. THE REASONING FOR THIS CHANGE IS JUST GET PREPARED FOR THE SQUARE TRANSFORMATION, IT'S GOING TO TAKE UP SOME PARKING THAT WOULD NORMALLY HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT IS LEFT IS FOR OUR RESIDENTS, FOR OUR BUSINESSES, SO THOSE THAT WE'RE GOING TO FREQUENT THE SQUARE NOT OUR FILMING CREWS. THEN ANOTHER CHANGE IS FOR THE FILM PERMIT RUSH FEE. INSTEAD OF BEING A $500 NON REFUNDABLE FEE, IT'S ACTUALLY A $250 NON REFUNDABLE FEE ON TOP OF THE $250 APPLICATION FEE. IT'S STILL A $500 COST, BUT IT'S NOT 500 PLUS ANOTHER 250 OR 250 PLUS ANOTHER 500. IT COULD BE A TOTAL OF 500 OR MORE DEPENDING ON HOW MANY DAYS YOU ARE FILMING. BUT KRISTIN LEACH IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU WOULD HAVE ABOUT FILMING. >> PARDON. >> IF YOU WERE TO RE-WORD THE PARKING LANGUAGE, YOU WOULD JUST PUT DOWNTOWN OR DOWNTOWN AND THEN THOSE STREETS. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? >> INSTEAD OF CALLING IT OUT JUST PARKING ON PONCE DE LEON AVENUE, I WILL STRIKE THAT AND PROBABLY PUT DOWNTOWN UNLESS THERE'S SOME WE CAN FIND ANOTHER WAY TO DESIGNATE THAT. BUT THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FEE WOULD INCLUDE THE STREETS THAT ARE IN. >> DOES IT MAP OVER TO WHAT WE CALL THE PEDESTRIAN OVERLAY ZONE? >> I DON'T KNOW. >> JUST THINKING OUT LOUD. IF THOSE STREETS ARE THE DEFINITION. >> WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT. >> THEN I'M SORRY, MAYBE I'M JUST NOT WARMED UP. I DIDN'T CATCH THE 250-500 REFUNDABLE, NON-REFUNDABLE. >> AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, YOU PAY $250 PER DAY FOR YOUR APPLICATION PERMIT. BUT IF YOU NEEDED IT WITHIN, AND THEY CAN TELL YOU HOW MANY DAYS THEY'D LIKE A PERMIT TO BE SUBMITTED BEFORE. BUT IF YOU NEED IT THE NEXT DAY, YOU'RE FILMING ON A TUESDAY AND YOU'VE APPLIED FOR IT ON A MONDAY, RIGHT NOW, YOU WOULD PAY $500. BUT THEY'RE ASKING TO MAKE IT JUST 250 NON-REFUNDABLE ON TOP OF HOW MANY DAYS YOU'RE FILMING. >> GOT IT. THANK YOU. >> I BELIEVE IT SAYS HERE THAT AN ORDINANCE IS IN THE WORKS. IF ANGELA OR KRISTIN WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT, I WOULD YIELD THE FLOOR FOR A MOMENT. >> HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I'M ANGELA THREADGILL, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AS FAR AS THE FILM PERMIT ORDINANCE, THERE IS A DRAFT ORDINANCE. JUST BACKING UP, THE CITY OF DECATUR TECHNICALLY DOES NOT HAVE AN ORDINANCE FOR FILM PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEKALB FILM COMMISSION, LEARNING WHAT THEIR ORDINANCE IS AND THE BEST PRACTICES. [00:05:04] WE ARE PRESENTLY IN THE DRAFTING PHASE OF OUR OWN LOCAL ORDINANCE, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY GO TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY FOR REVIEW. THEN IT WILL COME BEFORE YOU ALL, MOST LIKELY IN JULY OR AUGUST OF THIS YEAR. YES. >> OBSERVATION. WHEN A LOT OF THE FILM CREWS COME HERE, THEY RENT OUT THIS PARKING LOT AND THEY PUT THEIR VEHICLES THERE AND THEY RUN THEIR GENERATORS LATE INTO THE NIGHT. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN ADDRESS OR IS THAT A NOISE THAT YOU [INAUDIBLE]? I JUST WANT TO [INAUDIBLE] I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF IT. >> YES. I'M GLAD YOU BRING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION. I THINK IT SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE NOISE ORDINANCE, AND WE CAN LOOK IN TO SEE HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THAT AND PERHAPS LOOK AT DE KALB COUNTY'S ORDINANCE AS WELL, THE FILM COMMISSION ORDINANCE AND SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM AS IT RELATES TO THE IDLING OF THOSE FILM VEHICLES. >> I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO STAFF. IT'S PROBABLY BEEN A YEAR OR SO SINCE I HAD MENTIONED IT. THE COMMISSIONER HAD ALSO BROUGHT IT UP, RECOGNIZING THAT WE DO HAVE RULES AND GUIDELINES THAT WE'VE BEEN USING FOR YEARS, AND I THINK IT'S JUST THE NATURAL PROGRESSION THAT WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE WE NEED TO CODIFY THEM. I THINK THERE WAS ALSO THE SENSE OF URGENCY LESSENED AT SOME POINT WHEN THE FILM INDUSTRY PULLED BACK. BUT CERTAINLY, AS IT'S BEEN EVIDENT REALLY THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THE DEMAND IS BACK. KEEP LOOKING AT KRISTIN. SHE'S VERY BUSY WITH THESE FILM CREWS AND I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND HER FOR THE WORK THAT SHE'S BEEN DOING BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A BALANCING ACT IN TERMS OF ACCOMMODATING OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES, SO WE CAN ALL CONTINUE ABOUT OUR LIVES WITH LIMITED DISRUPTION, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT'S THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME INCONVENIENCES. WE TRY TO MINIMIZE THOSE WHEN THE FILM CREWS ARE HERE. BUT WE'RE ALL EXCITED ABOUT THE FINAL PRODUCT AS WELL WHEN THE DEDICATOR IS HIGHLIGHTED IN FILMS AND TV SHOWS. THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANKS. >> OTHER CHANGES ARE NOW ON PAGE 7 IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION SECTION. I'M GOING TO JUST GET OUT OF THE WAY HERE, [INAUDIBLE] DR. REMY EPPS TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE CHANGES ARE. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THERE'S THINGS IN BLUE. THEY LOOK SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST. AT SOME POINT, A SECTION UNDER HERE ON THE BOTTOM SECTION OF PAGE 7 WILL GO AWAY. BUT JUST SO YOU COULD SEE MORE APPLES TO ORANGES AT THIS POINT, WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED BASED ON WHAT HAD BEEN PROPOSED IN PAST YEARS AND ADOPTED IS THE BOTTOM TWO THIRDS OF YOUR PAGE THERE. HERE'S A COPY. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. [OVERLAPPING] AGAIN, FOR THE VIEWERS AT HOME, MY NAME IS DR. REMY EPPS, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION HERE. IN FRONT OF YOU, WHICH YOU WILL SEE IS THE NEW ORGANIZED WAY IN WHICH WE ARE WANTING TO DO FEES. HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE TRIED IN GOOD FAITH TO DO A LIST OF ALL PROGRAMS WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE OFFERING CURRENTLY OR PROJECTING TO OFFER IN THE FUTURE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. HOWEVER, TWO YEARS AGO, WE DID OUR FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, WHICH CATEGORIZED SERVICE CATEGORIES, WHICH ALLOWS US A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY. WHAT HAPPENS A LOT OF TIMES IN PARKS AND RECREATION, WHAT WE FOUND IS WHEN WE ARE LOOKING TO DO PROGRAMS OR WE ARE IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH VENDOR OR CONTRACTORS TO COME IN AND DO PROGRAMS FOR US, WE SET THESE GOALS AND WE THINK, HEY, RIGHT NOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A TREND, WE'RE GOING TO DO GREAT WORK, THESE PROGRAMS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF ATTENDEES COME, AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY WORK OUT THAT WAY. WE TEND TO HAVE PROGRAMS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE PUT INTO THE FEE SCHEDULE THAT GET CANCELED OR WITH DEVELOPMENTS AND PARTS OF RECREATION IS ALWAYS CONTINUOUS. [00:10:04] A NEW IDEA, A BRIGHT IDEA COMES FORTH THAT MIGHT NOT ALREADY BE IN THE FEE SCHEDULE. EVEN RIGHT NOW, IF I PUT FORTH A SHEET OF ABOUT 200 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, IN DECEMBER NEXT YEAR OR DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, IT MIGHT BE ABOUT 75 OF THOSE THAT STILL ARE DOING IN WITH 25 OR 30 MORE NEW PROGRAMS THAT WERE NOT LISTED. USING THE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY, WE'RE OFFERING OUT A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO USE THESE SERVICE CATEGORIES FOR FLEXIBILITY. THAT HELPS FOR A PERSON SEARCHING FOR A PROGRAM TO IDENTIFY WHAT SERVICE CATEGORY THAT WILL FALL IN. IT GIVES STAFF A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY TO SAY, IF WE'RE GOING TO PROGRAM, THIS IS HOW MUCH WE SHOULD CHARGE AND WHAT IN THE RATIO OR THE RANGE WE SHOULD CHARGE FOR THOSE PROGRAMS SO WE CAN CONTINUOUSLY GO IN AND PUT IN THOSE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES A LITTLE BIT EASIER. WE STILL WILL HAVE THE ITEMIZED PROGRAM FOR INTERNAL USE JUST SO STAFF CAN JUST GO BACK FOR A HISTORICAL RECORD TO SEE WHAT THOSE PROGRAMS WE'VE CHARGED IN THE PAST TO DO THAT. THAT'S THE NEW STRUCTURE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THAT. >> [INAUDIBLE] I OFTENTIMES SAY PARKS RECREATION IS RETAIL ARM OF THE CITY. [INAUDIBLE] BROKEN POWERS EVERY TIME HE WANTED TO SELL SOMETHING NEW HERE, THEY COME TO THE CITY COMMISSION GET APPROVAL FOR [INAUDIBLE]. KUDOS TO THAT. I DO THINK WE HAVE A TABLE [INAUDIBLE] $650. >> THE TOP LINE. THE RANGE IS 10-650? 15-325? >> YEAH. >> WE'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT. >> THE RESIDENT RATE WOULD BE LOWER THAN [OVERLAPPING]. >> THE TYPOS, IT'S ALSO VERY SMALL. [OVERLAPPING]YEAH. >> ALSO LOOK THROUGH HERE AND THIS IS THE [INAUDIBLE] I COULD HAVE FIND THE $650 [INAUDIBLE]. >> FEW. [LAUGHTER] >> I STILL COULDN'T SEE NOW. [LAUGHTER] >> I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT ONE. GOOD. >> WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN TERMS OF THE CATEGORY ADVANCED ACTIVITIES OR IS THAT ADVANCED? >> YES. ADVANCED WITH THE D, THOSE ARE JUST YOUR INSTRUCTOR LED PROGRAMS OR REQUIRE OVERSIGHT BY STAFF WITH THE INTENT TO FURTHER DEVELOP AND ESTABLISH SKILL. >> I UNDERSTAND. >> I GUESS PHILOSOPHICALLY OR STRATEGICALLY, MAPS OVER MORE TO THE DIAGRAM THAT WE UNDERSTOOD. >> THE CONTINUUM? >> YES. THE CONTINUUM. YES. >> YES. THAT'S GOING TO HELP US MORE SO ALIGN OUR SERVICES AND INITIATIVES WITH THAT CONTINUUM. BY DOING THIS, WE CAN BETTER ADJUST OUR FEES TO SEE WHAT WE'RE OFFERING AS WELL AS SEEING IF WE DO NEED TO ADJUST THAT CONTINUUM AS WE LOOK DEEPER INTO THESE FEE SCHEDULES. >> IF I RECALL WITH CONTINUUM, WAS IT A FOCUS ON THE BENEFIT FROM BEING SPECIFICALLY ON THE INDIVIDUAL TO BE MORE OF A PUBLIC BENEFIT? >> CORRECT. THE SERVICE CATEGORIES AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE UTILIZE OUR FACILITIES ARE ALL BASED ON THAT CONTINUUM FROM COMMUNITY BENEFIT OR INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT TO A COMMUNITY BENEFIT. >> FURTHER THAT PLEASE, THEN. THIS IS A RANGE OF THEM TO THEN. SOME ARE MORE OUT ON THE, I JUST CANNOT REMEMBER THE LANGUAGE OF THE CONTINUUM, BUT THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT IS MORE ON THE DROP IN ACTIVITIES. >> CORRECT. >> IT'S ON THE LOWER END OF WHERE WE WOULD SUBSIDIZE IT MORE. THAT'S THE DROP IN ACTIVITIES, PROBABLY? >> YES. IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT SERVICE CATEGORY THEY FALL IN INTO WHAT ACTUAL PROGRAM IT IS IN THE INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT, SO FOR INSTANCE, HUMAN SERVICES. THAT MIGHT BE A DROP IN PROGRAM THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS SUBSIDIZED BASED ON THE CONTINUUM BECAUSE WE USUALLY LOOK FOR THE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SUBSIDIZED BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT'S THERE. >> THIS IS HELPFUL. THANKS FOR TAKING MORE QUESTIONS ON THIS. WE HAD A HISTORY WITH FEES AND WANTED TO DO IT THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE IN THE ROOM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND RESALE, EITHER. COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE RESALE LINE? >> RESALE, AT GLEN LAKE, WE DO HAVE TENNIS EQUIPMENT THAT WE DO THERE, SO EQUIPMENT THAT CAN BE BOUGHT OUT OF THERE AS WELL AS CONCESSIONS IS ALSO RESALE AS WELL. >> NOT RETAIL, IT'S RESALE. >> YEAH, RESALE. SO THAT MIGHT BE A TYPO TOO. [00:15:02] >> ANY PLACE TO REDO THAT? >> WE HAVE IT AT OAKHURST AND WE ALSO HAVE IT AT GLEN LAKE, THOSE TWO SITES. THE GOAL IS TO GET OUR CONCESSION STANDS UP AT THE POOLS AND GOING, SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TOO AS WELL TO HAVE THERE. THERE ARE CONCESSION STANDS, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THEM OPERATIONAL. >> BY AND LARGE, THE TENNIS CENTER IS THE PRIMARY FACILITY THAT WE'VE ASSOCIATED WITH RESALE. >> CORRECT. >> THAT'S TENNIS RACKETS, BALLS, AND WHAT HAVE YOU? >> TENNIS BALLS. CORRECT. >> I'M ASSUMING THAT WHENEVER THE SCHEDULES GO OUT, THAT INFORMATION WILL THEN JUST HAVE THE SPECIFIC FEES ACCORDING TO THE CLASSES OFFERED AND THAT SORT OF THING. >> CORRECT. WHEN WE'RE ADVERTISING THROUGH OUR MAGAZINES, OUR PLAYBOOK, WE DO HAVE THOSE FEES ALREADY IN THERE. BUT THIS WAY, IT GIVES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE STREAMLINED. I'M STILL LOOKING BETTER WAY TO PUBLICIZE IT. WHEN USERS ARE GOING INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING AT THE PLAYBOOK, THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO SEE WHERE SOMETHING MIGHT FALL IN AND ANYBODY WHO IS WANTING TO BECOME A CONTRACTOR HAVING THAT TRANSPARENCY TO SEE WHERE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES FALL IN INTO WHAT RANGE THEY ARE. THAT TRANSPARENCY PIECE IS THERE TOO. >> THANK YOU. >> ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK SINCE IT'S THE FIRST YEAR, WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO SEE NEXT YEAR IF THERE NEED TO BE TWEAKS OR HOW IT'S WORKED OUT AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF WHAT FEES ARE BEING CHARGED FOR WHICH THINGS, BUT I UNDERSTAND CERTAINLY THE NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE IF ONE CLASS DOESN'T MAKE AND YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO OFFER INSTEAD IT HADN'T BEEN BROUGHT HERE, THEN IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE. TAKES A LOT MORE TO COME BACK, AND AS COMMISSIONER DUSENBERY SAID, SINCE THIS PIPE DIDN'T SELL, CAN WE SELL ANOTHER ONE INSTEAD. IT DEFINITELY MAKES SENSE. ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. >> YOU WILL SEE THIS AGAIN AT YOUR JUNE 19TH MEETING, I BELIEVE THAT IS THE DATE JUNE 16TH. IT WILL BE BEFORE YOU FOR APPROVAL. BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, IF YOU FIND ANY MORE TYPOS, HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, IF YOU'LL LET ME KNOW, I CAN THEN REACH OUT TO STAFF ASSOCIATED WITH EACH AREA. YES SIR. >> IN GENERAL, IN PARKS AND REC FEES ARE IN THE BACK BEFORE YOU THERE NO FEE INCREASES, IS THAT ACCURATE? >> FOR PARKS AND REC FEES OR PARK IN GENERAL? >> WHERE DO YOU SEE THE FEE INCREASES? >> THE ONLY CHANGES YOU WOULD SEE WERE IN THIS AREA AND IN THE FILMING. NO, I THINK THEY'RE REALLY NOT EVEN INCREASES. THEY'RE JUST CHANGES, CORRECT? >> BUT IN PARKS AND RECREATION, ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE FEES THEMSELVES? ARE WE PUSHING ANY OF THEM. >> YEAH. >> IT'S JUST THIS IS A CHANGE WITH THE CATEGORIES, BUT THE FEES ARE STABLE. >> CORRECT. THERE WERE NO CHANGES. >> SHE SAID THERE WERE NO CHANGES. >> THANK YOU. >> FOR STREAMING AUDIENCE AT HOME, NO CHANGES. >> THANK YOU. >> NICE TO SEE YOU. >> THAT IS ALL FOR YOU, MISS COURT, IS THAT CORRECT? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> WE WILL FOR OUR NEXT WORK SESSION. [WORK SESSION #2 – 6:30 P.M.] THERE SHE IS. I CAN SEE SOME OF OUR CONSULTANTS HERE FOR THEIRS. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS CARA SHARA. I SERVE AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF PUBLIC WORKS. I'M JOINED BY OUR PUBLIC WORK'S TEAM, JULIE HARLAN, OUR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR. JULIE JEITA, OUR SENIOR ENGINEER, AND THE CONSULTANT TEAM LED BY BYRON RUSHING OF TOOL DESIGN GROUP. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE. [LAUGHTER] AS YOU KNOW, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022, THE CITY APPLIED TO US DOT FOR A GRANT TO MAKE DECATUR'S TRANSPORTATION NETWORK SAFER FOR [00:20:07] ALL USERS AS RECOMMENDED IN THE 2018 CTP, COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION PLAN. TODAY, WE'RE HERE TO SHOW YOU ALL THAT'S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THE PAST NINE MONTHS, REVIEW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, DEBRIEF ON OUR DATA REVIEW, AND DIALOGUE AROUND THE FINDINGS, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WHERE WE GO FROM HERE. DO PLEASE ASK QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT, WE HAVE A ROBUST SLIDE DECK OF ABOUT 39 SLIDES, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BYRON. >> WE GOT A DARK SCREEN. THANK YOU GEORGE. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY. AS CARA MENTIONED, I'M TREMENDOUSLY EXCITED TO BE HERE. THIS HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, AND REALLY CREDIT GOES TO THE CITY STAFF FOR BEING TREMENDOUSLY TO OUR TEAM. I WANT TO VERY QUICKLY THANK OUR PARTNERS. WE HAVE JORDAN FIGO FROM KIMLEY-HORN. SHE IS HERE IN PARTICULAR TO HELP TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE TECHNICAL WORK THEY DID ON SPEED LIMIT SETTING AND TURN MOVEMENTS AND SOME OTHER TECHNICAL WORK FROM THEIR SAFETY OFFICE EXPERIENCE AND LONG TIME EXPERIENCE HERE IN DECATUR. THEN NOT REPRESENTED TODAY IS BLUE CYPRUS CONSULTING AND MANDA HATTON AND HER TEAM WHO DID AN ABSOLUTELY TREMENDOUS JOB ON ENGAGEMENT. I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE RECORDS FOR THESE THINGS, BUT WE SAID A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT INPUT, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, SO BLUE CYPRUS. THEN FROM TOOLE. ALSO, WE HAVE CONNOR LAKE WHO'S ONE OF OUR BRAND NEW PLANNERS WHO DOVE IN AND HAS DONE ABSOLUTELY TREMENDOUS WORK HELPING US GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE ON THIS. I THINK YOU ALL PROBABLY ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR ME, GROWING UP HERE IN THE CITY. IT'S BEEN TREMENDOUSLY WONDERFUL TO COME BACK, SHARE SOME OF MY TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND TAKE A NEW LOOK WITH FRESH EYES AT CITY STREETS AND REALLY QUESTION SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE HAVE ALL STARTED TO LIVE WITH HERE IN DECATUR OVER A GENERATION. I'M EXCITED TO SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE LEARNED. ALSO, I'M GOING TO REPEAT BACK TO YOU ALL SOME OF THE THINGS THE CITY ASKED FOR IN THE RFP, WHEN WE BID ON IT LAST YEAR, SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT SOME HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT THE GRANT COMES WITH. WE DO HAVE A SOMEWHAT TIGHT DEADLINE NOW FOR THE WHOLE PROJECT, AND I'LL SPEAK IF JULIE HARLAN WANTS TO ADD THIS ON AT THE END, BUT TO GET THE CITY QUALIFIED THROUGH AN ADOPTED PLAN FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF SS4A FUNDING, WHICH CLOSES AT THE END OF JUNE. WE'RE REALLY WORKING HARD TO GET THIS BACK ON ALL PLATE BEFORE THAT DEADLINE. THAT'S OUR TIMELINE. I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW HOW ALL WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO WALK THROUGH OUR SLIDES, OR IF WE WANT TO JUST PAUSE AND HAVE A DISCUSSION, WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHICHEVER ONE IS BEST. >> SLIDE. [LAUGHTER] >> OFF WE GO. >> WE HAVE REALLY GIVEN THIS PLAN THREE COMPLIMENTARY MISSIONS. [NOISE] FIRST IS WHAT I THINK OF AS THE MORAL AND ETHICAL DUTY OF THE SAFE STREETS PROGRAM AND OUR WORK AS TRANSPORTATION PLANNERS AND ENGINEERS. THAT IS TO REDUCE AND ELIMINATE FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES. FROM DECATUR STREETS. IT IS WHAT WE CALL THE VISION ZERO GOAL AND REALLY ULTIMATELY SETTING A TARGET FOR NO ONE BEING KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED WITH A LIFE DEBILITATING INJURY ON DECATUR STREETS. I'LL TOUCH ON SOME OF THE NUMBERS IN JUST A MOMENT, NOT TO PICK ON THE CITY STAFF, BUT THEY ASKED ME TO KEEP IT A LITTLE BIT DATA LIGHT, BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE CAN PULL FROM. BUT I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON THE NUMBERS BECAUSE MORE THAN ANYTHING AND MAYOR, YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS PUBLICLY SEVERAL TIMES, I THINK THE DECATUR IS THE ABSOLUTE CLOSEST IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND IN THE SOUTHEAST TO REALLY ACHIEVING VISION ZERO AND GOING SEVERAL SUBSEQUENT YEARS WITHOUT CERTAINLY A FATALITY AND PROBABLY EVEN A SERIOUS INJURY. THERE WAS A STRETCH BETWEEN 2017 AND 2019 WITHOUT ANY FATALITIES, AND I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO GET BACK TO THAT TRAJECTORY AND USE SOME OF THE REAL FOUNDATIONAL WORK THAT WE'VE DONE HERE TO PUT DECATUR ON A PATH TOWARDS CLAIMING THE FIRST VISION ZERO CITY IN GEORGIA. THAT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO ME. I THINK IT REALLY ALIGNS ITSELF WITH THE CITY'S MISSION AND PURPOSE, OTHERWISE. OUR SECOND BULLET IN THE MISSION WAS TO SUPPORT YOU ALL AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE CITY'S LONGTIME VISION OF BEING THE BEST WALKING CITY, THE BEST BIKING CITY, AND BEING A REALLY WELL CONNECTED COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY. WE HAVE IN HERE, SUPPORT THE CITY'S MOBILITY STRATEGY OF A SAFER AND MORE AFFORDABLE WAYS OF GETTING AROUND FOR MORE PEOPLE MORE OF THE TIME. THE SAFE STREETS PROGRAM IS NOT MODE SPECIFIC. IT'S NOT A BIKE PROGRAM, IT'S NOT A PEDESTRIAN PROGRAM. IT IS REALLY SAFETY FOR ANYONE REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY'RE TRAVELING, [00:25:01] DRIVING RIGHT IN A VEHICLE, TAKING TRANSIT WALK AND BICYCLING. BUT AS WE'LL SEE, PEDESTRIANS TEND TO BE OVER-REPRESENTED. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A NATIONAL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY CRISIS. IT GETS REPORTED ON SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. I REALLY WANT TO DECATUR AS WE STRIVE TOWARDS PLATINUM FRIENDLY WALK FRIENDLY CITY. SAFE STREETS REALLY UNDERLIE ALL THE OTHER THINGS ALL ARE TRYING TO DO. I'VE SAID THIS SEVERAL TIMES THAT I WOULD LOVE IF WE STOPPED TALKING ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ISSUE ANYMORE, AND WE'D ALL MOVE ON TO WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO, SUPPORT DOWN PEN BUSINESSES, SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY GOALS, AND OTHER THINGS. WE CAN TALK ABOUT EQUITY IN THIS PLAN TOO BECAUSE THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION IS SHIFTING THEIR PERSPECTIVE. THEN FINALLY, PRODUCING A QUALIFIED PLAN, THE VERY MUNDANE GOAL OF GETTING ALL THE PLAN ADOPTED SO THAT CARA AND JULIE CAN START RIGHT IN THE NEXT ROUND OF FUNDING TO PURSUE A BIGGER GRANT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT GETS DONE IN A TIMELY FASHION. [NOISE] AS I MENTIONED, OUR ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY, DECATUR IS, IF NOTHING, NOT ENGAGED. WE HAD A TREMENDOUS TURNOUT AT TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE PROCESS, ROUGHLY A THIRD AND TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY THROUGH, AND REAL CREDIT GOES TO THE CITY CITIZENS FOR SHOWING UP AND TELLING US EVERYTHING THEY THINK. WE ALSO HAD AN ONLINE MAP THAT WAS OPENED FOR NOT QUITE HALF THE PROJECT, JUST OVER FIVE MONTHS FROM LATE SUMMER THROUGH THE FALL, AND WE GOT JUST ABSOLUTELY TREMENDOUS INPUT AND FEEDBACK. I'VE BOILED IT ALL DOWN TO ONE SLIDE. WE ASKED PEOPLE FOUR QUESTIONS, WHERE DO THEY FEEL SAFE? WHERE DO THEY FEEL DANGEROUS? WHAT MAKES THEM FEEL UNSAFE, AND WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO CHAMPION AND REALLY CREDIT? IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT THE SAFETY WINS, CHAMPION THE THINGS THE CITY HAS DONE ARE MINIMUM. IF PEOPLE SEE A PUBLIC COMMENT FORM, THEY WANT TO PUT IN WHAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. THE DANGEROUS EXPERIENCES AND THE SAFETY CONCERNS ROSE TO THE TOP. BUT THOSE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INPUT FOR US TO FIGURE OUT WHERE ON THE CITY'S STREET NETWORKS PEOPLE WERE FEELING UNSAFE AND THAT HELPS US BALANCE WHAT WE SEE IN THE CRASH DATA. WE SEE THE CRASH DATA, WHICH IS THE MOST SEVERE OUTCOME, BUT THE DAY TO DAY FRICTION THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IS CAPTURED IN THIS MAP. YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP IN THE TABLE BELOW SEVERAL OF THE STREETS THAT ROSE TO THE TOP, INCLUDING WE'LL COME BACK TO IT AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, CLAREMONT AND COMMERCE AND WHAT WE'LL CALL THE STATE ROUTE 155 CORRIDOR, CERTAINLY ROSE UP THERE, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER LITTLE POCKETS AROUND OAKHURST AND SYCAMORE DRIVE AND SCOTT BOULEVARD, OBVIOUSLY BEING ITS OWN THING IN THE CITY. THIS IS A TREMENDOUSLY USEFUL SET OF INPUTS FOR US, AND WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL THAT EVERYBODY IT CAME OUT AND ENGAGE FOR THIS. WE ALSO ASKED PEOPLE TO WRITE IN COMMENT FORMS. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AGAIN WHAT THEY FELT DANGEROUS WITH OR WHAT THEY LOVED AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF. ALMOST ROUTINELY, IN A VAST MAJORITY, SOMEONE MENTIONED CHILDREN SOMEWHERE ON THERE, EITHER THEIR CHILDREN OR NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN OR A SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL OR A SCHOOL SITE. IT WAS REALLY PRETTY OVERWHELMING EVEN KNOWING HOW MUCH DECATUR VALUES YOUTH AND YOUTH TRAVEL IN THE CITY TO SEE THAT REPEATED BACK TO US ON THE FORM. THE IMMEDIATE NEXT THING WE HEARD WAS INTERSECTIONS, AND IT'S NOT SURPRISING. I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THE CRASH WE FOUND, BUT MOST CRASHES, 80% OF SERIOUS CRASHES ARE IN AN INTERSECTION, AND PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THAT AND THEY SEE THAT WHEN THEY'RE TRAVELING AROUND THE CITY AS WELL, TOO. THEN FINALLY, THE BIG ONE WAS THE BIG STREETS, BIG STREETS ARE MORE DANGEROUS, THEY CARRY MORE TRAFFIC, THEY'RE FASTER, AND ESPECIALLY THE FOUR LANE UNDIVIDED STREETS THAT BISECT THE CITY, WHERE WE SEE A LOT OF WEAVING CONDITIONS. PEOPLE REPORTED THOSE PRETTY FREQUENTLY. WE CAN SEE THAT ON THE MAP WHEN WE PUT THAT ON THE MAP FOR LOOKING AT STREET SEGMENTS. A LITTLE BIT BEHIND THAT. WE HEARD ABOUT SAFE ROADWAYS FOR PEOPLE WALKING AND BICYCLING, A LITTLE BIT MORE NICHE. I WON'T SAY IT'S TOTALLY UNIVERSAL, BUT WELL REPRESENTED IN THE RESULTS. THEN PEOPLE REALLY CHAMPIONED THE THINGS THE CITY HAS DONE IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WHICH I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. I WAS HOLDING MY BREATH WAITING TO SEE SOME OF THE ROAD SEGMENTS. IN PARTICULAR PLACES THE CITY HAS RE ALLOCATED SPACE FOR DIFFERENT MODES, BUT PEOPLE ARE REALLY CHAMPION THAT AND BEING SUPPORTIVE OF IT. I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT. >> BYRON? >> YES. >> YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE, PLEASE TO THE MAP. I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE HOW THE NUMBERS MAP OVER TO THE MAP WITH THE COLORS. I'M NOT SURE IF I SEE ANY PINK ON CLAREMONT, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF I SEE CLAREMONT PROPERLY. >> CLAREMONT IN SWINGS NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST, SOUTHEAST. >> THAT'S CLAREMONT BETWEEN THAT ONE LITTLE. >> IT'S NOT QUITE AS BRIGHT ON THIS ONE. REALLY, THE COMMERCE, YOU CAN SEE THE BRIGHT PINK FOR THE COMMERCE CURVE. COMMERCE WAS OVERWHELMINGLY THE HIGHEST. >> ARROW AT ALL. >> THIS IS COMMERCE RIGHT HERE, AND THIS IS CLAREMONT RIGHT HERE. >> IS THE DATA IN THE TABLE SAME DATA THAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THE MAP? >> YES. >> THEY ARE. >> NO, EXCUSE ME. THOSE ARE THE STREETS [00:30:02] REPORTED AS DANGEROUS EXPERIENCE OR SAFETY CONCERN. THE MAP WAS A TOTAL PIN FOR ANY DATA POINT. >> I SAID I SHOULDN'T BE TRYING TO MAP IT. >> IT MAP CLOSELY BUT MAYBE NOT EXACTLY, BUT WE HAVE A BIG REPORT THAT GOES INTO ALL THE DETAILS. >> I GUESS IT'S THE BACKGROUND DATA THAT'S IMPORTANT. >> YEAH. >> THANK YOU. >> TRAFFIC SAFETY SUMMARY AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO GLOSS OVER A FEW THINGS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. WHEN WE SAY FATAL (F) CRASH OR SERIOUS INJURY (SI) CRASH, AND FSI, AND WE LUMP THEM TOGETHER, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IT CAN BE A FINE LINE BETWEEN JUST A WRONG MOVE THAT CAN RESULT IN A FATAL OR A SERIOUS INJURY. IN SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, DECATUR'S FATALITIES, THERE WERE THREE REPORTED THAT WE WENT AND LOOKED AT THE ACTUAL POLICE REPORT, AND THEY WERE EITHER NOT LOCATED IN THE CITY LIMITS OR HAD A DIFFERENT OUTCOME THAT WAS REPORTED ON THE FORM. ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IS GOING TO BE VERY BASICALLY, LET'S MAKE SURE WE HAVE GOOD DATA AND GOOD REPORTING, AND IT'S A SIMPLE RECOMMENDATION, IT'S NOT EASY TO ACHIEVE, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT AS WE GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO ZERO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE IS REPORTED ACCURATELY, BUT THEN ALSO TWO, THE CITY HAS THE ACCURATE DATA THAT THEY CAN RESPOND TO BECAUSE WITH FOUR FATALITIES, AND I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY EACH DESCRIBE AT LEAST MOST OF THEM BECAUSE DECATUR, WHEN A FATALITY HAPPENS, IT'S A HEADLINE GRABBING EVENT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CITY HAS THE DATA TO RESPOND TO THAT, SEND THE CITY STAFF OUT, PUBLIC POLICE DEPARTMENT, PARTNER WITH GDOT, IF IT'S ON A STATE ROUTE AND GO VISIT THE SITE AND REALLY LOOK AT IT IN WHAT WE CALL POST CRASH RESPONSE. FOUR CRASH THAT RESULTED IN A FATALITY IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. ALL FOUR OF THOSE WERE ON STATE ROUTES. NUMBER ONE OF OUR BIG RECOMMENDATIONS IS MAKE SURE TO KEEP GDOTS PARTNERSHIP CLOSE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE PARTNERSHIP WITH GDOT TO REALLY MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO FATALITIES OCCURRING IN THE CITY. THE CITY HAS NOT HAD A FATALITY ON A CITY STREET. I THINK IT REALLY ECHOES THAT WHATEVER THE CITY'S DOING, KEEP DOING MORE OF THAT, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT CITY STREETS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PRESENTATION. FORTY-THREE SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES. A SERIOUS INJURY CRASH IS VERY TYPICALLY SIMPLY WHEN SOMEONE LEAVES THE SCENE IN AN AMBULANCE OR HAS A LIFE ALTERING DEBILITATING INJURY. IT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO GAUGE FOR AN OFFICER ON SITE WHEN WHEN THEY SEE A PERSON LEAVE THE SCENE, THEY DON'T ALWAYS KNOW THE OUTCOME. WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH INTO THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FINAL REPORT WAS ACCURATE TO THE DEGREE THAT WE COULD FIND IT. BUT ONE REASON WE LOOK AT ACCUMULATED CRASHES OVER FIVE YEARS IS REALLY TO START TO GRAB AVERAGES AND LOOK AT TRENDS OVER TIME. IN GENERAL, DECATUR IS HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, EXCEPT FATALITIES HAVE TRENDED UPWARDS THE PAST TWO YEARS, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE, AND THERE HAVE BEEN 03,451 CRASHES OF ANY SEVERITY IN THE CITY IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. WE STARTED WITH '23 DATA LAST YEAR, '24 DATA HAS NOT BEEN PUBLISHED YET. >> BYRON? >> YES. > DOES THE 43 INCLUDE AUTO CRASH? >> YES. >> ANY PERSON EITHER PASSENGER OR DRIVER WHO WAS INJURED. >> ASSUME THAT'S ALL PEDESTRIANS. >> IT'S NOT ALL PEDESTRIANS, NO. IT'S TWO PEDESTRIANS, A MOTORCYCLIST, AND A PASSENGER. >> CAN WE GET THE TOTAL CRASHES BY YEAR, SEE IF THERE'S A UPWARD OR DOWNWARD TREND? >> YEAH. WE HAVE THAT. >> IT'S GOOD. THIS INCLUDES THE 2020 ASTERIX YEAR WHEN ALL TRAFFIC DROPPED PRECIPITOUSLY AND CRASHES WENT DOWN SIMULTANEOUSLY EXCEPT FATALITIES STAYED HIGH AND WE SEE THAT ACROSS THE BOARD NATIONALLY THAT AS TRAFFIC WENT DOWN ON CITY STREETS, SPEEDS WENT UP, AND SO THE FATALITIES STAYED CONSISTENT SO WE HAVE ALL THE TREND DATA AS WELL TOO. BOILING DOWN A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT WE DID OVER THE FALL LOOKING AT A LOT OF POLICE REPORTS AND A LOT OF ACCUMULATED CRASH DATA WE HAVE PULLED OUT THREE PRIMARY PROMINENT SAFETY ISSUES THAT REPRESENT IN SOME TOTAL 100 PERCENT OF THE FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES AND INDIVIDUALLY EACH A LARGE PORTION OF THE CRASHES. THERE'S TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS. ONE IS THE PERCENTAGE OF FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES, SO THAT'S 47. COLLISIONS IN INTERSECTIONS AND TRAVEL SPEEDS OR SPEEDING BEHAVIOR WE'LL DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM, ACCOUNT FOR SUPER MAJORITY OF ALL THE FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES AT 40 EACH. WE ALSO PULLED OUT COLLISIONS WITH PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS, PARTLY BECAUSE IT IS AGAIN A VERY HIGH NUMBER OF FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES. BUT ALSO THE SECOND NUMBER ON THERE, THE FATAL OR SERIOUS INJURY RATE, IS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT ANY CRASH RESULTS IN A FATALITY OR A SERIOUS INJURY. THAT'S SIMPLY THE FSI NUMBER DIVIDED BY THE TOTAL NUMBERS OF THOSE CRASH TYPES. WHEREAS COLLISIONS AND INTERSECTIONS THERE ARE A LOT OF COLLISIONS AND INTERSECTIONS, UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT TURNS, LEFT TURNS, REAR-END CRASHES. THERE'S A RELATIVELY LOW FATALITY OR SERIOUS INJURY RATE AT 1.5 PERCENT OF ALL CRASHES AND INTERSECTIONS RESULTING IN A FATALITY OR SERIOUS INJURY. WHEREAS WITH PEDESTRIANS IN PARTICULAR IT'S 20 PERCENT. [00:35:03] A FIFTH OF COLLISIONS RESULT IN A FATALITY OR SERIOUS INJURY WITH A PEDESTRIAN. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HIGHLIGHTED WHAT WE CALL THE VULNERABLE ROAD USERS, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE PRODUCTION OF AN AUTOMOBILE, AND FOR WHOM DECATUR HAS ALSO BEEN A BIG CHAMPION FOR MAKING A WALKABLE CITY. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT BEHAVIORS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT CRASH TYPES AND CAUSATIONS. WE HAVE ALL THE NUMBERS IN THE FINAL REPORT BUT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THESE THREE BECAUSE ESPECIALLY AS WE BUILD OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING PARTICULARLY ON THESE THREE CRASH TYPES. THE REASON I PULL OUT TRAVEL SPEEDS AND SPEEDING IS WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT SPEEDING, ESPECIALLY ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS FROM RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. THERE WERE THREE FATAL OR SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES CAUSED BY SPEEDING BUT THAT'S DESIGNATED BY A POLICE OFFICER AT THE SCENE. THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE INVESTIGATION TIME OR RESOURCES TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING JUST BEFORE THAT. IF THEY SEE A CLEAR AND OBVIOUS CAUSE OF SPEEDING THEY WILL LOG THAT AS A SPEEDING CRASH. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT 40 FATAL SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES OCCURRED ON STREETS THAT ARE SIGNED 35 MILES AN HOUR OR FASTER. LOOKING AT TRAVEL SPEED IN GENERAL, TRAVEL SPEED IS A HIGH CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO FATAL SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MAPS YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S CONCENTRATED AROUND THE FASTER STREETS. LOOKING AT BOTH ROUTINE BUT LOOKING AT SPEEDING BEHAVIOR, WHICH SHOULD BE CURBED AND CURTAILED, BUT ALSO THE ROUTINE TRAVEL SPEED THROUGH THE CITY, GIVES US TWO SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AROUND SPEED AND SPEED MANAGEMENT. THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT MAPS THAT WE PUT TOGETHER FOR THIS IS FIRST THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK. WHEN WE BUILD THE HIGH JURY NETWORK YOU'LL SEE THIS IN A LOT OF CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. IT'S AN EMERGING TOOL THAT CITIES ARE USING. WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE SMALLEST PERCENTAGE OF ROADS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE MOST NUMBER OF FATAL OR SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS THE CITY'S ATTENTION ON THE MOST DANGEROUS ROADS AND PLACES WHERE AT LEAST OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND LIKELY THE NEXT FIVE YEARS BIG INVESTMENTS HERE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN ACHIEVING SAFER STREETS AND BETTER CRASH OUTCOMES. THIS IS THE CITY'S HIGH ENTRY NETWORK. I DON'T THINK IT'S SURPRISING. IT'S NOT BEEN SURPRISING ANYONE I'VE SHOWN IT TO WHO KNOWS THE CITY WELL, CERTAINLY CALLING OUT SCOTT BOULEVARD AS THE MOST DANGEROUS ROAD IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, CLAREMONT, AND COMMERCE, THE 155 CORRIDOR DOWN THROUGH SOUTH CANDLER, WHERE IT GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE RESIDENTIAL IN THE SOUTHERN END. THEN WEST PONTS GOING OUT TOWARDS THE CITY OF ATLANTA AND THE COMMERCE SLOOP INTO STATE ROUTE 10 AND COLLEGE GOING OUT TOWARDS AVONDALE. IT ENCOMPASSES A BIG PORTION OF IT PARTICULARLY THE NORTH PORTION OF THE CITY. MOST OF THE ARTERIALS AND 72 PERCENT OF THE STATE-OWNED ROADS IN THE CITY WHERE ALL FOUR FATALITIES HAVE OCCURRED. THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT MAP THAT AS THE CITY STARTS TO BUILD A PROGRAM AROUND SAFE STREETS AND A STREET SAFETY PROGRAM. THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE BIG INVESTMENTS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE AND ADDRESS WHAT WE'VE SEEN FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, GEORGE. >> DIAGNOSED CHURCH STREET IS ON HERE. CHURCH STREET, WE MOVED TO THAT, AND SO WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE] >> MY CLASSIC JOKE WITH THIS IS IF THE CITY COULD JUST PAUSE ALL EFFORTS FOR FIVE YEARS WHILE WE GET SOME REALLY GOOD DATA. >> I THINK THAT A BETTER PERSPECTIVE. >> THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. WE DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN. CERTAINLY, CHURCH STREET IS PROBABLY THE ONE ASTERISK HERE THAT I THINK, AS WE START TO LOOK BACK ON THESE IN TWO OR THREE OR FOUR, FIVE YEARS IN THE FUTURE, WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO REALLY KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON CHURCH STREET AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE ROAD DIET THERE. IT'S HARD TO GRAB A REAL CLEAN BEFORE AND AFTER JUST BECAUSE TRAVEL PATTERNS SHIFT OVER TIME. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT IF YOU LOOK AT PONTS AT COMMERCE AS IT GOES THROUGH THE CITY, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE TWO SPEED HUMPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT SECTION THERE ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS. IT'S AMAZING HOW YOU GET OUTSIDE THAT PEDESTRIAN NETWORK, HOW THE SPEEDS INCREASE. I THINK THERE'S A GREAT CORRELATION HERE TO BE TAKEN FROM THAT IF WE COULD DO MORE OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOME OF THOSE CORRIDORS. WE CAN MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK LIKE DOWNTOWN. >> YOU READ MY MIND. WE'LL GET THERE. THE NEXT MAP, AND PROBABLY WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS ECHO THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION IS WHAT WE CALL THE HIGH-RISK NETWORK. WE HAD OUR DATA SCIENCE TEAM LOOK AT THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK AND SAY, WHAT DO THOSE ROADS ALL HAVE IN COMMON IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC VOLUME, POSTED SPEED, NUMBER OF LANES, AND A HANDFUL OF OTHER FACTORS AROUND THE ADJACENT CONTEXT. IN PARTICULAR, PLACES THAT WERE COMMERCIAL OR MIXED-USE ZONED PLACES WITH A LITTLE BIT HIGHER VOLUME OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAFFIC. WE PROJECT THIS FORWARD, AND THIS IS REALLY MORE OF A PROACTIVE LOOK. THERE CAN BE PORTIONS, ESPECIALLY AROUND OKUR, SECOND AVENUE, EVEN SOUTH COLUMBIA, THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF SOUTH CANDLER, THAT MAY NOT HAVE SEEN A FATALITY OR EVEN A SERIOUS INJURY IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS BUT THEY SHARE SIMILAR CONDITIONS TO THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK, WHERE IT MAY NOT BE THE TOP PRIORITY FOR THE CITY TO ADDRESS MAJOR CONCERNS, [00:40:03] IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING ON THE HIGH RISK NETWORK, IT'S A PROACTIVE PERSPECTIVE TO BE AHEAD OF THE NEXT FATALITY. WE DON'T WANT TO ALWAYS BE CHASING PREVIOUS CRASHES WE WANT TO GET AHEAD OF IT. THE HIGH RISK NETWORK INCORPORATES THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK AS WELL AS ROADS THAT SHARE SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS AND GIVE YOU ALL THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK FORWARD AND SAY, LET'S PROGRAM SOME PROJECTS, EITHER ANTICIPATING FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS, ANTICIPATING SHIFTS AND TRAVEL BEHAVIORS, OR IF THE CITY IS DOING SOMETHING ELSE, I'LL JUST PICK ON OAKHURST AS A CORNER OF THE CITY. THE CITY IS DOING SOMETHING IN OAKHURST. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE DATA TO SAY, WE KNOW WHAT MAKES ROADS RISKY. PREDOMINANTLY TRAVEL SPEED, PREDOMINANTLY VOLUME OF TRAFFIC, NUMBER OF LANES, TRANSIT OR MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS NEARBY. WE CAN PROGRAM STREETS AND MAKE PROACTIVE DECISIONS AROUND STREETS THAT PREVENT FUTURE FAIL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES. THIS MAP AND THIS TOOL AND TECHNIQUE IS REALLY HOW CITIES WHO ARE ON THE LEADING EDGE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE MAKING BIG PROGRESS BY SAYING WE WANT TO BE AHEAD OF FUTURE CRASHES, NOT CHASING PREVIOUS CRASHES. THEN FINALLY, IN COMPANION WITH THIS AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY STAFF. WE REALLY SEE THE SAFETY ACTION PLAN AS A COMMENTARY AND CONTINUATION OF THE 2018 CITY TRANSPORTATION PLAN. THE CITY HAS DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB OF GETTING SO MANY PROJECTS DONE IN THE CTP THAT WE WANT TO FIND A WAY TO REALLY ECHO THE CTP, AND IN PARTICULAR, MAKE A SUGGESTION ABOUT BUILDING ANOTHER SET OF ROAD TYPOLOGIES. THIS GETS REAL NERDY ABOUT SAYING LET'S TIE DECISIONS AROUND STREET DESIGN AND STREET INFRASTRUCTURE, TO THE ADJACENT CONTEXT, TO THE TYPE OF NEIGHBORHOOD, TO THE TYPE OF STREET. USING THE HIGH-RISK NETWORK AS WELL AS STREET CHARACTERISTICS. WE'RE GOING TO SUGGEST NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTORS. STREETS IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL BETWEEN HIGH INJURY OR HIGH RISK SEGMENT ROADS, SO THE BIG ROADS, STREETS THAT WE KNOW ARE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD BETWEEN MAJOR ROADS THAT MIGHT WARRANT SOME EXTRA CONSIDERATION AROUND TRAFFIC VOLUMES AND THEN PURELY RESIDENTIAL STREETS WHERE THEY REALLY SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONG OR WALK ALONG OR KIDS WHO PLAY ALONG THE STREET AND THEY COULD BE VERY LOW SPEED IF THEY HAVE VERY LOW TRAFFIC VOLUMES. WE ARE STILL DIALING THIS IN AND WE WOULD LOVE SOME FEEDBACK ON THE BEST WAY TO CONSTRUCT AND CRAFT THIS RECOMMENDATION. THAT'S THE VERY HIGH-LEVEL SUMMARY OF THE DATA. WE HAVE A WHOLE STACK OF DATA ON NUMBER OF LANES AND POSTED SPEED AND TRAVEL BEHAVIORS, AND RISKY BEHAVIORS AND THINGS THAT WARRANT ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT OR OTHER TYPES OF ACTIONS, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK TO, BUT ON THE SAKE OF MOVING THE PRESENTATION ALONG, WE WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT PRIORITY SAFETY POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND ACTIONS. THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE REAL MEAT OF THE SAFETY ACTION PLAN. I'LL ECHO VERY BRIEFLY THAT OUR FIRM WHEN WE LOOK AT TRAFFIC SAFETY, WE TAKE A REALLY DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE ON IT. ONE, IT IS FOR ALL MODES AND ALL USERS, AND IT SHOULD BE BALANCED SO PEOPLE CAN FEEL SAFE WALKING BICYCLING, DRIVING, ACCESSING TRANSIT WHEREVER THEY GO. WE WANT TO BUILD SAFETY PROJECTS, OF COURSE AND I THINK REALLY FOR THE CITY STAFF, THEY WANT A LIST OF WHERE DO WE START? WHERE DO WE START ASKING FOR MONEY? WHERE DO WE START BUILDING PROJECTS? WE ALSO WANT TO PREVENT FUTURE SAFETY RISKS, AS I MENTIONED. WE DO THAT LARGELY THROUGH MANAGING SPEEDS. WE KNOW THAT SPEEDS ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO MOST SERIOUS INJURIES, REGARDLESS IF IT'S A SPEEDING BEHAVIOR OR A TRAVEL SPEED JUST ROUTINE POST TO TRAVEL SPEED. WE WANT TO BUILD COMPLETE MULTI MODAL STREETS, THE DECATUR HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF THAT, THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE. THEN REALLY FIND WAYS TO ECHO THE CITY'S GOALS FOR MODE SHIFT AND SAY, IF WE WANT MORE PEOPLE TO WALK OR MORE PEOPLE TO BIKE, WE GET THERE THROUGH FEELINGS OF COMFORT AND SECURITY AND SAFETY ON CITY STREETS. PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING TO RUN ACROSS THE STREET OR WORRIED ABOUT THEIR KIDS WALKING TO AND FROM SCHOOL ARE LESS LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN THOSE BEHAVIORS. RELATED TO THAT, REALLY USE THE CITY'S TREMENDOUSLY EFFECTIVE SAFE ROUTES PROGRAM AS AN UNDERLYING FACTOR IN ALL OF THIS. I'M GOING TO GO HIGH-LEVEL THROUGH A FEW OF THESE. WE CAN PAUSE AND TALK ABOUT NAME WE WANT TO BUT IT GETS PRETTY DETAILED AND TECHNICAL. WE HAVE FOUR THINGS WE WANT TO FOCUS ON. FIRST IS CITY POLICIES AND RESOLUTIONS, COMPLETE STREETS, AND VISION ZERO. WE WANT TO LOOK AT TRAVEL SPEEDS IN A WAY TO USE DATA EFFECTIVELY TO MANAGE TRAFFIC AND TRAVEL SPEEDS AND BUILD A NEW WHAT WE CALL SPEED MANAGEMENT OR TRAFFIC CALMING PROGRAM TO REALLY ADVANCE IDEAS AROUND TRAFFIC AND SPEED MANAGEMENT. WE WANT TO LOOK AT INTERSECTIONS, KNOWING THAT MOST SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES OCCUR THERE, AND FIND WAYS TO LIMIT RIGHT TURNS ON RED WHERE NECESSARY AND IN PARTICULAR, ADDRESS LEFT TURN CRASHES THAT ARE OFTEN THE MOST SEVERE. THEN, FINALLY, FIND WAYS TO USE THE CITY'S MOMENTUM TOWARDS A WALK AND BIKE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO BUILD NETWORKS THAT ARE SAFE AND COMFORTABLE AND SUPPORT VULNERABLE ROAD USERS ANYWHERE THEY TRAVEL IN THE CITY. VERY BASICALLY, THE CITY'S HAD COMPLETE STREETS POLICIES FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK. THE FIRST ONE WAS ADOPTED IN 2006, RE-ECHOED IN 2018, AND ALWAYS HAS LIVED IN A CORNER OF A PLAN OR DOCUMENTS. WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BRINGING THAT FORWARD AND SAYING CLEARLY THAT WHEN IT COMES TO STREET SAFETY OR ROUTINE CITY PROJECTS, MULTI-MODAL ACCOMMODATIONS, MULTI-MODAL FACILITIES ARE REALLY AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE WAY THE CITY THINKS AND ACTS. [00:45:03] CLOSELY RELATED TO THAT, THE VISION ZERO RESOLUTION OR STATEMENT, AND I'M JUST GOING TO PUT A LITTLE COMPETITION OUT THERE. THE THREE CURRENT VISION ZERO DESIGNATED CITIES IN GEORGIA ARE ATLANTA MACON AND SAVANNAH. I THINK WITH DECATUR'S LEADERSHIP WE COULD ABSOLUTELY BE THERE. AGAIN, THE 2018 CTP HAS A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF VISION ZERO BUT WE THINK WE COULD PROBABLY CRAFT A GREAT RESOLUTION THAT SAYS ADAMANTLY AND FIRMLY, DECATUR'S ONBOARD AND WANTS TO BE SEEN ON THE NATIONAL MAPS PURSUING VISION ZERO. MOVING QUICKLY THROUGH THIS. NICAH. >> TO GO BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE WE ANTICIPATE WHEN WE BRING THE PLAN FORWARD FOR ADOPTION ALSO BRINGING FORWARD RESOLUTIONS AROUND COMPLETE STREET AND VISION ZERO. >> THEY ARE PAPER STATEMENTS, BUT I THINK THEY SHOW COMMITMENT AND LEADERSHIP AND REALLY GIVE THE STAFF SOMETHING A REALLY FOUNDATION FOR WHEN THEY BUILD AND DESIGN PROJECTS THAT THEY KNOW SUPPORT IS BEHIND THEM. TRAVEL SPEEDS AS I'VE MENTIONED, SEVERAL TIMES, SPEEDS AND SPEEDING ARE SO IMPORTANT TO TRAFFIC SAFETY. THE CITY HAS REQUESTED WHEN WE GOT STARTED, WHEN THE FIRST THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WAS A 25-MILE-AN-HOUR CITYWIDE SPEED LIMIT, AND WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT IN A WAY FORWARD TO DO THAT. I WAS REALLY HEARTENED THAT MID-PROCESS OR EVEN EARLY IN THE PROCESS, GDOT CAME TO YOU ALL WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO LOWER TRAFFIC SPEEDS ON STATE ROUTES. I THINK AS WE ECHO THAT AND SAY, WELCOME GDOT, WHATEVER THEY'RE WILLING TO DO. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. THEN GOING FURTHER IN THAT AND SAYING FOR THE CITY, WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE FOR THE CITY TO ACHIEVE 25 MILE AN HOUR CONSISTENT SPEED LIMIT, CONSISTENT, EVEN PREDICTABLE, AND THEN HAVE PROJECTS AND STREETS THAT ARE OVER TIME DESIGNED TO ENFORCE THAT AND BECOME SELF-ENFORCING SLOW STREETS ANYWHERE IN THE CITY. I THINK IT'S AN EASY RECOMMENDATION. IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO ACCOMPLISH BUT I THINK IT REALLY SETS TO CATER UP AT THE FOREFRONT OF TRAFFIC SAFETY CONVERSATIONS. I WANT IN PARTICULAR THANK JORDAN AND KIMLEY-HORN AND HER TEAM FOR HELPING THINK THROUGH THAT. SHE HAS, AS SHE POINTED OUT TO ME EARLIER, A 100 PERCENT TRACK RECORD ON GETTING SPEED REDUCTIONS APPROVED WITH GDOTS AND THEIR SAFETY OFFICE. WE LEAN ON HER EXPERTISE TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY THROUGH THAT. IT IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS JUST VOTING FOR A 25 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT. YOU ALL CAN DO THAT, AND YOU CAN VOTE FOR IT, YOU CAN APPROVE IT, YOU CAN HANG 25 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT SIGNS. YOU CAN'T ENFORCE THEM UNTIL GDOT AGREES. WE'VE CHARTED A PATH FORWARD TO SAY, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO GET SPEED STUDIES DONE ON STREETS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SIGNED OR IN THE CITY ORDINANCE OVER 25 MILES AN HOUR TO BRING THEM DOWN AND PRESENT A PACKET TO GDOT AND SAY, LET'S BRING ALL THE STREETS DOWN TO ENFORCEABLE 25 MILES AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT. NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN EVERYBODY WILL TRAVEL AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. ESPECIALLY I HAVE ONE ROAD IN PARTICULAR THAT IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SIGNED AT 35 AND IT'S ABOUT 40 FEET WIDE AND IT LOOKS LIKE A STRAIGHT SHOT. STREETS THAT FEEL FASTER, PEOPLE WILL TRAVEL FASTER ON. RELATED TO THAT WE WANT TO DEPLOY A MORE EFFECTIVE SPEED MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OR TRAFFIC CALMING PROGRAM AND REALLY GIVE THE CITY STAFF TOOLS FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TREATMENTS AND SOLUTIONS SO THAT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO REBUILD A STREET, BUILD A PROJECT, OR PROACTIVELY GO OUT AND TAKE EFFORTS TO LOWER SPEEDS WHERE THEY'RE EITHER DANGEROUS OR UNCOMFORTABLE FOR RESIDENTS THE CITY HAS THE TOOLS IN PLACE TO DO THAT. WE'LL LOOK AT SPEED MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES IN THE NEXT SECTION OF THE PRESENTATION. BUT ONE OF THE REALLY EXCITING THINGS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO PIONEER IS BIG DATA OR DATA-DRIVEN SPEED MANAGEMENT. TYPICALLY, IN THE CITY OF DECATUR RIGHT NOW AS MOST CITIES, TRAFFIC CALMING COMES AS THE RESULT OF A RESIDENT REQUEST. SOMEONE ON THE BLOCK WHO GETS SCARED OR NERVOUS THEY RALLY THEIR NEIGHBORS TO COME OUT AND PETITION YOU ALL TO DO A TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECT. SEVERAL CITIES IN THE STATE, ATHENS AND MAKING IN PARTICULAR ARE USING STREET LIGHT DATA, CELL PHONE TRAVEL SPEED DATA TO GO AHEAD AND LOOK AND SAY, WHERE ARE WE SEEN FASTER SPEEDS OCCUR AND AT LEAST START TO GO AHEAD AND PROGRAM PROJECTS IN ADVANCE OF CITIZEN REQUEST SO THE CITY CAN BE PROACTIVE AND TAKE THE OWNERS ON THEMSELVES TO LOWER THE SPEED PROACTIVELY. THERE IS, OF COURSE, A DEMOCRACY ELEMENT TO THAT TOO, THAT WE WANT A WELL-CRAFTED SYSTEM IN PLACE SO THAT RESIDENTS HAVE BUY-IN, AND THEY CAN EITHER HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND IT OR, IF THEY FEEL WARRANTED, HAVE A MEANS TO PETITION YOU ALL TO NOT DO THAT. BUT WE'RE LEARNING A LOT FROM ATHENS-CLARK COUNTY, IN PARTICULAR RIGHT NOW, FOR HOW THEY HAVE FLIPPED TRAFFIC CALMING ON ITS ENDS. THE CITY IS GOING TO PROGRAM TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECTS AND THEN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT WHAT RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE TO BUILD THEM >> YOU HAVE A MAP HERE. HIGHLIGHT THE PRIORITIES. HOW ARE THOSE PRIORITIES CHOSEN? >> THOSE ARE STREET LIGHT CELL PHONE DATA. STREET LIGHT IS A COMPANY THAT AGGREGATES CELL PHONE TRAVEL DATA AND REPORTS IN BOTH VOLUME AND SPEED. THESE ARE SEGMENTS OF RESIDENTIAL STREETS WHERE THE 85TH PERCENTILE SPEED. IF WE LOOK AT 100 PERCENT OF THE TRAVEL SPEEDS, THE SPEEDS IN THE 85TH PERCENTILE ARE ABOVE 25 MILES AN HOUR CURRENTLY. [00:50:05] I THINK ACTUALLY THIS MIGHT EVEN BE 30 MILES AN HOUR. THIS IS ESSENTIALLY SHY OF A LITTLE BIT MORE DATA WORK TO REALLY DIAL THIS IN A LITTLE BIT. THIS IS YOUR TRAFFIC CALMING PROGRAM AND STREETS THAT YOU CAN START TO PROGRAM. >> THEY'RE ALL CITY STREETS. >> THEY ARE ALL CITY STREETS. YES, BY INTENTION, THESE DON'T INCLUDE STATE ROUTES. >> BECAUSE IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE CAN GRAB FIRST AND GET DONE. >> THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT. >> WHAT'S ABOUT THAT? ANYTHING [INAUDIBLE] [NOISE] >> THAT'S A TWO PAIR OF SPEED MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS. SECOND SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND INTERSECTIONS. ONE OF THE THINGS THE CITY ASKED FOR WHEN WE GOT STARTED WAS WAYS TO LOOK AT RIGHT TURNS ON RED AND POTENTIALLY PROHIBITING RIGHT TURNS ON RED IN THE CITY OF DECATUR. THROUGH A LOT OF CAREFUL WORK WITH OUR TEAM AND LOOKING AT PEER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE ATTEMPTED THIS, IT HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. IT'S BEEN CHALLENGED IN A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS JUST AS A BLANKET PROHIBITION. WE LEANED BACK INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE TECHNICAL METHOD. AGAIN, IT WAS VERY FORTUITOUS THAT GDOT MADE THIS SUGGESTION MIDSTREAM. WE WERE ABLE TO SAY, LET'S DO WHAT THEY DID. GDOT IS RECOMMENDING A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN RIGHT TURNS ON RED ON STATE ROUTE INTERSECTIONS IN THE CITY AND I WAS GLAD TO SEE THE CITY COMMISSION CONCUR WITH THAT. WE'VE TAKEN THE SAME APPROACH AND MOVED IT DOWN TO THE 25 SIGNALS THAT ARE UNDER CITY OF DECATUR CONTROL IN CONJUNCTION WITH DE KALB COUNTY, BUT ON CITY STREETS ON LOCAL STREETS, SO 12 OF THOSE THAT OCCUR AROUND THE SQUARE. IN THE SPECIAL PEDESTRIAN AREA AROUND THE SQUARE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING A COMMISSION VOTE TO PROHIBIT RIGHT TURNS ON RED ON THOSE LOCATIONS. IT'S WARRANTED VIA PEDESTRIAN VOLUME DEMAND, LOCAL CONTEXT, AND THEN TYPICALLY THE SITE DISTANCES AROUND THE SQUARE AND THE LOCATIONS THERE. WE THINK THAT'S AN EASY WIN. THE OTHER 16 SIGNALS ON CITY STREETS THAT ARE DESIGNATED AS URBAN STREETS IN THE CTP UNDER THE FUNCTIONAL CLASSIC OR THE CITY'S TYPOLOGY NETWORK WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXAMINATION AND WOULD PROBABLY TAKE STAFF OR A TEAM GOING OUT AND LOOKING AT THEM SITE BY SITE. IF IT'S IN ACQUIRED A RESIDENTIAL AREA WITH LOW PEDESTRIAN VOLUMES OR JUST DOES NOT HAVE A VISIBILITY WARRANT, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE HARD TO DEFEND THAT. BUT WE SHY OF GOING IN AND DOING THE ACTUAL STUDIES. WE THINK THERE'S A PORTION OF THOSE THAT COULD BE SIGNED AS NO RIGHT IT TURN ON RED AND THE OTHERS WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH SEPARATELY THROUGH OTHER MEANS. THIS IS WHAT I CALL THE HYBRID APPROACH TO SAY THE PLACE WHERE IT'S MOST IMPORTANT AROUND THE SQUARE AND PEDESTRIAN VOLUMES, AND AT RETURN TIME I'M WALKING ACROSS CHURCH AT LEON'S. SOMEBODY IS INCHING THEIR WAY INTO THE CROSSWALK AND TRYING TO MAKE A TURN. THIS IS A EASY WAY TO MAKE THAT ARGUMENT AROUND THE PLACES THAT IT'S MOST IMPORTANT. [INAUDIBLE] DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? >> WE JUST PUT UP SIGNS OR WOULD WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUT THE LIGHT BOXES. A LOT OF THE ARROWS AND THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, I GUESS SIGNALIZATION. DO SOME OF THEM WOULD NOT REQUIRE ANY CHANGE OUT OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS? >> THAT IS GENERALLY, CORRECT. >> SORRY, YOU NEED TO COME TO THE MIC. THANK YOU. >> IN MOST INSTANCES, UNLESS FOR SOME REASON THERE'S A SIGNAL THAT HAS A RIGHT TURN OVERLAP WHERE IT'S THE HEAD WITH A RIGHT TURN ARROW. I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OF THOSE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, SO FOR THE MOST PART IT IS JUST A SIGN. >> FINE. >> ONLY ONE I'M AWARE OF IT'S HEADING [INAUDIBLE]. >> YES. >> THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ELIMINATED. >> BUT YOU SEE THE ARROW STILL THERE [INAUDIBLE]. >> I THINK THAT'S BEEN GREAT. >> CORRECT. THERE WOULDN'T BE MANY. >> I THREW THAT AWAY. >> TO PUT UP THE SIGNS WE WOULD STILL NEED LIKE A PERMIT REVISION PROCESS AND THEN DURING THAT WE WOULD CONFIRM WHETHER THERE IS AN ARROW THERE OR NOT, AND EXACTLY WHAT THE TREATMENT WOULD BE AND HAVE TO SKETCH IT UP. >> THANK YOU. >> JURISDICTIONS IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT. I'LL BRING UP CAMERAS. JURISDICTIONS USE CAMERAS TO ENFORCE [INAUDIBLE] THAT OFTEN? >> THERE ARE JURISDICTIONS THAT DO THAT. DO YOU HAVE A BETTER ANSWER?[LAUGHTER] >> NO. >> YES. >> PLUS WE KNOW THE CAMERAS ARE AN ISSUE, FOLKS THE GENERAL SERVING TOO. >> IT'S LESS COMMON. WE CAN TALK ABOUT CAMERAS. OUR TEAMS TAKING A NUANCED APPROACH ON CAMERAS, BUT IT'S LESS COMMON THAN ACTUAL RED LIGHT RUNNING OR SPEEDING. THANK YOU. THEN INSTANTLY, [00:55:06] THE MOMENT WE STARTED LOOKING AT RIGHT TURNS ON RED AND LOOKING BACK AT THE DATA. I THINK RIGHT TURN ON RED IS AN ENORMOUS ISSUE FOR COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE. I THINK MOST PEOPLE HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH THE RIGHT TURN ON RED ESPECIALLY AROUND THE SQUARE ON A DAILY BASIS, AND IT CAN MAKE VISIBILITY AND SIGHT DISTANCE HARD AND UNCOMFORTABLE FOR PEDESTRIANS. LEFT TURNS ARE FAR AND AWAY MORE DANGEROUS, SO HIGH SPEED AND POOR SIDE DISTANCES AND LONG TURNS. LEFT TURNS ARE ROUTINELY ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS THINGS ANY OF US DO ON A DAILY BASIS. WE HAVE THE NUMBERS IN PROGRESS RIGHT NOW AND WE DIDN'T GET TO THEM BEFORE THE END OF THE SLIDE DEADLINE TODAY, BUT WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A MORE NUANCED APPROACH TO LEFT TURNS TO LOOK AT PLACES WHERE LEFT TURNS ARE REPRESENTED IN THE CRASH DATABASE. THE INTERSECTIONS THAT ARE SEEN THE MOST DANGEROUS LEFT TURNS AND THEN WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM RIGHT NOW TODAY EITHER PROHIBITED LEFTS, PROTECTED LEFTS, OR MAYBE SOME PROCESS IN THE FUTURE. AS DRAMATIC AS A ROUNDABOUT, AS SIMPLE AS A LEADING PEDESTRIAN INTERVAL TO GIVE PEDESTRIANS A SLIGHT HEAD START, OR A SCABAL CROSSING, OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF TREATMENT. IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER. IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE CONCLUSIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY, BUT WE WANT TO AT LEAST MAKE SURE THAT SAFE STREETS PLAN HIGHLIGHTS THE LOCATIONS WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE MOST LEFT TURNS. I REALLY ECHO THE FACT THAT RIGHT TURNS WE MAY HEAR MORE ABOUT, BUT LEFT TURNS ARE THE MORE DANGEROUS ONES. WE WANT AN APPROACH THAT SPEAKS TO THEM AND I ASK JORDAN. ANYTHING ELSE WITH THAT? IT'S COMING TOGETHER. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK. THEN FINALLY, OUR THIRD SET OF BIG PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AROUND VULNERABLE ROAD USERS. THIS IS AN AREA WHERE I REALLY WANT DECATUR TO CHAMPION AND REALLY CONTINUE TO LEAD THE WAY IN TERMS OF PEDESTRIAN WALKABILITY AND BICYCLING APOLOGIES. THESE MAPS ARE SMALL. I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE THEM IN FULL RESOLUTION DETAIL FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM LATER. THE GREAT NEWS IS DECATUR KNOWN FOR BEING A WALKABLE CITY, KNOWN FOR HAVING GREAT SIDEWALKS. WE SEE THE SIDEWALKS ON ALL OF THE LOCAL STREETS. IN SHI OF A FEW PLACES WHERE SIDEWALKS COULD BE BETTER, COULD BE BROUGHT UP TO A HIGHER STANDARD. THERE'S REALLY GOOD SIDEWALK COVERAGE AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT WALKING AROUND. SHI ARE VERY SMALL STREETS. ALMOST ALL THE STREETS OF MOST CONCERN HAVE SIDEWALKS WITH SOME IMPROVEMENT. THIS IS THE CITY'S 2024 SIDEWALK INVENTORY AND IT ONLY INCLUDES CITY STREETS, NOT STATE ROUTES. YOU DON'T SEE SIDEWALKS ON SCOTT 155 OR STATE ROUTE 10 FOR THE DATA COLLECTION. THE OTHER MAP I THINK IS REALLY USEFUL IS THE BIKEWAY NETWORK AND IN PARTICULAR STRESSING HOW DECATUR FOR A LOT OF ADVANCEMENTS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS AROUND BICYCLE LANES, PROTECTED BIKEWAYS, THE STONE MOUNTAIN TRAIL. AS A LEGACY FROM THE 90S AND EARLY 2000S, STILL HAS SOME WORK TO DO IN TERMS OF GETTING IN PARTICULAR SOUTH OF COLLEGE AND INTO OAKHURST. I THINK IT'S WHERE THE ARC FUNDED PROJECT IS GOING TO BE TREMENDOUSLY USEFUL TO OPEN UP A NEW CORNER OF THE CITY AND PARTICULARLY A GREAT DESTINATION TO PROTECTED COMFORTABLE BIKEWAYS. THEN THINGS LIKE SOLIDIFYING THE WEST HOWARD, CYCLE TRACK COMING UP SHORTLY. GDOT REALLY WITH A MOMENTOUS INVESTMENT ON EAST COLLEGE AND STATE ROUTE 10, AND CONTINUING THE AVONDALE PROJECT INBOUND. THIS MAP IS GOING TO CHANGE A LOT I FEEL IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS SOME PLACES WHERE SOME STRATEGIC BIKE IMPROVEMENTS I THINK COULD MAKE DECATUR FROM GOOD TO GREAT IN TERMS OF BICYCLE MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY. THEN FINALLY, WE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN FROM RESIDENTS THAT THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, NETWORK, AND DESIGNATED. SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE. I THINK WE HAVE SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE HIGH RISK NETWORK AND SAY, WHERE ARE THERE PLACES THAT WE CAN JUSTIFY FUTURE PROJECTS BASED ON SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL OR SCHOOL OR YOUTH OR CHILDREN TRAVEL, OR POTENTIALLY EVEN SAY MAYBE THE ROUTE NEEDS TO SHIFT A LITTLE BIT. WE CAN WORK WITH PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO FIND A LITTLE BIT BETTER CONNECTED ROUTE THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD OR AROUND OFF OF BUSY STREET. >> ON THAT NOTE, I THINK THIS LAST MAP THE HRN VERSUS SRTS COULD BE HOPEFULLY IT SPEAKS TO THE CITY'S IDEAL PROGRAMMING MAP THAT WE JUST LOOKED AT ON CITY STREETS. >> A HUNDRED PERCENT. >> ALL OF THESE SHOULD BE PART OF THAT. >> A HUNDRED PERCENT. >> THAT ARE CITY STREETS? >> I'M ALWAYS A BIG CHAMPION. I THINK DECATUR HAS BEEN BETTER THAN ANYBODY TO SAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK PARENTS TO MAKE A CIRCUITOUS ROUNDABOUT ROUTE. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WALK STRAIGHT TO SCHOOL AND IT'S GREAT. THEY DO THAT, THE STREETS NEED TO RISE UP TO MEET THEM AND BE SAFE IN A WAY THAT EVERYBODY FEELS COMFORTABLE TRAVELING ON THEM. THAT ARE OUR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. TO GO THROUGH THE LAST COUPLE OF SLIDES. WE ARE BUILDING OUT A COMPREHENSIVE ACTION PLAN, REALLY WHAT WILL BE JULIE HARLAN, JULIE GRETZ AND KARIS WORK PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS TO BUILD SAFER STREETS. [01:00:05] OUR FIRM BUCKETS OUR STREET SAFETY RECORD OF ACTIONS INTO SEVERAL CATEGORIES. ONE IS TO LOOK AT SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS, STAFFING AND FUNDING, GIVE YOU ALL INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE TO PUT RESOURCES. EQUITY AND COLLABORATION, HOW TO BUILD ON THE HIGH INJURY OR HIGH RISK NETWORK PARTNER WITH GDOT. LOOK AT CULTURE CHANGE BROADLY, HOW EDUCATION ENCOURAGEMENT, AND ENFORCEMENT CAN BE WOVEN INTO IT. A LOT OF SAFETY COMES FROM PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CITY STREETS, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE HUMAN BEHAVIOR ASPECT THAT WE NEED TO BALANCE AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S OBJECTIVES AND GOALS, AND USE THAT EFFECTIVELY. THEN FINALLY DATA AND EVALUATION, BECAUSE THIS IS A DATA DRIVEN PLAN. CHECKING IN EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS AND SAYING, ARE THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE MAKING, CHURCH STREET IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. IS CHURCH STREET DOING WHAT YOU ALL EXPECTED IT TO DO? DO THERE NEED TO BE TWEAKS TO THE SYSTEM OR DO THERE NEED TO BE PLACES WE NEED TO FILL THE GAPS? I'LL END IN JUST A MOMENT ON A GREAT EXAMPLE FROM YOUR PREDECESSORS DECISIONS IN THE 50S AND 60S, AND HOW WE CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE ON THE CITY SAFETY MAPS. THIS IS JUST A SCREENSHOT, SNAPSHOT OF HOW WE BUILD OUT THE PROGRAM AND ACTIONS. THIS HAS BEEN AN AREA THAT HAVING THE CITY'S LEADERSHIP FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND PLANNING THROUGH PARKS AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT. TREMENDOUS KUDOS TO GARY MAYNARD WHO'S BEEN AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING WE'VE HAD AND HAS REALLY HELPED RAISE CONCERNS AROUND HIS GROUP AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THE WAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE. SAME ASKING EACH PERSON, HOW DOES TRAFFIC SAFETY TOUCH YOUR PROGRAM? HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO INFLUENCE TRAFFIC SAFETY AND BUILD IN A LIST FROM INPUTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND CITY STAFF REALLY TO HELP BUILD OUT A WAY THAT THE CITY CAN TAKE LEADERSHIP AND ACTION. AS I MENTIONED, JULIE HARLAN CAN JUST HAVE A CHECKLIST. YOU CAN WALK AROUND AND TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO HELP HER IN HER PROGRAM. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO THINGS AND SPEAKING OF CAPTAIN MAYNARD. WE TEND TO TALK ABOUT THE NATIONAL SAFETY STRATEGY. IT TALKS ABOUT POST CRASH CARE AND MAKING SURE THAT FIRST RESPONDERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS CAN GET TO A CRASH SCENE QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY. TAKE A PERSON WHO NEEDS HELP TO A MEDICAL FACILITY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. REALLY, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HERE FOR UPGRADED EQUIPMENT. WE WERE TALKING TO GARY ABOUT THIS, EXTRACTION AIRBAGS, STABILIZATION STRUTS, HYDRAULIC CUTTING SPREADING EQUIPMENT, THINGS I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW THAT VERY MUCH ABOUT. BUT HE SAID THESE ARE TOOLS THAT HE NEEDS TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF SITUATIONS AND INDICRE FASTER. BUT WE ALSO REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT POST CRASH RESPONSE ALSO INVOLVES SHOULD A TRAGIC CRASH OR COLLISION HAPPEN. THAT'S A DATA POINT THAT THE CITY CAN USE FOR EVALUATION AND EXAMINATION. THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT YOU ALL CAN BE OUT THERE LOOKING AT THE SITE AND SAYING, WHAT WAS THIS CAUSE OF THIS? WE HEARD THIS PRESENTATION SEVERAL YEARS AGO ABOUT TRAFFIC SPEEDS? WAS SPEEDING AN ISSUE? WAS LEFT TURN AN ISSUE? IS THE CITY'S PROGRAM A POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOP OF USING CRASH AND DATA TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS OVER TIME. REALLY, BOTH RESPONDING TO CRASHES AS WELL AS LEARNING FROM THEM. THEN FINALLY, ENFORCEMENT. COMMISSIONER DUM, MAYBE YOU TOUCHED ON THAT BRIEFLY. ENFORCEMENT IS A BIG TOPIC RIGHT NOW. WE'VE SEEN TREMENDOUS SUCCESS WITH CAMERA ENFORCEMENT FOR BEING BOTH CONSISTENT AS WELL AS EQUITABLE IF IT'S DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY BASED ON DATA, BUT IT HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF PUSHBACK. PARTLY WE'RE WAITING TO SEE THE OUTCOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP DURING THE SESSION. I'M SORRY YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT. BECAUSE THE DATA REALLY SUPPORTS CAMERA ENFORCEMENT AS BEING AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR DOING MORE ENFORCEMENT, BUT WE ARE JUST RECALIBRATING RIGHT NOW TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WANT THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE. I THINK THANKFULLY WE GET TO SAY THE CITY NEEDS TO CONTINUE ITS PROGRAM THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE KEEPING A CAREFUL EYE ON THAT AS THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE LEGISLATION CONTINUE TO PLAY OUT. SORRY, ANTICIPATE NEXT YEAR CONVERSATIONS THAT WILL REOCCUR NEXT YEAR. AGAIN, I REALLY USE ENFORCEMENT. I WOULD LOVE FOR STREETS TO ENFORCE THEMSELVES. PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL WHAT THE SAFE SPEED IS ON A STREET. THEY SHOULD FEEL WHERE IT IS SAFE TO CROSS THE STREET. ACTUAL OFFICER ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE RARE AND WE'VE REALLY BUILT A PROGRAM THAT SPEAKS TO THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. IT CAN NEVER BE ENTIRELY PREVENTED. AS I MENTIONED SPEEDY BEHAVIORS OR JUST ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIORS WHEN THEY DO OCCUR, THEY NEED SOMEONE THERE AS A BACKSTOP TO THAT, BUT WE DO WANT IT TO BE RARE. FINALLY, THIS GETS VERY TECHNICAL, SO I'LL GO THROUGH THIS A LITTLE BIT QUICKLY IN RESPECT FOR YOU-ALL'S TIME. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ELEVATING SPECIFIC TOOLS IN THE SAFE STREETS PLAN THAT SPEAK TO DESIGNS AND PROVEN SOLUTIONS THAT WORK WELL, AND CAN BE OCCURRING FEATURES IN EVERY CITY PROJECT. I WOULD LOVE IF CITY RESIDENTS AND CITY VISITORS SEE A DECATUR STREET, IT'S RECOGNIZED AS A DECATUR STREET, [01:05:01] THINGS LIKE THE CHURCH STREET BY CLAN. THINGS LIKE SCRAMBLE CROSSINGS OR THE RAISED INTERSECTION AT PONS AND CLAREMONT. PEOPLE SEE THOSE THINGS ROUTINELY AND THEY JUST KNOW THAT'S HOW DECATUR APPROACHES STREETS. IT'S SAFE AND COMFORTABLE, AND THE DOWNTOWN RACE CROSS WALK IS BEAUTIFUL TOO. IT'S REALLY AN ECHO FOR HOW THE CITY SHOULD WORK AND FUNCTION. THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT, THIS IS JUST A PICTURE OF SOME ICONS FOR DIFFERENT TOOLS. WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS US GIVING THE CITY RESOURCES AND DECISION MAKING RESOURCES FOR HOW TO START SELECTING TOOLS. IF WE LOOK AT THE SAFETY ACTION AREA, INTERSECTIONS, NEARLY 80% OF FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES, WE CAN LOOK AT THE TYPES OF INTERSECTIONS, SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS, TWO WAY STOP INTERSECTIONS, ALL WAY STOP INTERSECTIONS, HOW EACH OF THOSE ARE CONTRIBUTING AND WHAT THE RIGHT SET OF TOOLS IS. THERE'S ONE TOOL THAT MAY NOT WORK FOR A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION, THERE'S ONE THAT DOES NOT WORK FOR A TWO WAY STOP INTERSECTION. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DELINEATING BETWEEN THAT. I DID NOT LIST THEM ALL HERE FOR SPACE, BUT YOU CAN SEE A FEW OF THEM SELECTED OUT FROM THAT. SIMILARLY, WITH SPEED MANAGEMENT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SPEED MANAGEMENT DECISIONS ARE TIED TO THE STREET TYPOLOGY. IF IT'S A SUBURBAN STREET, WHICH FOR CITY OF DECATUR IN YOUR CTP IS ONLY SCOTT BOULEVARD, IT HAS ITS OWN SET OF SPEED MANAGEMENT TOOLS. YOU CAN'T PUT SPEED BUMPS ON SCOTT BOULEVARD. THAT'S OFF. IF IT'S A LOT, IT CERTAINLY MAKES A BAD DECISION THAT LAUNCHED PLATES. IT WOULD BE A HARD HARDER PLATE. IT WOULD BE A HARDER TOOL TO JUSTIFY. BUT IN PARTICULAR, I THINK AS THE CITY EMBARKS ON THE RAYS GRANT STUDY FOR SCOTT BOULEVARD IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, LOOKING AT MEDIANS, SHARED USE PATHS, AND OTHER DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT LEVEL OF STREET IS GREAT. THEN ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE REASON WE'RE SUGGESTING TWO NEW CATEGORIES OF STREET TYPOLOGIES IS PRIMARILY, SO THAT THE CITY CAN HAVE A TOOLKIT THAT'S DEDICATED TO NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS SPECIFICALLY. THEY KNOW THAT WHEN THEY GO TO A NEIGHBORHOOD AND THERE'S CHILDREN OR KIDS OR AROUND A SCHOOL AREA, THERE'S A SET OF TOOLS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT AREA. A LOT OF THESE TOOLS OVERLAP. THEY'RE ALL THINGS DECATUR HAS DONE RECENTLY, HORIZONTAL DEFLECTION [INAUDIBLE], SPEED CUSHION, SPEED BUMPS, MANY TRAFFIC CIRCLES, ROUNDABOUTS RAISED INTERSECTIONS. THE THINGS THAT DECATUR HAS ALREADY BEEN A PIONEER IN, YOU'LL SEE THAT ECHOED AGAIN. I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT THERE'S NOT A TREMENDOUSLY NEW IDEA IN THIS PLAN. IT'S JUST REALLY A CONTINUATION OF A LOT OF WHAT DECATUR HAS DONE. AGAIN, THANK YOU TO JORDAN AND HER TEAM FOR HELPING DEFINE A LOT OF THESE FROM THEIR WORK WITH THE GDOT SAFETY OFFICE AND THEIR EXPERIENCE. I WILL END ON A FEW SUGGESTIONS AND SOME DRAWINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE TO HELP GIVE THE CITY SOME IDEAS ABOUT WAYS TO APPLY MEASURE DESIGN TOOL KITS. TAKING A FAIRLY TYPICAL DOWNTOWN URBAN CORE STREET AND THAT'S DESIGNATED IN THE 2018 CTP FOR A SET OF STREETS AROUND DOWNTOWN AND FINDING WAYS TO EITHER BUILD MEDIANS, RAISED CROSSINGS, RAISED INTERSECTIONS, OR BIKE LANE NETWORK CONTINUATION INTO THAT STREET AND REALLY USE THE SAFETY TOOLS AND THE SAFETY DESIGNS AND A VERY TYPICAL DOWNTOWN STREET PROJECT AS AN EXAMPLE. A FEW OTHER EXAMPLES FOR A MUCH SMALLER STREET WITH VERY LOW TRAFFIC VOLUMES, BUT SEVERAL CITIZEN REPORTED SPEEDING COMPLAINTS, FINDING WAYS TO DELINEATE ON STREET PARKING, USED RAISED CROSSINGS, MANY TRAFFIC CIRCLES, RAISED INTERSECTIONS. EFFECTIVELY, NOT SO MUCH TO CONSTRAIN THE STREET, JUST JUST TO DEFINE THE ENDS AND BOUNDARIES, AND SAY THAT SOMEONE IS ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, RESIDENTIAL AREA, AND THE SPEED IS GOING TO BE MANAGED APPROPRIATELY FOR THE AREA AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK ALONG THAT AREA. >> A LITTLE BIT MORE INTERESTING EXAMPLE, AND I THINK SOMETHING WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN DECATUR OR REALLY MUCH IN THE METRO AREA IS A RESIDENTIAL SHARED STREET. SOMETHING LIKE A COUPLE OF STREET. HOW WE WOULD TALK ABOUT IS CARS ARE PERMITTED AS A VISITOR ON THE STREET, BUT IT'S REALLY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ADJACENT TO IT. OUR FIRM DOES NOT DO VERY MANY FULLY PEDESTRIANIZED STREETS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE TRAVEL IS MULTI-MODAL, BUT REALLY, IF A CAR IS ENTERING A STREET THAT IS PURELY RESIDENCES, AND THEY NEED TO MOVE LESS THAN 20 MILES AN HOUR THROUGH THAT SPACE AND REALLY ACCEPT THAT KIDS ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING THERE AND FAMILIES ARE GOING TO BE LIVING, AND WORKING, AND RECREATING OUT ON THE STREET AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THAT'S A REALLY EXCITING IDEA, ONE THAT THE CITY STAFF HAVE REALLY BEEN GREAT CHAMPIONS OF, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO PUSH THESE DRAWINGS A LITTLE FURTHER INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL. >> CAN YOU ALSO SHARE SOME ACTUAL [INAUDIBLE] >> THE RESIDENTIAL SHARED STREET, OUR FIRM WAS FORTUNATE TO GET TO AUTHOR THE NEW AASHTO NATIONAL BIKE GUIDE THAT WAS PUBLISHED EARLIER THIS YEAR AS WELL AS TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS INTO THE NEW NACTO BICYCLE DESIGN GUIDE. THE RESIDENTIAL SHARED STREET IS ONE AREA OF EMERGING DESIGN THAT WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BRING HERE AND INTRODUCE TO THE CITY AS PART OF THIS PLAN. THEN FINALLY, LOOKING AT WHAT WE'VE CALLED TRAFFIC CALMING OR SPEED MANAGEMENT AT SCALE, [01:10:03] SO TAKING A LONGER SECTION OF STREET WHERE SOME INTENSE DESIGN TREATMENTS MAY NOT WORK WELL JUST GIVEN THE LENGTH AND COST. LET'S SAY, CAN WE USE THE SAME TYPES OF TREATMENTS FOR RAISED INTERSECTIONS, HORIZONTAL DEFLECTION ON STREET PARKING, RAISED CROSSWALKS, THINGS THE CITY'S ALREADY DONE A LOT OF AND REALLY USE THEM AT A BIG SCALE ACROSS ALMOST A MILE OF CORRIDOR TO HELP TAKE A WHOLE RESIDENTIAL OR NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTOR STREET, AND AGAIN, DEFINE THE GATEWAYS AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THEY'RE ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL AREA, AND THEY SHOULD TREAT IT RESPECTFULLY. THOSE ARE FOUR PROJECT DRAWINGS WE'VE DONE. THE CITY'S STAFF HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUSLY GREAT AT GIVING US FEEDBACK ON THAT, BUT WITH THIS PRESENTATION, WE WELCOME ANY FEEDBACK FROM Y'ALL AS WELL, TOO, AND ANYTHING WE CAN USE TO CLARIFY, AND GEORGE, I THINK SOME EXAMPLE PHOTOS WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR THE SUGGESTION. THEN FINALLY, I'M GETTING TOWARDS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION, LOOKING AT THE MAP, LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC COMMENT, LOOKING AT THE CRASH PATTERNS, AND AS I MENTIONED, LOOKING AT HISTORICAL RECORDS, KARA, LET ME HANG OUT IN THE CITY ARCHIVES FOR AN AFTERNOON AND READ BACK THROUGH EVERY TRAFFIC REPORT THAT DECATUR HAS EVER PUBLISHED, I'M MAYBE THE LEADING EXPERT ON DECATUR TRAFFIC HISTORY NOW. [LAUGHTER] ONE SECTION OF THE CITY, STATE ROUTE 155, IN PARTICULAR CLAREMONT FROM SCOTT AROUND COMMERCE TO COLLEGE, REALLY CONTINUED TO EMERGE AS AN AREA OF A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT, A HIGHER CRASH RATE AREA, AND NOTHING PROGRAMMED ON IT CURRENTLY. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO USE SOME OF OUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO ELEVATE ONE OF THE ROADS WE'RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT INTO HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED PERSPECTIVE. I THINK MAYBE JULIE HARLAN'S FIRST OR SECOND WEEK ON THE JOB, TOOK HE ROUTE AND WALKED FOR AN AFTERNOON WITH SOME OF OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERS DOWN CLAREMONT AND COMMERCE AND MADE A LOT OF NOTES AND TOOK A LOT OF PHOTOS ON BOTH SMALL MUNDANE THINGS, MISSING UTILITY COVERS, BROKEN PUSH BUTTONS, THAT'S NOT ON Y'ALL, IT'S THE CABIN AND DO THAT FOR THE MOST PART. PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL HEADS THAT ARE 15 FEET OR MORE IN THE AIR, JUST THINGS THAT NEED A PROGRAM TO GO OUT AND ADDRESS TODAY, TOMORROW, AND NEXT WEEK, BUT THEN ALSO SOME BIGGER IDEAS AND REALLY SAYING THE COMMERCE CURVE, WHO HAS SEEN SEVERAL RUN OFF THE ROAD CRASHES AND WAS BECOMING A BIT OF A CHEVRON SIGN GRAVEYARD FOR A WHILE, EMERGED FOR ME PERSONALLY AS A PLACE THAT A LOT OF FOCUS AND ATTENTION COULD BE, SO WE'VE PAUSED AND SPENT SOME TIME THERE. WE AGAIN, JUST WENT BACK TO THE OFFICE AND MADE SOME VERY QUICK SKETCHES, SOME BIGGER LONG TERM THINGS. THESE ARE NOT SUGGESTIONS PER SE FOR WHAT TO DO, BUT JUST SOME IDEAS AND CREATIVE WAYS TO THINK ABOUT RIGHT TURN SLIP LANES, LONG CROSSING DISTANCES, AND THEN IN PARTICULAR, THE COMMERCE CURVE IN A FAIRLY DRAMATIC WAY TO RETHINK THAT. THIS IS NOT AT ALL A RECOMMENDATION FOR WHAT SHOULD BE DONE. THESE WOULD NEED A LOT MORE TIME AND ATTENTION TO STUDY IN GREATER DEPTH AND DETAIL, AND I'VE BEEN VERY EXCITED THAT THE CITY STAFF HAS CONTINUED TO PURSUE THIS AS AN IDEA FOR FUTURE ROUND OF IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING THAT WOULD REALLY DESERVE AND WARRANT THE TIME AND ATTENTION THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THERE. I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY THAT THERE WAS A DECISION BY Y'ALL'S PREDECESSORS IN THE '50S AND THEN IN THE '60S TO CREATE THE DECATUR LOOP HIGHWAY OF WHICH COMMERCE WAS ONLY OVER ONE HALF. IT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED DOWN AROUND AGNES SCOTT AND THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS DOWN THERE, AND IT CHEWED UP SEVERAL CITY STREETS AROUND THE CEMETERY AND COMBINED THEM TOGETHER INTO THE BIG SWEEPING CURVE, AND THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE THEN, WE CONTINUE TO SEE RAMIFIED FUTURE THROUGH TO NOW TO TODAY THAT THE DOWNWARD SLOPE, AND THE TURN, AND THE SPEEDS CONTINUE TO HAVE A LOT OF CRASHES. IT'S A GOOD ECHO AND IS A HUMBLING FACT FOR ME, THE DECISIONS WE MAKE TODAY RAMIFY INTO THE GENERATIONS IN THE FUTURE. I WAS EXCITED TO GET TO DIVE INTO THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT, AS WELL AS SOME LESS DRAMATIC RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND COMMERCE AND CLAREMONT IN THAT AREA. AGAIN, WE HAVE ALL THAT COMPILED IN A REPORT. I'LL GLOSS THROUGH A FEW OF THESE VERY CAREFULLY. AS WE ENDED THE PROJECT AND AS WE GO TO START TO WRITE AND PUBLISH THE FINAL REPORT, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD AT LEAST SOME PROGRAMMED OR RECOMMENDED PROJECT ON EVERY SEGMENT OF THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK, IN PARTICULAR, AND THEN THE HIGH RISK NETWORK TO THE DEGREE WE COULD FIND IT. YOU SEE HERE CURRENTLY PROGRAMMED PROJECTS THAT ARE CITY-LED ON EITHER THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK IN BOLD OR THE HIGH RISK NETWORK, NOT IN BOLD. I'VE BEEN VERY ENCOURAGED. THE REASON WE WALKED ON CLAREMONT AND COMMERCE WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT REPRESENTED ON HERE, BUT I'VE BEEN VERY OTHERWISE ENCOURAGED THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRESS AND A LOT OF WORK GOING ON CURRENTLY, AND REALLY HEADS OFF TO THE CITY STAFF FOR JUGGLING ALL OF THESE PROJECTS. THIS IS ONE PORTION OF THEM, AND ENTIRELY ANOTHER PORTION OF THEM, SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT ON EITHER OF THE HIGH RISK OR THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK, BUT ARE GREAT FOR QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE RESIDENCES. THEN FINALLY, GDOT-LED PROJECTS IN THE PLACES THAT GDOT IS MAKING SOME DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE SPEED REDUCTION OR RIGHT TURN RESTRICTIONS, BUT DOES LOOK AT SOME OF THE BIGGER ONES JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY ON THE PONCE ROUNDABOUT, WHICH I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS QUITE PREPARED FOR HOW DRAMATIC THAT'S GOING TO BE, AS WELL AS THE EAST COLLEGE STATE ROUTE 10 CYCLE TRACK CONTINUATION. [01:15:04] THAT'S IT. THAT'S A LOT. THIS IS AN AWESOME PLAN. IT'S BEEN A MILESTONE OF MY CAREER, AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO BOTH TAILOR IT TO WHAT Y'ALL NEED AND TAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BACK FROM TODAY, AS WELL AS PUBLISH AND SHARE THE FINAL REPORT WITH 'ALL WHEN IT'S READY. >> HI, THERE. [INAUDIBLE] >> HI, [INAUDIBLE]. I DO LOVE THIS. I HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT THE FACT THAT I THINK WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHANGING DRIVER BEHAVIOR THROUGH EFFORTS LIKE THIS AS IT'S FAR MORE EFFECTIVE THAN SAY THE TYPICAL ENFORCEMENT AND PROBABLY FAR MORE LIFESAVING THAN TYPICAL ENFORCEMENT. I'M GOING TO SAY A BUT THAT'S REALLY MORE OF AN AND. EQUITY CONTINUE TO BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYBODY SAYS. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE CITY WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. >> YES. >> I KNOW THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A CHANGED BEHAVIOR TOWARD COMMUTING USING MARTA AND ONE OF OUR THREE MARTA STOPS FOR THOSE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY TO COME IN. I KNOW THAT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT EFFORT THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY TAKE SOME TIME. IN THE INTERIM, PLEASE DON'T ANSWER THIS NOW, Y'ALL CAN TAKE IT AWAY AND COME BACK, BUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FOLKS WHO NEED TO GET TO WORK OR EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY TO A COURT DATE CAN AND DO SO EFFECTIVELY, AND HOW DO WE PREVENT THOSE FOLKS FROM GETTING FRUSTRATED AND THEN CUTTING THROUGH THESE NEW BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED STREETS AND CAUSING MORE HARM THAN WE'RE EXPERIENCING NOW? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE A DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD IN PARALLEL WITH THE DISCUSSION ABOUT ANY CHANGES WE MAKE TO TRAFFIC CALMING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH REDESIGNING OF STREETS WE DO. IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE NUMBER OF CARS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE CITY, AND I KNOW A FRUSTRATED DRIVER IS OFTEN A DANGEROUS DRIVER. >> VERY QUICK RESPOND TO THAT. I'LL LOOK AROUND ALL THE RENEE'S IN THE ROOM. BUT THANKS TO RENEE ON THE CITY STAFF FOR HELPING US SET UP SOME INTERVIEWS WITH CITY RESIDENTS. WE DISTRIBUTE A SURVEY TO CITY EMPLOYEES, VERY DISTINCTLY CITY EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS TO DE KALB COUNTY EMPLOYEES, AND WE HEARD EXACTLY THAT, WHICH IS PEOPLE'S TOP CONCERN WAS GETTING TO WORK ON TIME, AND ESPECIALLY DE KALB COUNTY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE TYPICALLY COMING FROM FURTHER EAST INTO DE KALB COUNTY. I'LL SAY SUSPICIOUS OR SKEPTICAL ABOUT TRAFFIC CALMING THAT WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT ACCESS INTO THE CITY. WE LAUNCHED THE PROJECT WITH THE IDEA THAT DECATUR IS THE COUNTY SEAT FOR DE KALB COUNTY AND IT'S A DESTINATION FOR PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE METRO AREA, AND WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF VISITORS AS WELL AS RESIDENTS. I WILL CERTAINLY ECHO YOUR POINT THAT ANY TRAFFIC DECISION SHOULD NOT BE ENTIRELY IN THE SERVICE OF RESIDENTS. IT NEEDS TO BALANCE VISITORS AS WELL AS RESIDENTS TOO. I THINK WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE THINKING TO DO, AND I'LL TAKE THAT BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE APPROACHING THAT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE AS WELL ALSO. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. >> BUT I WOULD LOVE TO ECHO WE HAVE THREE MARKER STATIONS IN DECATUR, WE SHOULD USE THEM TO THE NEXT. >> WE SURE DO. THREE MARKER STATIONS IN DECATUR, USE THEM. >> GETTING OFF, ESPECIALLY THE DECATUR STATION AND SIDEWALK CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESS AROUND THE SQUARE IS VITALLY IMPORTANT, SO EVEN REACHING FURTHER BEYOND DECATUR INTO THE REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEM. >> WELL, I JUST WANT TO PIGGY BACK ON SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID. I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER BEEN OUR INTENTION TO LIMIT ACCESS. IT HAS NEVER BEEN THE CITY'S INTENTION TO LIMIT ACCESS TO THE CITY. I THINK IT'S ABOUT IMPROVING THE ACCESS. ALSO SLOWING PEOPLE DOWN, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF VULNERABLE USERS ON OUR STREETS EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY DAY, SO IT'S ALL ABOUT SLOWING PEOPLE DOWN, NOT ABOUT LIMITING ACCESS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR. >> WE'LL SEE ON ALMOST ANY ROAD DIET, AND WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES IN RECENT MEMORY IN YOUR NEIGHBOR IN AVONDALE, THAT'S NOT LIMITING CAPACITY, BUT IT'S JUST REASSIGNING CAPACITY IN A WAY THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE. I'M GOING TO BE KEEPING A CAREFUL EYE ON THAT. BUT WE'VE SEEN THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN THE DATA THAT TRAFFIC LANES THAT ARE WELL DESIGNED CAN ACCEPT JUST AS MUCH THROUGH TRAFFIC AND OFTEN DO IT SAFER EVEN IF IT'S A SLOWER SPEED. IT'S ABSOLUTELY BOUNCING ACT. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE VERY NERDY PLANNING THEORY QUESTIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THIS PLAN, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY ONE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TOUCHING ON A LOT OF POINTS FOR. >> WE HEAR IT A LOT AS PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO COME IN, AND DO YOU THINK WELL DESIGNED STREETS AND ALSO WELL TIMED LIGHTS, I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME MONEY FOR IS GETTING SOME NEW STREET SIGNALS, WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, AND WE'VE APPLIED FOR SOME FUNDING FOR THAT BECAUSE I THINK IF THERE IS A REASONABLE FLOW, [01:20:01] THEN YOU DON'T HAVE 50 CARS WAITING AND THEN WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS, EVERYBODY IS RUSHING AND SIX PEOPLE RUN THE LIGHT BECAUSE THEY SAT THROUGH A COUPLE OF LIGHTS. >> SURPRISED TOO TO JUST DIG INTO THE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT AND SEE ONE OF OUR ABSOLUTE ABSOLUTE FIRST RECOMMENDATIONS IS MODERN SINGLE EQUIPMENT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY TOO, BECAUSE I WAS SURPRISED AT THE DEGREE DE KALB COUNTY IS LIMITED FOR TIMING AND OPERATIONS DECISIONS THAT [INAUDIBLE]. >> I'VE BEEN ASKING AND I'VE BEEN ON THE CITY COMMISSION FOR 16 YEARS BECAUSE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET IT WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE DID. >> I'M SHOCKED YOU CAN EVERY SINGLE PEDESTRIAN. >> I MUST SAY I HAD THAT. >> EVERY SINGLE PEDESTRIAN HEAD AROUND THE SQUARE SHOULD BE A COUNTDOWN SIGNAL, AND THERE'S STILL SOME 1980S [INAUDIBLE]. >> MAYBE THAT A QUESTION FOR TOOL. HOW DO YOU HELP US ENGAGE WITH THE COUNTY TO GET SOME OF THIS IN THE COUNTY SEAT? THAT'S ZERO EXCUSE FOR THE COUNTY TO HAVE IT WORSE [INAUDIBLE]. >> WE'RE GOING TO SOME RECOMMENDATIONS. BUT CERTAINLY IT'S INTERESTING. WE WORK WITH THE DE KALB COUNTY A LOT AND THEY'RE SYMPATHETIC TO ALL OF THIS TOO, BUT THEY'RE DEFINITELY A LOT OF PRIORITIES. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ECHO THAT AS THE COUNTY SEAT AS A CENTER OF WALKING, AND PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, AND ACCESS DRIVING, EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE HERE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR. >> I WAS JUST IN PHILADELPHIA LAST WEEKEND AND A LOT OF THIS IS ALL COMING TOGETHER TOO IN THIS CONVERSATION AS WELL, BUT I WAS ACTUALLY HYPER VIGILANT AND LIKE OVER, YES, HYPER VIGILANT WITH MY CROSSINGS BECAUSE OF BEING USED TO BEING HERE IN ATLANTA, AND IN DECATUR, AND IN THE CAR ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE IN, AND IT'S JUST NOW IF YOU HAVE THE SAFE NETWORK IN PLACE AND THE CULTURE OF MORE IMPROVED DRIVING AND PEOPLE HAVE SLOWED DOWN BEFORE THEY GET NEAR THE DENSER WALKING ZONES, YOU DON'T EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE PAIN POINTS REALLY LIKE WE DO. I NEVER SAW A CAR PUSH TO GET THROUGH A YELLOW OR RED. I KEPT LOOKING FOR THE BUTTON. I DIDN'T HAVE TO PUSH A BUTTON ANYWHERE. COMMISSIONER DUSENBERY BRINGS US UP ALL THE TIME THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO ALWAYS PUSH A BUTTON, AND I WAS CHECKING MY RIGHT SHOULDER OVER AND OVER TO MAKE SURE NOBODY'S TRYING TO TURN. I CAN SEE NOW REALLY WHAT THAT SHOULD FEEL LIKE WHEN THE HOLISTIC COMPONENTS ARE ALL COMING TOGETHER AND EVERYBODY'S JUST DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THE ONLY OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS I REALLY THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AS A CITY WHERE THE HIGHER INJURY NETWORK, IF YOU WILL, AND THE STATE ROUTES OR ANY ROUTES ACTUALLY OVERLAP WITH OUR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL OF IMPROVING OUR SIDEWALK ACCESS. IF IT'S NOT AS WIDE AS WE WANT IT TO BE, THAT'S OKAY, BUT IT STILL SHOULD BE PROPERLY, TREND, AND TAKEN CARE OF, AND PUSHED TO THE FARREST OF ITS MARGINS. I THINK WE LET A FEW PLACES GO AND GET TOO NARROW, AND WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY FOOT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE PARTICULARLY SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL. I KNOW WE DO SOME INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS, BUT JUST AS A WAY TO PARTNER WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND DO OUR OWN WORK TO REALLY MAKE SURE EVEN IF IT'S THE MINIMUM WILL BE A THREE-FOOT SIDEWALK, THAT WE'RE EVEN GETTING THE FIVE FOOT, IS IT FIVE? >> FIVE FOOT. >> FOUR. THAT WE GET EVERY INCH THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE NOW AND DO THAT BETTER. >> 100%. >> YEAH. >> IT HELPS THAT, FIRST OF ALL, I SPEAK FOR COMMISSIONER WALSH AND SAY I VERY MUCH ENJOYED BEING ON THIS [INAUDIBLE] HAVING [INAUDIBLE] A COUPLE OF MINORS FIRST OF ALL, I MADE VERY SUPPORTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY THOROUGHLY DONE. I THINK I HEARD THAT YOU PICKED OUT COMMERCE DRIVE AS A DANGEROUS STREET [INAUDIBLE] DECATUR AND WORK WITH [INAUDIBLE] NEIGHBORS HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT. I HEARD THAT IT ACTUALLY THE TRAFFIC FINE IS NOT THAT HIGH ON COMMERCE DRIVE, AND IT MIGHT ACTUALLY MAKE SENSE FOR ROAD [INAUDIBLE] AND THAT WOULD THEN TO COMMISSIONER WALSH'S POINT, PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A SAFE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE. >> I WAS REALLY ENCOURAGED TO LOOK UP THE TRAFFIC NUMBERS ON THAT AND SEE THAT IT FIT WELL WITHIN THREE-LANE CROSS SECTION [INAUDIBLE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] THAT AT LEAST ONE COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE] MISSION [INAUDIBLE] INTERESTED IN PARKING. >> I'M SORRY, [INAUDIBLE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] THAT CURVE [INAUDIBLE], YEAH. AND THEN THE SAME THING I HEARD BECAUSE YOU TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE COMING HERE AND WE TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITIES WE ALSO TALK PEOPLE COMING TO THE COURTHOUSE. I THINK IT TIES A LITTLE BIT IN ALSO THE FULL CONVERSATION ABOUT PARKING OF PEOPLE. AGAIN, I KNOW WE HAVE ENOUGH PARKING SPACES, BUT I'VE SEEN MORE LIKE BIG P SIGNS, IS THAT [INAUDIBLE] ACTUALLY DESIGNED THE SQUARE, THE FIRST ONE WHEN WE'RE UPDATING NOW, AND WE WERE TALKING, HE SAID THAT BACK THEN HE WAS LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY AND PARKING GARAGES. I'VE SEEN THIS IN THE PARK PARKING DECK. WE HAVE A RED LIGHT ABOVE IT IF IT'S FILLED AND GREEN IF IT'S OPEN AND WE HAVE A SIGN THAT SAYS THIS LEVELS THE SPACE SPACES, [01:25:02] AND I PROBABLY SHOULD BE TALKING TO ANGELA. >> BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, AGAIN, JUST THAT COMMUNICATION SO WE'RE REDUCING THE STRESS AND THE TENSION COMING IN HERE TRYING TO VISIT THE CITY. >> I PARKED HERE TONIGHT, SO I APPRECIATED THE SPACES [LAUGHTER]. >> YES, SIR. [INAUDIBLE]. >> BUT I THINK IT DOES ECHO THE FACT THAT IF THEY'RE FEWER PINCH POINTS AND FEWER PAIN POINTS AND PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM, IT WORKS BETTER FOR EVERYBODY, THEN THEY MAKE FEWER BAD CHOICES. >> I THINK ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, THE CEO HAS MENTIONED THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT UPDATING THEIR TRANSIT PLAN BECAUSE I THINK THE PREVIOUSLY PASSED TRANSIT PLAN WAS VALID FOR LIKE THREE YEARS, I THINK, AND SO THAT TIMELINE HAS PASSED. SHE HAS SPOKEN PRETTY CLEARLY ABOUT WANTING TO GET SOME TRANSPORTATION TO SOUTH DECATUR. I THINK IF THERE IS A WAY TO HELP FOLKS THAT MAY WORK IN THE IN THE CITY THAT MAY BE COMING FROM OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE TRANSPORTATION, I THINK THAT WOULD EASE WHAT WE SEE ON A DAY-TO-DAY, PARTICULARLY THE PAIN POINTS IN OUR TRAFFIC AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WORKDAY AND THE END OF THE WORK DAY. HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE SOME MOVEMENT TO GET SOMETHING GOING. I THINK UNFORTUNATELY, THE AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL FUNDS IS NOT WHAT IT WAS, THREE, FOUR YEARS AGO, BUT I THINK THERE WAS THE DESIRE THERE. [LAUGHTER] TO GET SOMETHING RECOGNIZING THAT IT WOULD BENEFIT THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY AND ALSO THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO GET TO THE COUNTY DECATURGA. >> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. >> ALSO THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO LIVE IN SOUTH DECATUR WHO WORK AT EMERY OR THE VA OR [INAUDIBLE]. THE ONE THING ALSO, WITH SCHOOLS OUT, TRAFFIC IS A LOT EASIER. ALSO A WAY TO ENCOURAGE WALKING [INAUDIBLE]. ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO THEIR ME. >> THANK YOU. >> BACK IN A FEW WEEKS. MOSTLY FULLY BAKED PAIN. THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF AND COME BACK WITH ALL SOLUTIONS. >> I'M FUNDING. >> I'M WELL AWARE OF MY TIMELINE THANK YOU ALL. APPRECIATE IT. >> A QUESTION. I BELIEVE, WHEN WILL THE PLAN BE IN FRONT OF THE CITY COMMISSION FOR CONSIDERATION? >> I'LL DEFER TO C IF THEY WANT TO TALK ON THE JUNE 2ND. >> THE CLOCK IS TICKING HAVE STOPPED. >> THAT'S THE HARD DEADLINE RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS. >> WE STAKES ABOUT A SEVEN MINUTE BREAK. >> ARE WE READY? >> READY? I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER [ I. Call to Order by Mayor.] THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE DECATUR CITY COMMISSION FOR MONDAY, APRIL 21ST, 2025. COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THE MINUTES FROM [ II. Approval of the Minutes.] THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THE REGULAR MEETING OF APRIL 7TH, 2025. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS? >> MOVE APPROVAL. >> HERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> VOTING ON THE MINUTES SINCE I WASN'T AT THAT MEETING. >> YOU'LL ABSTAIN. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR FAVOR OF APPROVING? >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. THE CHAIR VOTES. AYE. AND WE HAVE ONES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WALSH. NEXT, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PROCLAMATIONS. [ III. Proclamation.] THE FIRST QUESTION. GREAT. GOOD EVENING, MISS WELL. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. PRESENT THIS TO YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AT THE MEETING THIS EVENING. WHEREAS ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY IS OBSERVED ANNUALLY AROUND THE WORLD TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS [01:30:01] MAKE EACH YEAR TO THEIR WORKPLACES, AND WHEREAS ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS ARE VITAL CONTRIBUTORS TO TODAY'S TEAM ORIENTED WORK ENVIRONMENT AND ARE THE FRONTLINE PUBLIC RELATIONS AMBASSADORS FOR THEIR ORGANIZATIONS. WHEREAS, ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN COORDINATING THE OFFICE OPERATIONS OF BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENT, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. WHEREAS THE WORK OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS TODAY REQUIRES ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE IN COMMUNICATIONS, COMPUTER SOFTWARE, OFFICE TECHNOLOGY, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND OTHER VITAL OFFICE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF DECATURS ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS GROUP BEGAN IN 2000 WITH BERTHA HUNT, YOUR PREDECESSOR, SERVING AS THE FIRST CHAIR AND SEVEN STAFF MEMBERS REPRESENTING VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, AND WHEREAS THE GROUP CONTINUES TO MEET MONTHLY TO DISCUSS VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND PROVIDE VOLUNTEER SUPPORT AT CITY EVENTS. WHEREAS ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY CELEBRATES AND RECOGNIZES OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DEVOTED AND VALUED WORK IN THE CITY OF DECATUR. NOW, THEREFORE, I MAYOR PATTY GARRETT, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOME SCHOOLS AND PLACES OF WORSHIP, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 23RD, 2025 AS ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY AND URGE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO JOIN ME IN SALUTING ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS WHO POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO OFFICES WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY. AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. >> I'LL DEPEND ON AND APPRECIATE. MISS BLACKWELL. A LOT, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN UP TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THAT SUITE OF OFFICES, SHE'S THE FIRST SMILING FACE THAT YOU GET TO SEE. NEXT, WE HAVE ANOTHER PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING GEORGIA CITIES WEEK. WHEREAS CITY GOVERNMENT IS THE CLOSEST TO MOST CITIZENS AND THE ONE WITH THE MOST DIRECT DAILY IMPACT ON ITS RESIDENTS, AND WHEREAS CITY GOVERNMENT IS ADMINISTERED FOR AND BY ITS RESIDENTS AND IS DEPENDENT UPON PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF ITS MANY RESPONSIBILITIES, AND WHEREAS CITY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PASS ALONG THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF PUBLIC SERVICES AND THEIR BENEFITS, AND WHEREAS GEORGIA CITIES WEEK IS A VERY IMPORTANT TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYED BY CITY GOVERNMENT IN OUR LIVES. WHEREAS THIS WEEK OFFERS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD THE WORD TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF GEORGIA THAT THEY CAN SHAPE AND INFLUENCE THIS BRAND OF GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE. WHEREAS THE GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION AND ITS MEMBER CITIES HAVE JOINED TOGETHER TO TEACH STUDENTS AND OTHER CITIZENS ABOUT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND INFORMATION AND WHEREAS GEORGIA CITIES WEEK OFFERS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO CONVEY TO ALL THE RESIDENTS OF GEORGIA THAT THEY CAN SHAPE AND INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THEIR CIVIC INVOLVEMENT. NOW, THEREFORE I, PATTY GARRETT, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, CITY OF HOME, SCHOOLS, AND PLACES OF WORSHIP, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 21ST THROUGH THE 26TH, 2025 AT GEORGIA CITIES WEEK AND ENCOURAGE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CITY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT THIS WEEK IS RECOGNIZED AND CELEBRATED ACCORDINGLY. WE CELEBRATE GEORGIA CITY'S WEEK AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT THIS WEEK. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE SOME STAFF INTRODUCTIONS. [ IV. Presentations.] [LAUGHTER] >> RENEE JACKSON, EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE LATASHA BROWN, [01:35:02] THE CITY'S NEW COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER. LATASHA HAS OVER 15 YEARS OF STORYTELLING EXPERIENCE IN BOTH THE NON PROFIT AND IN PRIVATE COMPANIES. I THINK HER STORYTELLING EXPERIENCE WILL BECOME HELPFUL AS WE CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY OUR EFFORTS TO TELL DECATUR STORY IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. I WILL SHUT UP AND I WILL ALLOW LATASHA TO SPEAK. >> I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT JOINING THE TEAM, THE COMMUNITY. I'M JUST REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO REALLY HELPING THE COMMUNITY CONNECT WITH ITS RESIDENTS, REALLY KEEPING THE ENGAGEMENT, REGARDLESS OF THE CHANGES AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONSISTENT WITH OUR MESSAGING, CONTINUING TO BE AS INCLUSIVE, AS WE CAN AND AS WE SHOULD BE. >> WELCOME. >> THANK YOU. >> SOME OF US MET YOU AT THE SQUARE SHAKE UP. SO WE'RE GLAD TO OFFICIALLY WELCOME YOU TO CITY OF DECATUR. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU. >> I'M SURE WE'LL SEE YO. >> BLESS WHO TIME [LAUGHTER]. >> NOW, I THINK DECATUR LAND TRUST AND DECATUR ARTS ALLIANCE EVENT COMING FORWARD. >> JUMP WENT TOO FAST. HI. GOOD EVENING OFFSHER. I'M JULIE SMITH, THE LIFELONG COMMUNITY MANAGER, AND WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT THAT THE DECATUR LAND TRUST AND THE DECATUR ARTS ALLIANCE ARE PARTNERING TO PUT ON AN EVENT. IT WILL BE THE DECATUR LAND TRUST FIRST EVENT, FIRST FUNDRAISER. I THINK FORAY INTO THE COMMUNITY, SO WE'RE THRILLED TO PARTNER WITH THE ARTS ALLIANCE AND OTHER GROUPS THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT IN TO HAVE AN ART EXHIBIT THAT WE HAVE TITLED GIVE ME SHELTER. IT WILL BE AT ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE DECAB LIBRARY AND IT WILL OPEN ON JULY 11TH AND RUN THROUGH JULY AND INTO AUGUST, AND IT IS WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING ARTISTS TO INTERPRET THEIR VISIONS OF HOME. SO I'M GOING TO LET ANGIE GIVE YOU ALL THE ART SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ANGIE MACON. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DECATUR ARTS ALLIANCE. WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE. JULIE CAME TO ME ABOUT A WAY TO GET MORE AWARENESS OUT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HER OFFICE AND MIDDLE INCOME MISSING MIDDLE AND THE LAND TRUST AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AS I SAID TO THE MAYOR, SHE MENTIONED DOORS. I SAID, NO, ON DOORS, THAT WE WERE NOT PAINTING ANYMORE DOORS THAT WE DID 20 YEARS AGO, WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. WE WANTED TO DO AN ART EXHIBITION. WORKING WITH THE DECAP LIBRARY, THE GEORGIA CENTER FOR THE BOOK, THE ARTS ALLIANCE AND THE LAND TRUST, WE CAME UP WITH THE NAME GIMME SHELTER, REMEMBERING AND REIMAGINING THE PLACE THAT WE CALL HOME. WHY ART? WHY DO YOU THINK THE REASON WE DECIDED ON TRYING TO EXPRESS THIS AND TRYING TO GET MORE AWARENESS ABOUT THE SUBJECT OUT TO THE POPULATION WAS IT HUMANIZES THE ISSUE. IT ART PUTS A FACE ON STATISTICS. IT SHOWCASES REAL PEOPLE WITH HOUSING INSECURITY AND TURNING ABSTRACT POLICY ISSUES INTO RELATABLE EXPERIENCES. WE WANT TO CREATE EMPATHY. WE WANT TO RAISE AWARENESS, AND WE WANT TO RE IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES THROUGH ART BY WHAT ARTISTS AND PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY FEEL LIKE THE FUTURE COULD BE. ALSO, A DIALOGUE. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OF COURSE, A DIALOGUE, CREATING A DIALOGUE ABOUT THIS SUBJECT AND IN THE PROCESS, RAISING MONEY AND GETTING MORE AWARENESS FOR THE LAND TRUST. THIS EXHIBITION, THE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ONLINE BEGINNING APRIL 28TH. THE EXHIBITION BEGINS ON JULY 11TH AND RUNS THROUGH AUGUST 16TH. ONE THING THAT WE'RE DOING DIFFERENTLY FOR THIS EXHIBITION, WE ARE OFFERING APPLICATIONS SIXTH GRADE THROUGH POST SECONDARY AND WAIVING ANY APPLICATION FEE. WE CAN GET A YOUNGER VOICE AND IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER T THE ADULT ARTISTS AND PROFESSIONALS THAT THAT WE'LL PUT THE CALL OUT TO. WE HOPE TO GET A LOT OF APPLICATIONS FROM THAT POPULATION. WE'RE WAVING THE APPLICATION FEE. EVERYTHING IS ONLINE. YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL THE ARTS ALLIANCE AND GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT. HAVE A GREAT SET OF JURORS, WHICH WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO KRISTIN ALLEN FROM THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION, [01:40:06] ADAM CRAWFORD FROM CADY CREATIVE GALLERY, LANGSTON LAKE, THE CITY OF DECATUR, CYNTHIA LAWLESS, PROFESSOR OF ART AT WEST GEORGIA COLLEGE, AND A RESIDENT OF DECATUR FOR 15 YEARS, AND ADAM PINSLEY, AN ARTIST AND DECATUR RESIDENT. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE DIVERSITY AND HOPEFULLY THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES THAT THESE JURORS WILL BRING TO WHAT WE COULD BE A REALLY INTERESTING AND COOL GROUP OF ARTIST APPLICATIONS. WE WILL BE GETTING BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOU AS IT GETS A LITTLE FURTHER TO THE DATE. YOU KNOW ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH. NOW, JULIE IS AGREED TO BE MY VANNA WHITE TONIGHT [LAUGHTER] AS I TALK ABOUT THE 2025 DECATUR ARTS FESTIVAL. I WANT TO TURN THIS ONE AROUND. WE HAD THE [INAUDIBLE] AND INDEPENDENT DISTILLERY. THE ARTIST IS RORY HAWKINS. OTHERWISE KNOWN AS CATLANTA. HE IS ALSO A STUDIO ARTIST AT LEGACY PARK IN THE HYATT BUILDING. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT ROY'S THERE. HE DID A GREAT POSTER FOR US THIS YEAR. HAD A SUPER TURNOUT ON MARCH THE 25TH AT INDEPENDENT DISTILLERY. CASEY IS AWESOME. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OVER THERE, YOU NEED TO GO. MAY THE 2ND IS THE ART WALK, AND WE HAVE 20 BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE PARTICIPATING. THEN MAY 3RD AND 4TH IS THE ARTISTS FESTIVAL DOWNTOWN WITH OUR CONTINUING PARTNERSHIP WITH LITTLE SHOP OF STORIES AS THEY ADD A CHILDREN'S BOOK COMPONENT AND CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES ON THE PLAZA. NOW, OUR LAYOUT HAS BEEN ADJUSTED FOR THE UPCOMING PLAZA RENOVATION, AND WE'RE GOING TO STICK WITH THAT. IT'S STILL GOING TO BE AS IF EVERYTHING IS GOING ON, WHICH I KNOW IT WILL BE. WE ARE EXTENDING MORE ARTISTS DOWN WEST PONTS CLOSER TO COMMERCE. WE HAVE MORE ARTISTS THIS YEAR THAN WE'VE EVER HAD. I THINK IT'S LIKE 150 ARTISTS. WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE COMPONENT THAT LITTLE SHOP OF STORIES BRINGS. AGAIN, IT'S BECAUSE DECATUR IS SUCH A BOOK TOWN AND BOOK AND ART GO HAND IN HAND. ALSO, THE FINE ARTS EXHIBITION WILL BE OPENING ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY. AGAIN, WE THANK THE GEORGIA CENTER FOR THE BOOK AND DEKALB LIBRARY FOR HOSTING US ON THE FOURTH FLOOR, AND THEY WILL BE A PART OF THE ART WALK ON MAY THE 2ND. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL COME OUT AND BUY PLENTY OF ARTS AND CHILDREN'S BOOKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I THINK I'M UP NEXT, AND IF I CAN GET MY NEST ARRANGED [LAUGHTER] OVER HERE. I WILL PULL. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THIS IS HOW I WAS GOING TO DO IT OR IF I WAS GOING TO BE UP THERE PRESENTING, BUT THIS WORKS JUST GREAT. AS CERTAINLY MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS KNOW, AND I THINK HOPEFULLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT I WAS NOT HERE FOR A WHILE, AND I WAS OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND MAYOR PRO TEM GAVE THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS AND I LEFT TO GO TO THIS OPPORTUNITY IN JAPAN, AND IT WAS SPONSORED BY THE COUNCIL OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OR CLAIR. IF YOU ALL REMEMBER, WE HOSTED SOME FOLKS FROM CLAIR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND IT WAS CALLED THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXCHANGE AND COOPERATION SEMINAR. AS I WAS REFLECTING AND GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT MY NOTES AND LOOKING BACK OVER MY PICTURES AND THINKING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE, I THINK ONE THING THAT I WAS REMINDED OF IS JUST THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS AND THE REMARKABLE GRATITUDE I FELT FOR BEING A PART OF THIS AND ALSO TO FEEL SO WELCOME. THERE WERE 10 OF US THAT WERE PART OF THE SEMINAR, SEVEN FROM THE US, AND THREE FROM CANADA. IT WAS A NORTH AMERICAN EXCHANGE GROUP. IT WAS DEFINITELY A WHIRL WIND TOUR. LET'S SEE IF I CAN FIND THE PAGE OF EXCEPT THE ONE I'M WANTING TO, THERE IT GOES. OUR VERY FIRST NIGHT, WE SPENT A NIGHT IN TOKYO, ANOTHER DAY IN TOKYO, AND IT WAS LITERALLY WE HEARD A PROFESSOR FROM ONE OF THE COLLEGES WHO WAS A PROFESSOR IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL FOR GOVERNMENT STUDIES IN TOKYO, AND IT WAS LIKE ATTENDING TWO COLLEGE LEVEL CLASSES. [01:45:03] ONE WAS ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE IN JAPAN AND THEN ABOUT THE FINANCE STRUCTURE OF SUPPORTING GOVERNMENTS IN JAPAN. JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE SHORT OVERVIEW, THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE IN JAPAN IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE AND VERY SIMILAR TO GREAT BRITAIN BECAUSE IT WAS AN ENGLISH, I GUESS, COMMONWEALTH AT SOME POINT, AND SO THEY HAVE A PARLIAMENT WITH TWO CHAMBERS AND THEY HAVE A PRESIDENT. THEY HAVE A LOT OF BRITISH INFLUENCE. YOU DRIVE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU WALK ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. YOU LEARN THAT VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE TOKYO IS DEFINITELY A VERY WALKABLE CENTRIC CITY. THEY HAVE THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, AND WE LEARNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN THE FINANCE STRUCTURE. THEN WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE, INSTEAD OF HAVING A STATE AND A CITY, THERE ARE PREFECTURES AND MUNICIPALITIES, AND THE PREFECTURE IS THE LARGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT, IT'S MADE UP OF CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES. EACH OF THESE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES, THERE'S A GOVERNOR FOR THE PREFECTURE AND THEN THERE'S A MAYOR FOR THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES AND AN ASSEMBLY AND THE ASSEMBLY PASSES ORDINANCES, PASSES THE BUDGET. INTERESTINGLY, EVERYTHING STARTS IN APRIL, AND IT IS TO COINCIDE WITH THE FLOWER BLOOM, THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS AND THE PLUM BLOSSOMS. BUDGET YEARS ARE APRIL TO THE END OF MARCH AND SCHOOL TERMS, EVERYTHING BEGINS IN APRIL. WE WERE THERE JUST BEFORE THE END OF THEIR YEAR. SOME OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHALLENGES I THOUGHT WE'RE REALLY INTERESTING. EVERYWHERE WE WENT, EVERY PRESENTATION TALKED ABOUT THE BIRTH RATE DECLINE AND THAT THEY HAVE A RAPIDLY DECREASING POPULATION. THEIR POPULATION ACTUALLY PEAKED IN JAPAN AT ABOUT 128 MILLION IN 2010. BUT THE BIRTH RATE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DECLINED. THERE'S A HUGE INCREASE IN THE AGING POPULATION. THE AGING POPULATION, PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER IN 1950 WAS ABOUT 5% OF THE POPULATION. BY 2010, IT WAS 26% OF THE POPULATION, AND THAT HAS CONTINUED TO GO UP AS WELL AS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE POPULATION OF PEOPLE OVER AGE 80. JAPAN, ALTHOUGH TRADITIONAL CULTURE, A LOT OF FAMILIES AND GENERATIONS LIVE TOGETHER, BUT AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE MOVE TO MORE URBAN AREAS, JAPAN REALLY TAKES CARE OF EVERYONE ON BOTH ENDS OF THE AGE SPECTRUM, AND THERE IS CONCERN ABOUT THE LOWER BIRTH RATE AND THE HIGHER NUMBER OF OLDER POPULATION. THE POPULATION AGES, I THINK IT'S 15 TO 64 IS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY DECLINING. THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE IT A WELCOMING PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHERE PEOPLE CAN MOVE AND LIVE AND THRIVE IN JAPAN, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE CITY THAT WE VISITED IN HAMAMATSU CITY. I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE SAME THINGS WE SEE, THE SIZE DISPARITY OF SOME OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, THE MORE RURAL AREAS, THE MORE CENTRALIZED CITIES. THE RETIREMENTS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, AND THEY TALKED A LOT ABOUT AND THE CITY MANAGER CAN PROBABLY APPRECIATE THIS THAT IT WAS, I GUESS, SECOND GENERATION BABY BOOMERS, THE BABY BOOMERS FROM 1946 TO 1964 AND SO THOSE THAT WERE BORN IN THE EARLY 60S ARE RETIRING AND OR GETTING CLOSE TO RETIREMENT AGE. THERE'S INCREASED DEMANDS FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR, AND THERE ARE FEWER YOUNGER PEOPLE GOING INTO PUBLIC SERVICE. THEY SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED DIFFICULTY IN SECURING CIVIL ENGINEERS, AND THEY ALSO DO PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES, IT, TECHNICAL STAFF, HUMAN RESOURCES. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I OBSERVED WAS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SERVICE. THEY FOUND THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE BEING ASKED TO DO MORE AND RECEIVE REALLY LESS REVENUE TO DO IT. THE CITY THAT WE THEN LEFT AND WHIPPED TO WAS HAMAMATSU CITY. [01:50:02] WE ALL LAUGHED AND NOT ONE OF US HAD EVER HEARD OF IT, AND IT'S A CITY OF ABOUT 800,000 PEOPLE. IT'S BETWEEN OSAKA AND TOKYO ON THE BULLET TRAIN. IT'S BORDERED ON THE SOUTH BY THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND THE MOUNTAINS ON THE NORTH, IT'S REALLY A BEAUTIFUL CITY. I HAD TO PUT THIS LITTLE LOGO IN. I GUESS, IT'S MORE THE MASCOTS [LAUGHTER] OF THE HAMAMATSU CITY. THE PERSON ON THE LEFT, HIS NAME REPRESENTS, HE IS A SUCCESSFUL FEUDAL LORD AND THE WOMAN IS A SUCCESSFUL PRIESTESS. TWO OF THE THINGS THAT I THOUGHT WERE SO INTERESTING. YOU SEE THIS EVERYWHERE. YOU SEE IT ON ON CABS, ON SIGNS. IT IS RECOGNIZED. THOSE ARE THE MASCOTS. THE MAN OBVIOUSLY HAS PIANO KEYS FOR PANTS AND THE WOMAN, THAT IS AN EEL THAT IS CIRCLING, LOOKS LIKE A TAIL, BUT IT'S AN EEL, AND THEN IT GOES UP. THERE WAS A LARGE EEL PRESENCE. I'M JUST SAYING. THE HAMAMATSU CITY IS THE NUMBER 1, I GUESS, CITY IN JAPAN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MANDARIN ORANGES, NAVEL ORANGES, GERBER DAISIES, HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION OF EEL. WE HAD EEL AT ALMOST EVERY MEAL. THE TREATS THAT I BROUGHT, AND I WILL LET YOU EACH TAKE ONE. THESE ARE UNAGI PIE, THAT IS EEL. THEY DON'T TASTE LIKE EEL. [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] DASH, THANKS YOU FOR THAT. GOING STRAIGHT TO DASH. THEY'RE ALMOST LIKE A DRIED PASTRY, CRUNCHY, AND I THINK IT SAYS, GOOD FOR EVENING SNACKS OR SO. [LAUGHTER] YOU CAN SNACK AWAY. THEY'RE ALSO KNOWN FOR THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF SOLAR POWER IN JAPAN. THEY'RE A MUSIC CITY, HENCE THE PIANO. THERE WERE THREE MAJOR MANUFACTURERS OF PIANOS. THE LARGEST ONE IN THE FACTORY THAT WE TOURED, IT WAS YAMAHA. BUT THEY HAVE JAZZ CLUBS. IT'S QUITE A MUSIC CITY. HERE'S A PICTURE FROM THE FACTORY AND I GUESS THE GUEST AREA THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE YAMAHA PIANOS. IT WAS LOVELY. YOU CAN SEE THOSE LITTLE TINY WHITE SIGNS JUST UNDER THE PIANO AND THEN TO THE RIGHT NEXT TO THE LEG OF ONE OF THE PIANOS. THEY SAY, WARNING, DO NOT GET UNDER HERE DURING EARTHQUAKES. [LAUGHTER] THEY TELL YOU, DON'T HIDE UNDER THE PIANO WHEN THE GROUND SHAKES SO JUST IN CASE YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT IT. BUT IT WAS A REALLY FUN PLACE TO VISIT. BUT ALSO TEXTILES, THEY GROW A LOT OF COTTON AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF COTTON TEXTILES, INSTRUMENTS, NOT JUST PIANOS, BUT THEY MANUFACTURE A LOT OF DIFFERENT BRASS INSTRUMENTS, THEIR ELECTRONICS, PHOTONICS. AGAIN, WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT INDUSTRY, THEIR CHALLENGES ARE A DECLINE IN POPULATION. HAMAMATSU CITY WAS VERY DIFFERENT THAN TOKYO IN THAT IT HAD 70% RELIANCE CARS TO GET INTO THE CITY FOR WORK, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE VERY MUCH TRYING TO REVERSE THAT TREND. THEY'VE ALSO HAD A SPRAWL AND DOWNTOWN FLIGHT AND THEY HAVE RECOGNIZED A DECREASE IN WEEKEND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC IN THE CITY CENTER AND ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT EASIER TO GET BACK IN AND ENJOY WHAT THE DOWNTOWN HAS TO OFFER. THEY DO A LOT OF PLANNING, AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF SESSIONS ON THEIR MASTER PLAN. ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU CAN SEE. WE DID A LOT OF GIFT EXCHANGING AS WELL, AS WE WERE TOLD THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE JAPANESE CULTURE, AND IT WAS FUN TO EXCHANGE DIFFERENT GIFTS. I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT HOW MUCH I NEEDED TO TAKE WITH ME BECAUSE THEY SAID BRING 150 BUSINESS CARDS AND I WAS LIKE, HOW MANY PEOPLE AM I GOING TO MEET, I NEED TO BRING CITY SWAG FOR. BUT THE VISITOR CENTER HELPED ME OUT AND I HAD BROUGHT CHOCOLATE AND CITY PENS [01:55:05] AND SOME NICER GIFTS FOR THE DIGNITARIES THAT WE WERE TOLD TO BRING GIFTS FOR. THEIR MASTER PLAN, INTERESTINGLY, AND THEIR PROCESS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO. THEY HIRED A CONSULTANT. THEY HAD COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE THEY BROUGHT DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO BE ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS, HAD INPUT SESSIONS. I ASKED THEM IF THEY DID ANY ELECTRONIC OR ONLINE INPUT AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NOT DONE THAT BEFORE. I SAID, WELL, WE DO THAT. YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT THAT. I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED WITH ALL THE TECHNOLOGY. BUT THEY REPORTED THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A FAIR NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE. THEY HAVE THE BASIC CONCEPT, WHICH IS A 30 YEAR PLAN, AND THEN THEY HAVE A BASIC PLAN, WHICH IS 10 YEARS, AND THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS WHAT THEY HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH OVER EACH YEAR. THE BASIC CONCEPT OR THE 30 YEAR PLAN REALLY IS WHAT THEY CALL THEIR FUTURE VISION, AND IT'S LOOKING AT HOW DO THEY MAKE SURE THEY CONTINUE TO BE A CREATIVE CITY, THAT THEY HAVE ENHANCED CIVIC COLLABORATION AND CITIZEN DEVELOPMENT. IT WAS CLEAR THAT THEY ARE A WELCOMING CITY AND THEY WANT PEOPLE TO COME THERE, VISIT THERE AND WORK THERE AND THEY HAVE ALL SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PEOPLE THAT COME AND MOVE THERE. HERE YOU SEE SOME OF THE WIND TURBINES THAT ARE THERE. THEY HAVE WIND POWER AND THEY HAVE SOLAR POWER AND SO REALLY ARE LOOKING TO PUT IN ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF POWER. BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE MOUNTAINS ON ONE SIDE AND THE OCEAN ON THE OTHER, THEY TALKED A LOT ABOUT BEING READY FOR NATURAL DISASTERS BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED AND WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE THEIR COMMUNITY PREPARED FOR. THIS ALSO TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT BASIC LONG-TERM PLAN, THEIR 30 YEAR PLAN. THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN CONTINUING TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE CITY THAT THEIR RESIDENTS HAVE A PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY LIFE, REVITALIZE THE LOCAL ECONOMY, ESTABLISH A SUPPORTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE SOCIETY, ENHANCE THE CITY'S VIBRANCY AND APPEAL AND TO DEVELOP A NETWORK OF URBAN STRUCTURE. SOME OF THE SAME THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT THAT ARE IMPORTANT REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE CITY THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO HAVE A COHESIVE AND THRIVING COMMUNITY. >> THEY'RE ALSO REALLY INTERESTED IN INTERCULTURAL INITIATIVES, AND THEY REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE TO GROW THAT. I THOUGHT IT WAS SO INTERESTING BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK UNDER THE DIRECTION WHERE IT SAYS COLLABORATION, A CITY THAT BUILT TOGETHER HAND IN HAND WITH MUTUAL RESPECT, AND TO CREATE A CITY THAT BRINGS FORTH NEW VALUE THROUGH DIVERSITY AND PEACE OF MIND, A CITY EASY FOR ANYONE TO LIVE IN. SO IT WAS ENCOURAGING TO HEAR THAT THEY WERE REALLY NOT ONLY OPEN TO DIVERSITY, BUT REALLY WELCOMING DIVERSITY IN THEIR CITY. THEN THE LAST FEW SLIDES I HAVE, I'LL JUST GO THROUGH JUST TO SHOW SOME OF THE FUN THINGS THAT WE DID. IT DID FEEL LIKE I WAS BACK IN COLLEGE PART OF THE TIME. WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE OUR SUITCASE, AND WE CHANGED HOTELS EVERY NIGHT, BUT ONE, AND SO WE WERE ON THE RUN BUT WE DID GET HAVE SOME FUN FIELD TRIPS AS PART OF SOME OF THE DAYS THAT WE WERE THERE. WE HAD A TRADITIONAL TEA SERVICE, AND YOU HADN'T HAD MUCH TEA UNTIL [LAUGHTER] YOU HAD SERVED LIKE SEATED ON YOUR KNEES FOR A VERY LONG TIME, BUT IT WAS LOVELY. THERE'S SOME EEL AND THERE'S MORE EEL IN THE TOP LEFT-HAND CORNER OF THE BENTO BOX, BUT MOST OF OUR MEALS LOOK LIKE THIS. THEY GAVE US SO MUCH FOOD, BUT IT WAS JUST DELIGHTFUL AND USUALLY SOMEONE COULD TELL US MOST OF WHAT WE WERE EATING. ONE OF OUR INTERPRETERS AT ONE TIME SAID, I WOULD JUST CALL A JAPANESE VEGETABLE [LAUGHTER] I WAS LIKE, [02:00:06] OKAY, THEN, WE'LL EAT THE JAPANESE VEGETABLE. THIS IS THE BENTO BOX ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE THAT I THINK WE WERE SERVED WHEN WE MET WITH THE MAYOR, AND YOU'LL NOTICE THE EEL IN THE RIGHT-HAND CORNER. THAT'S OUR GROUP WITH SOME OF OUR INTERPRETERS, AND THAT WAS AT THE SAKE BREWERY. WE DID GET TO VISIT A SAKE BREWERY, AND WE ALSO GOT TO SEE MOUNT FUJI ON THE WAY TO AND FROM, AND IT IS REALLY SPECTACULAR, AND THAT WAS TAKEN FROM THE BULLET TRAIN. WE VISITED A BUDDHIST TEMPLE. WE DID NOT EVER FIGURE OUT WHY. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF STATUES THAT HAD A BIB AND A BENI, BUT THE TEMPLE AND THE GROUNDS WERE JUST BEAUTIFUL. WE ALSO VISITED A CASTLE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WARRIOR COSTUMES THAT WAS IN THE CASTLE. AND THEN ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE IS TOKYO AT NIGHT, THAT WAS OUR LAST NIGHT THERE. AND IT WAS IT WAS LIT UP, IT WAS A FRIDAY NIGHT, AND YOU COULD TELL YOU WERE DEFINITELY IN A BIG CITY. AND THEN THAT'S OUR GROUP GATHERING AT THE I GUESS THAT WAS AT THE BULLET TRAIN STATION, AND WE WERE LEAVING THE NEXT DAY. THEN ONE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE TRIP GOT THAT LOVELY PICTURE OF THE FLAGS THAT WERE FLYING OVER CITY HALL IN HAMAMATSU CITY. WE FELT VERY WELCOMED. WE WERE ABLE TO NOT ONLY GET INFORMATION FROM THEM, BUT HAVE AN EXCHANGE AND CONVERSATION. SO I APPRECIATED EVERYBODY BEING WILLING TO PITCH IN, AND THAT I WAS ABLE TO GO. THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME A LITTLE BIT OF TIME THIS EVENING TO TALK ABOUT MY TRIP. BY THE WAY, NOTHING WAS ELECTRONIC. THIS IS ONLY A PORTION I WANTED TO SHOW YOU. THIS IS A PORTION OF THE HANDOUTS THAT I GOT. MANY OF THESE WERE FROM OUR COLLEGE PROFESSOR, BUT I HAVE A LOT OF IT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO READ THEM OUT [LAUGHTER] I'LL TAKE THE SUMMARY. MOST OF IT'S IN ENGLISH. BUT IF YOU KNOW SOME JAPANESE, I GOT SOME OF THAT FOR YOU, TOO. THANK YOU. ANYBODY HAS A QUESTION? SURE. >> I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU COULD CLOSE THE LOOP, AT LEAST FOR NOW, ON THAT RELATIONSHIP. WHEN THEY WERE HERE, I FELT SO IMPACTED BY THE JAPANESE VISITORS THAT WE HOSTED, AND THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH US WAS SO EARNEST AND GENUINE AND JUST COMPASSIONATE ABOUT LEARNING. I DID THE WALKING TOUR IN THE GANGEL. YOU LED US AROUND DOWNTOWN. AND THEIR EXCITEMENT ABOUT LEARNING FROM US WAS PALPABLE, AND YET IT SHOULD NOT BE ONE-WAY. THERE'S ONE WAY TO DO THINGS, WE'RE NOT RIGHT, AND WE GET TO TEACH OR ALWAYS BE THE SHARE. I APPRECIATE THAT WE COULD LEARN AND AT LEAST FEEL MORE CONNECTED THROUGH YOU THAT A CITY LIKE THAT ALSO WANTS A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS WE DO. ALSO, THE WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, I THINK THE FARTHER AWAY, SOME COUNTRIES, AND I'VE NEVER BEEN TO JAPAN OTHER THAN THROUGH THE AIRPORT, BUT TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE REACHING OUT IN THIS WAY AND SAYING, WE WANT DIVERSITY, WE WANT MORE PEOPLE. WE WANT TO FEEL WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE. I WOULD HOPE MORE CITIES WANT TO HAVE THAT AS A VALUE, TOO. THANKS FOR SHARING THAT. >> THANK YOU. I WILL SAY THE YOUNG MAN ON THE FRONT ROW ON THIS LAST SLIDE WAS, [INAUDIBLE] WAS HIS NAME, HE LOOKED ABOUT 20, BUT HE WAS ACTUALLY 35 AND HAS TWO CHILDREN. HE WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE CLAIRE PROGRAM IN NEW YORK AND BRINGING HIS FAMILY TO NEW YORK FOR TWO YEARS, AND I THINK IS COMING JUST IN A FEW WEEKS IN MAY. THAT WAS REALLY FUN. HE WAS SUCH A FUN PERSON TO TRAVEL WITH US, AND I SAID AFTER HE LITERALLY HAD BEEN WITH US DAY AND NIGHT. I'M SURE IT WAS EXHAUSTING WITH ROUNDING US UP AND TRANSLATING AND AND SO WE LEFT ON A SUNDAY MORNING, AND I SAID, "ARE YOU TAKING TOMORROW OFF?" AND HE SAID, "I'M JAPANESE. I WORK TOMORROW." [LAUGHTER] BUT HE WAS DELIGHTFUL, AND AS WE'RE MY COLLEAGUE, SO BUT THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. [02:05:01] I THINK THE MAYOR PRO TEM WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS WITH US, OR TO HAVE THEM COME FORWARD AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. >> BEFORE THEY GET STARTED AT HENRY CASE, HE WAS HERE, BUT I THINK HE HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE HE PROBABLY LOOKED LIKE HE HAD SOME HOMEWORK. [LAUGHTER] I'M GOING TO BRAG ON HIM A MINUTE. HE MAY NOT ENJOY THIS, BUT I'LL BRAG ON EVERYBODY ELSE ALSO. HE WAS JUST ACCEPTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HARVARD. HE WILL BE A CRIMSON IN THE FALL, SO BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] LADIES. >> HI. I'M MATTHEW LEWIS. I'M A JUNIOR AT DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL, AND THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR ON THE DECATUR YOUTH COUNCIL. >> WELCOME. >> HI. I'M ADDIE DUTZMAN. I'M A JUNIOR AT PIDA, AND THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR ON DECATUR YOUTH COUNCIL. >> THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON THE YOUTH COUNCIL, AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. >> THANK YOU. >> FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY HAVE MISSED IT IN MARCH, THEY HAD FAIR ON THE SQUARE, AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY STUPENDOUS. IT WAS THEIR SECOND ANNUAL, AND IT WAS JUST A GREAT AFTERNOON OF FUN AND EXCITEMENT, MINUS THE DUNK TANK AND THE BULL, BUT IT STILL WAS A BIG, BIG HIT. KUDOS TO YOU FOR PULLING OFF ANOTHER GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. THANKS TO YOU AND TO MEREDITH WORK FOR YOUR WORK WITH THE YOUTH COUNCIL. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER. [V. Alcoholic Beverage License] >> THANKS, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. WE HAVE BEFORE YOU A RECOMMENDATION FOR AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE FOR A NEW BUSINESS, AND THIS IS FOR THE APPLICANT, CRAIG HESPE, THE OWNER OF SOUTHERN SUPPERS, DOING BUSINESS AS MUSCOGO TACOS. YES, I SAID TACOS. AT 19 WEST COLLEGE AVENUE. AND THIS IS AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE FOR BEER, WINE, AND SPIRITUALS LIQUORS. JUST FOR REFERENCE, THIS IS THE SPACE THAT WAS FORMERLY OCCUPIED BY TORTUGA ICHANGO. I DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THEIR APPLICATION AS PRESENTED HERE TONIGHT. >> QUESTIONS? >> MOVE APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >> MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? CHAIR VOTES AYE, AND THE BEVERAGE LICENSE IS APPROVED. NEXT, WE WILL LOOK TO PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION, [VI.A. Madeleine Henner on behalf of Legacy Decatur and the City of Decatur has requested a conditional use permit to allow multiple family residential units for the development of the Creative Village at 500 South Columbia Drive, also known as Legacy Park.] AND THEN WE WILL OPEN THIS UP FOR A HEARING AND TAKE COMMENTS ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. THEN WE MIGHT HAVE YOU COME BACK AND WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TAKE A VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS. >> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I AM CASEY KURZIK WITH PLANNING AND ZONING. WE HAVE ONE ITEM IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT. MISS MADELEINE HENNER, ON BEHALF OF LEGACY DECATUR AND THE CITY OF DECATUR, HAS REQUESTED A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CREATIVE VILLAGE AT 500 SOUTH COLUMBIA DRIVE, WHICH IS ALSO LEGACY PARK, AS YOU KNOW IT. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL, SO YOU HAVE THAT ORDINANCE THERE IN FRONT OF YOU. I KNOW MADELEINE HAS A FULL PRESENTATION FOR YOU AND CAN ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS. BUT ESSENTIALLY, THIS WILL ALLOW A MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE FOR THE COTTAGES AT LEGACY PARK, KNOWN AS THE CREATIVE VILLAGE, WHICH IS ALSO IN THE LEGACY PARK MASTER PLAN, AND WILL PROVIDE AN AFFORDABLE RESIDENTIAL OPTION FOR THOSE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS ON SITE. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MADELEINE. >> COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS MADELEINE HENNER. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LEGACY DECATUR. I AM HERE REPRESENTING LEGACY, REPRESENTING THE CITY IN REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR RESIDENTIAL USE AT THE CREATIVE VILLAGE. THE CREATIVE VILLAGE ARE FOUR BUILDINGS AT LEGACY PARK, THAT'S HYATT, EDWARDS, TRUSTEES AND SMITH, THAT WILL BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND STUDIO SPACE FOR LOCAL ARTISTS. HYATT HAS ALREADY BEEN ACTIVATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DECATUR ARTS ALLIANCE AND THAT HOSTS SEVEN AMAZING LOCAL ARTISTS AS WELL AS GALLERY SPACE AND CLASSROOM SPACE FOR DIFFERENT ARTS PROGRAMMING. [02:10:04] THE OTHER THREE BUILDINGS WILL BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ARTISTS. IN 2022, WE WERE AWARDED COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING FROM CONGRESSMAN HINK JOHNSON IN THE AMOUNT OF $209,000 TO RENOVATE EDWARDS AND TRUSTEES, WHICH WILL BE PHASE 1 FOR THE HOUSING OF THE CREATIVE VILLAGE. WE ARE NOT CHANGING THE FOOT OF THOSE BUILDINGS IN THE EARLY 2000S. THOSE FOUR BUILDINGS THAT HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN GROUP HOMES WERE CONVERTED, THOSE THREE INTO APARTMENT-STYLE LIVING. WE ARE RESTORING THOSE INTO RESIDENTIAL UNITS FOR ARTISTS. THERE WILL BE 25 BEDROOMS AND 16 UNITS IN THE THREE BUILDINGS. SMITH WILL BE A PHASE FURTHER DOWN THE LINE AS WE SAVE SOME MONEY. THERE ARE 488 ACCESSIBLE BEDROOMS IN ONE UNIT, WHICH EXCEEDS THE 5% REQUIREMENT FROM HUD, WHICH IS THE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL BE OBLIGATING THOSE FUNDS TO THE CITY OF DECATUR FOR THAT RENOVATION. THE PLANNING COMMISSION LAST WEEK RECOMMENDED APPROVAL FOR THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, AND SO I'M HERE TO REQUEST THAT THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVE THAT RECOMMENDATION. >> THANK YOU. ARE THERE QUESTIONS? COME BACK AND HAVE A CONVERSATION, BUT I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS. IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ONE ITEM, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE YOUR COMMENT. WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THOSE WHO ARE IN THE ROOM, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS ANYONE ONLINE BESIDES STAFF AT THIS POINT. WE'LL JUST OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING. NOW, TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION OR IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM. BEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THE MEETING, AND WE'LL OPEN IT UP NOW FOR DISCUSSION AMONGST THE COMMISSIONERS. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER MYERS. >> GOING THROUGH THE STAFF REPORT, PAGE 2 WAS INCREDIBLY EXCITING TO ME. I WAS THRILLED TO READ THAT. FOR THOSE IN THE ROOM AND AT HOME, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A FOUR BEDROOM UNIT, A THREE BEDROOM UNIT, SOME EFFICIENCIES, SOME TWO BEDROOM UNITS, ALL OFFERED TO CREATIVES AND THEIR FAMILIES WITHIN 60% AND 80% AMI, THAT IS AN INCREDIBLE WIN WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING AFFORDABILITY AND INCLUSIVITY, ESPECIALLY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE CHOSEN A CAREER PATH THAT ISN'T ALWAYS VERY LUCRATIVE. I WAS VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT, AND I HOPE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF MORE EFFORTS LIKE THIS TO COME. >>I DO. [LAUGHTER] WELL I GUESS NOT TO MAKE LIGHT OF IT. IT'S ALL PART OF THE DYNAMIC PLAN THAT IS THE LEGACY MASTER PLAN. NOW EACH OF THOSE THINGS ARE BEING ACTIVATED. I'LL SKIP AHEAD. MOST OF US WERE THERE SATURDAY FOR AN EVENT THAT HAD COME BACK AND IT CAME BACK IN A BIG FUNCTION IN A BIG WAY. BUT JUST TO SEE THE FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY WOVEN INTO 77 ACRES. THIS IS REALLY WHAT LEGACY WAS INTENDED TO BE. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER PART OF THAT PLAN BEING ACTIVATED. >> SPEAKING OF THE STAFF REPORT, I ALSO LIKE ALL OF THE CONNECTIONS TO OUR 2020 STRATEGIC PLAN DESTINATION 2030 AND TO HAVE, AGAIN, THIS PIECE COMING ON BOARD, MAYBE A LITTLE SOONER THAN WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT AND CERTAINLY GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT AND THANKS TO CONGRESSMAN HINK JOHNSON FOR DESIGNATING SOME FUNDS FOR THE RENOVATION. THE PROPERTY WAS IN HIS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT UP UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. WE ARE NO LONGER IN HIS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, [02:15:03] BUT HE ALLOCATED THESE FUNDS WHEN WE WERE IN THE DISTRICT, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS PROJECT TO INCLUDE HIM IN RIBBON CUTTINGS AND GROUNDBREAKINGS OR WHATEVER CELEBRATIONS WE HAVE TO THANK HIM FOR HELPING MAKE THIS HAPPEN SOONER THAN WE MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT. BUT WE GOT IT FROM HIM IN THE NICK OF TIME. SO TO SPEAK. ARE THERE OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? >> QUICK COMMENT. I APPRECIATE MS. HANER BRINGING UP THE ADA ACCESSIBLE BEDROOMS. I'VE JUST BEEN TAKING NOTE THAT WE'RE SLOWLY, SURELY ADDING MORE AND MORE ACCESSIBILITY OUT THERE, WHICH I REALLY THINK IS A HUGE WIN, AND I KNOW WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE THAN WE HAVE OR EVEN MORE THAN WHAT BASIC REGULATIONS REQUIRE, BUT WE HAVE A WONDERFUL STRETCH OF ACCESS JUST IN THE ROAD BEING REPAVED AROUND THE TRACK, THE ACCESSIBLE WALKWAY DOWN PAST THE DAIRY BARN AND NOW THE ENTRY AND USE OF THE GYM. SO I HOPE THAT WE DO HAVE MORE, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS IF THEY HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES AND THEN THAT WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM TOO ABOUT WHERE WE'RE NOT MEETING THEIR EXPECTATIONS AND THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO MORE AND MORE AROUND THE CAMPUS. >> THIS IS AN ORDINANCE VOTE, BUT FIRST. >> MOVE APPROVAL [LAUGHTER]. >> TO APPROVE ORDINANCE O-25-V-XX. IS THERE A SECOND? >> AN ENTHUSIASTIC SECOND. >> COMMISSIONER MAYER FRONK, HOW DO YOU VOTE? >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER DUSENBERY. >> AYE. >> COMMISSIONER WALSH? >> AYE. >> MAYOR PRO TEM POWERS. >> AYE. >> THE CHAIR VOTES AYE, AND THE ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS, AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE AND GETTING US TO THIS [NOISE] WEEK AND DOING ALL THE THINGS NECESSARY TO GET THAT FUNDING. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE WILL LOOK AT AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. WE HAVE THREE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. THE FIRST IS A CHANGE ORDER FOR WEST HOWARD AVENUE TRAFFIC CALMING IMPROVEMENTS. THE SECOND IS A COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND UTILIZATION POLICY, AND THE THIRD IS AN ELECTRIC FIRE PUMPER RECOMMENDATION. NOW IS THE TIME. [VII. Public Comment on Agenda Action Items.] WE WILL TAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OF THOSE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE THIS EVENING WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THOSE ITEMS, WE WELCOME YOU TO COME FORWARD. >> HELLO. >> HELLO. IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. >> SURE. MAYOR PRO TEM, CITY MANAGER COMMISSIONERS. THANKS FOR HEARING ME. MY NAME IS JOHN CHALLEN. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD FROM ME VIA EMAIL. I LIVE AT 1580 COMMERCE DRIVE RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF COMMERCE AND WEST HOWARD. IT IS AN INTERSECTION MOST IMPACTED BY THE CHANGE ORDER THAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED AS PART OF THE WEST HOWARD AVENUE TRAFFIC CALMING IMPROVEMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO VOTE FAVORABLY FOR THIS CHANGE ORDER. I'VE WORKED QUITE A BIT WITH JULIE. I'M GOING TO BUTCHER HER LAST NAME. JULIE. G [LAUGHTER] ON THE STAFF. THE CHANGE ORDER ADDRESSES A NUMBER OF SAFETY CONCERNS FOR BOTH PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS, AND VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AT THAT INTERSECTION, AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU GUYS WOULD PUSH THAT FORWARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANKS FOR BEING HERE. ARE THERE OTHERS? >> I'VE RECEIVED. >> WELL, I JUST WANTED TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW AND THE COMMISSIONERS KNOW THAT I RECEIVED A COUPLE OF EMAILS FROM FOLKS WHO EITHER WERE A LITTLE BIT NOT HERE TONIGHT AND THEY'RE NOT ZOOMED IN, BUT I HAVE SHARED ONE OF THOSE COMMENTS, THE GROUP AND THE OTHER WAS A QUESTION. WELL, THEY WERE BOTH REGARDING THE FIRE PUMPER, AND ONE ACTUALLY HAD A QUESTION THAT WILL BE ANSWERED DURING THE PRESENTATION ABOUT THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE THAT IF I DO RECEIVE THESE EMAILS IN A TIMELY MANNER, THEN I DO SHARE THEM WITH THE CITY COMMISSIONERS, BUT I DO NOT NORMALLY READ THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ALOUD. AGAIN, YOU HAVE WELL, I SHARE BUT I FORWARDED THE EMAILS TO THE COMMISSIONERS. YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT EMAIL BEFORE WE PROCEED. >> THANK YOU. I BELIEVE WE ALSO HAD RECEIVED IT INDIVIDUALLY, I THINK SEVERAL OF US. [02:20:04] >> [INAUDIBLE] >> THE ONE WITH. [BACKGROUND] THE ONES WITH QUESTIONS. >> THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS JUST A QUESTION. AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO BE ADDRESSED DURING THE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING. IT'S NOT REALLY A COMMENT BUT A QUESTION. >> THANK YOU. WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION AND WE WILL NOW LOOK AT THE CHANGE ORDER FOR WEST HOWARD. [VIII.A. Change Order for West Howard Avenue Traffic Calming Improvements.] >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS DAVID JUNGER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGENDA ITEM IS TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A CHANGE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $49,795.60 WITH LANDIS EVANS AND PARTNERS FOR THE DESIGN SERVICES FOR WEST HOWARD AVENUE CYCLE TRACK AND TRAFFIC CALMING IMPROVEMENTS. OUR PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING TEAM REQUESTED AS PART OF OUR DESIGNING AND BID PREPARATION FOR THE WEST HOWARD AVENUE CYCLE TRACK AND TRAFFIC CALMING IMPROVEMENTS, TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE DESIGN OF THE INTERSECTION OF WEST HOWARD AVENUE AT COMMERCE DRIVE. THAT INTERSECTION IS PART OF A SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS AND STAFFED BY A CROSSING GUARD TO FACILITATE SAFE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS. THE EXISTING CONDITIONS CREATE A SAFETY CONCERN FOR PEDESTRIANS AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION. FREQUENTLY, THERE'S LARGE PROFILE VEHICLES THAT HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME MAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM SOUTHBOUND COMMERCE DRIVE TO THE WESTBOUND WEST HOWARD AVENUE. FREQUENTLY, THE VEHICLES ENCROACH ON THE CROSSWALK LANDING AREA, WHEN TURNING OR ARE FORCED TO ENCROACH ON THE OPPOSITE TRAFFIC'S LEFT TURN LANE TO AVOID THE SIDEWALK. THIS MOVEMENT HAS CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE CURB RAMP AND SIDEWALK. THE ADDITIONAL SCOPE FOR THESE SERVICES IN THE CHANGE ORDER WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATED DESIGN FOR ADDING A CURB EXTENSION TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION ADJACENT TO THE SOUTHBOUND LANES. EXTENSION OF THE BUS STOP CURB WHILE ACHIEVING AN ADA COMPLIANCE AND INCLUDING THE EXTENSION OF THE EXISTING BIKE LANE, WILL ALSO REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYING AND MAKING SURE THE STORM WATER FLOWS WHERE IT NEEDS TO FLOW. THE UPDATED DESIGN WILL ALSO ADDRESS PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST MOVEMENTS FROM THE STONE MOUNTAIN TRAIL PATH TO AND FROM THE COMMERCE DRIVE SIDEWALK AND BIKE LANES. THERE WAS A GRAPHIC THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE RECOMMENDATION MEMO THAT SHOWS AT A HIGH LEVEL CONCEPT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO GET FULLY DESIGNED FOR CONSTRUCTION. THE EASTBOUND LANES OF WEST HOWARD AVENUE WILL ALSO REQUIRE ADJUSTMENT TO ACCOMMODATE THE IMPROVEMENTS. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO PERMANENTLY CONVERT WEST HOWARD FROM A FOUR LANE THOROUGHFARE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET AND TO IMPLEMENT A COMPLETE STREET PLAN TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND COMFORT PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS WHILE REDUCING VEHICLE SPEED BETWEEN COMMERCE DRIVE AND THE WESTERN CITY LIMITS, WHICH I THINK IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SAFETY ACTION PLAN INFORMATION THAT YOU RECEIVED TONIGHT IN THE WORK SESSION. THE RECOMMENDED CHANGE ORDER WILL INCREASE THE CONTRACT AMOUNT FROM $1,040,000 -$1,089,795.60. IF APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION, WE EXPECT TO COMPLETE THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND RECEIVE BIDS BY MAY 13, 2025, AND CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN IN JUNE. FUNDING FOR THIS CHANGE ORDER IS AVAILABLE IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR GENERAL FUND PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES BUDGET. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> JUST TO COMMENT. I WENT THAT WAY AGAIN TODAY. I GO THAT WAY OFTEN AND IT IS EVEN IN SOME OF THE CARS THAT I DRIVE, IT IS A DIFFICULT TURN. IT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT. MR. CHALLEN, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO LET US KNOW. I KNOW THOSE LITTLE BARRICADES GET KNOCKED OUT EVERY OTHER DAY, AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY THEY HAVE TO BE PUT BACK. THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING OUT TONIGHT. IT IS HIGH TIME THAT WE DO SOMETHING IN THAT CORRIDOR. >> I THINK WHEN YOU SAID DIFFICULT FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES, I DON'T THINK OF THAT AS BEING MANY, LIKE DELIVERY TRUCKS EVEN THAT. IT'S SCHOOL BUSES. THE SCHOOLS ARE RIGHT THERE AND BOTH OF THEM. IT'S JUST SUCH AN IMPORTANT PLACE TO HAVE A SCHOOL BUS BE ABLE TO PROPERLY TURN. I WANT TO THINK WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE. I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER STREETS MOVING. DIRECTIONS, ATLANTA WEST WHERE YOU DO SEE SOME OF THAT TRUCK TRAFFIC, [02:25:04] AND WE WOULD MORE LIKELY WANT TO MITIGATE THAT CUTTING THROUGH. BUT THESE ARE TRULY SCHOOL BUSES THAT JUST NEED TO TURN DROP OFF KIDS. THAT'S WHAT I'VE MOSTLY SEEN. >> ONE QUICK QUESTION THAT'S RELATED, BUT NOT. I HAVE GOTTEN A FEW COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT PARENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL WITH MOBILITY ISSUES, AND THEY DROPPED THEIR CHILDREN OFF BY MAKING THAT TURN THERE. IS THIS GOING TO ADDRESS, ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN KEEP TRAFFIC MOVEMENT THERE DURING SCHOOL HOURS TO WHERE THERE'S LESS CONGESTION? >> I BELIEVE WHAT YOU MIGHT BE REFERENCING IS WHEN THEY ARE ON HOWARD AVENUE, WESTBOUND, MAKING A RIGHT TURN ON THE [OVERLAPPING]. >> YOU'RE SO GOOD AT THIS. [LAUGHTER]. >> I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU TONIGHT. BUT I WILL. >> THIS IS GREAT FOR PEDESTRIANS. I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT. THAT IS A SKETCHY PLACE TO CROSS. MOST PLACES ON THAT STREET ARE SKETCHY PLACE TO CROSS, THOUGH. A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A LITTLE SCHOOL AGE PERSON TRYING TO GET ACROSS THERE, AND I KNOW WE'RE WORKING TO RECTIFY THAT, BUT I DID WANT TO AT LEAST EXPRESS THAT I HAD RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DESIGN AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT JUST DURING THOSE HOURS OF DROP OFF PARENTS WHO ARE DROPPING THEIR CHILDREN OFF AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. >> I'LL WORK ON GIVING YOU A PREPARED RESPONSE. I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS SOLUTION INHERENTLY DOES ANYTHING TO IMPROVE THAT SITUATION. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE. >> THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER [LAUGHTER]. >> COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO US HOW THIS ALL TIES INTO THE LARGER PROJECT AND THE FACT THAT IT LOOKS LIKE BIDS ARE GOING TO BE RECEIVED IN LESS THAN A MONTH, AND HOW WILL THIS PARTICULAR DESIGN TIE INTO THE BIDS? >> THE DESIGN PLANS FOR WEST HOWARD AVENUE ARE COMPLETE. WE DO HAVE PRE QUALIFIED BIDDERS AND THE INVITATION TO BID WAS PUBLISHED LAST WEEK FOR THE PROJECT. THERE ARE PROVISIONS WITHIN THAT BID DOCUMENT FOR AN AD ALTERNATE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THIS INTERSECTION. THIS IS AN INTERSECTION THAT WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY WORKING ON FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST RECENTLY CAME UP, BUT IT WAS TOWARD THE END OF THE DESIGN PROCESS. WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THE ACTUAL FORMAL DESIGN THE ANALYSIS DONE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. THEN THAT WILL JUST BE INCORPORATED AS AN ADDENDUM TO THE EXISTING INVITATION TO BID THAT'S OUT, AND THEN WE WOULD ACCEPT BIDS ON MAY THE 13TH, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE ORIGINAL SCOPE FOR WEST HOWARD PLUS THE ADDITIONAL SCOPE THAT WOULD BE ADDED IN THIS INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT. THAT'S OUR PLAN AT THIS POINT IS TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE BID AWARD AFTER MAY THE 13TH. >> I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEE SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION HAPPEN LONG THERE AND PUT IN THE PERMANENT KINDS OF CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED. >> HOW LONG DID YOU SAY IT WILL TAKE? >> TWO HUNDRED AND TEN DAYS IS WHAT'S IN THE CONTRACT. >> IT'S LIKE A SCHOOL YEAR. >> [OVERLAPPING] FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS. >> WE DID MEETING TODAY, SO I KNEW 210. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT EQUATES TO. >> READY WHEN THE SQUARE IS READY. [LAUGHTER] >> WE HAVE A FUNDRAISER. >> BAD DIRT. [LAUGHTER] >> QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MR. GOBER. HERE A MOTION TO APPROVE A CHANGE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $49,795.66, AN INCREASE IN THE CONTRACT WITH LANDIS EVANS AND PARTNERS TO $1,089,795.60 FOR THE DESIGN SERVICES FOR WEST HOWARD AVENUE, CYCLE TRACK AND TRAFFIC CALMING IMPROVEMENTS. [02:30:02] A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? >> SO BE IT. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >> MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. CHAIR VOTES AYE, AND THE CHANGE ORDER IS APPROVED. NEXT, THE COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND UTILIZATION POLICY. [VIII.B. Community Energy Fund Utilization Policy.] >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSION. I AM VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF R-25-XX TO ESTABLISH THE COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND UTILIZATION POLICY. THIS POLICY IS INTENDED TO GUIDE THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS FROM THE COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY'S CLEAN ENERGY GOALS AND APPLICABLE CITY FINANCIAL POLICIES. AS YOU RECALL IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022, THIS COMMISSION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO ADOPT THE DECATOR CLEAN ENERGY PLAN, WHICH ESTABLISHED CLEAN ENERGY GOALS FOR BOTH CITY OPERATIONS AND THE DECATOR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO ACHIEVE THOSE TARGETS. THAT PLAN WAS CREATED OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, KEY STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS, AND DATA DRIVEN MODELING. IT DID INCLUDE THE GOAL OF SUPPLYING 100% OF COMMUNITY WIDE ELECTRICITY DEMAND WITH CLEAN AND RENEWABLE ENERGY BY 2035. ACCORDING TO THAT PLAN, OUR PRIMARY PATHWAY TO ACHIEVING THAT GOAL IS THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY, IMPROVEMENTS AND ELECTRIFICATION EFFORTS. INCLUDED IN THOSE EFFORTS WOULD BE THINGS LIKE REPLACING EXISTING HEATING VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING OR HVAC SYSTEMS WITH HIGHER EFFICIENCY MODELS SUCH AS HEAT PUMPS, REPLACING NATURAL GAS RANGES WITH INDUCTION RANGES AND IMPROVING BUILDING ENVELOPES THROUGH WEATHERIZATION. ADDITIONALLY, A KEY RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLAN WAS TO ESTABLISH WHAT IT CALLED A CLEAN ENERGY FUND OR SIMILAR ENTITY TO PROVIDE A SUSTAINABLE FUNDING MECHANISM TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY'S CLEAN ENERGY EFFORTS. IN THE FISCAL YEAR '23-'24 BUDGET, THE CITY DID ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND, AS WE CALLED TO ADVANCE THE CITY'S ADOPTED CLEAN ENERGY GOALS AS IT'S CURRENTLY DESIGNED, 10% OF OUR ANNUAL ENERGY RELATED FRANCHISE FEE REVENUE, SO THAT'S REVENUE THAT WE COLLECT FROM GEORGIA POWER, AS WELL AS THE NATURAL GAS. MARKETERS THAT SERVE DECATUR IS DEDICATED TO THE COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND AS A TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND, AND THAT TOTALS APPROXIMATELY $150,000 EVERY YEAR, AS WELL AS CERTAIN STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS RECEIVED BY THE CITY FOR ENERGY PROJECTS ARE ALSO DIRECTED TO THE FUND. FOLLOWING THE CREATION OF THE FUND, STAFF BEGAN DRAFTING THIS UTILIZATION POLICY TO GUIDE EXPENDITURES. WE HAD ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BRING THAT TO YAHOO FOR CONSIDERATION AND FALL OF 2023. IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT WE PUT THOSE EFFORTS ON HOLD WHILE THE GEORGIA ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE AUTHORITY OR GEFA FINALIZE THEIR GUIDELINES FOR THEIR HOME ENERGY REBATE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS FUNDED BY THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT IS THE MAJOR SOURCE OF FEDERAL FUNDING THAT OUR FUND AND REBATE PROGRAM IS MEANT TO COMPLEMENT AT THIS TIME. IN 2024, GEFA WAS IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING THOSE REQUIREMENTS. STAFF BEGAN CONDUCTING ADDITIONAL BEST PRACTICES RESEARCH AND ENGAGED DECATUR STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE EXPERIENCED IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY WEATHERIZATION, AND PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION TO INFORM THE FINAL DRAFT THAT YOU SEE HERE. AS PROPOSED, THE POLICY IDENTIFIES FOUR APPROVED CATEGORIES OF EXPENDITURES. FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THE DECATUR COMMUNITY ENERGY REBATE PROGRAM, WHICH IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE REBATES TO CITY OF DECATUR OWNER OCCUPIED ONE TO FOUR UNIT PROPERTIES FOR INSTALLING ENERGY STAR CERTIFIED APPLIANCES AND COMPLETING HOME WEATHERIZATION PROJECTS. THE POLICY THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE RESOLUTION, DETAILS ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, ESTABLISHES THE MAXIMUM REBATE AMOUNTS AND PROVIDES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE APPLICATION PROCESS. SECOND IS JUST GRANT FUNDED PROJECTS. FUNDS ORIGINATING FROM GRANT FUNDED PROGRAMS THAT ARE DIRECTED TO THE CEF MAY BE USED AS DICTATED BY THEIR PROJECT TERMS. THIRD IS MUNICIPAL ENERGY PROJECTS. FUNDS MAY BE USED FOR THE PERFORMANCE AND COMPLETION OF ENERGY PROJECTS AT CITY FACILITIES AS DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE CITY MANAGER, AND WE PROPOSE FOR THOSE EXPENDITURES NOT TO EXCEED 20% OF THE ANNUAL ALLOCATION TO THE FUND. FINALLY, MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATION COSTS. CAN BE USED AS DEEMED NECESSARY AGAIN BY THE CITY MANAGER, AND THOSE EXPENDITURES ARE PROPOSED TO NOT EXCEED 10% OF THAT YEAR'S ALLOCATION. [02:35:01] THE TERMS OF THE PROPOSED POLICY PRIORITIZE THE USE OF FUNDS FOR THE COMMUNITY ENERGY REBATE PROGRAM WHILE ALSO PROVIDING CITY STAFF WITH SOME FLEXIBILITY TO USE THEM FOR UNEXPECTED COSTS OR OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD PROVIDE BENEFIT TO THE CITY. ESTABLISHES GUIDELINES FOR BUDGETING AND REPORTING, WHICH WILL ALSO ASSIST CITY STAFF, THIS COMMISSION, AND THE DECATUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACTS THE FUND IS HAVING ARE AND IDENTIFY NECESSARY UPDATES TO BETTER ADVANCE THE GOALS OF THE CLEAN ENERGY PLAN. ANY CHANGES THAT ARE DEEMED NECESSARY WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL. I RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION R-25-XX TO ESTABLISH THE COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND UTILIZATION POLICY. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLICY, THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. >> ARE THERE QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER. >> LESS SPECIFIC. WHO WAS IRA FUNDING FOR THIS? HOW ARE THE CHANGES IN WASHINGTON? THIS FUNDING IS NOT AT ALL OF THAT. >> GEFA IS MOVING FORWARD FULL STEAM AHEAD WITH THEIR PROGRAM. THEY HAVE FULLY LAUNCHED THEIR PROGRAM. THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE A RISK OR AT LEAST THEY'RE NOT OPERATING AS SUCH. I DO BELIEVE THAT THEIR FUNDING IS TRENCHED IN SOME WAY, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT, BUT AT LEAST AT THIS TIME, THE $220 MILLION THAT THEY WERE ALLOCATED FOR THOSE PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM. THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW. AS YOU RECALL, AT OUR LAST MEETING, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE LAST MEETING, OR MAYBE A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO. THIS COMMISSION ALSO APPROVED A CONTRACT TO A FIRM CALLED BRIGHT SPACES, WHICH IS GOING TO HELP US LAUNCH OUR COMMUNITY ENERGY EFFICIENCY CAMPAIGN. THE GOAL OF THAT CAMPAIGN IS AGAIN TO LET DECATUR RESIDENTS KNOW THAT THOSE GEFA FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, BUT ALSO THAT THESE LOCAL FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR USE. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> THE PERSON OVER THAT PROGRAM IS CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON. >> I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, BUT THIS IS IN FRONT OF US THIS EVENING AND TIME FLIES. '22 FEELS LIKE VERY RECENT. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, DID ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD HAVE SOME PRINTS ON THIS? >> YES. THEIR PRINTS ARE ALL OVER THIS AS WELL AS THE MANY SOUTH FACERS AND OTHER EXPERTS THAT I'M THANKFUL THAT I CAN DRAW ON ON A WEEKLY BASIS AS NEEDED. >> I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE TO JUST A DEEP BENCH OF EXPERTISE ON THAT BOARD THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR SALES AND IN THE BROADER COMMUNITY THAT ARE ALWAYS WAITING TO GET INVOLVED AND SHARE INFORMATION. WERE THERE OTHER CITIES, MUNICIPALITIES OR PLACES WHERE YOU BENCHMARKED AGAINST OR HAVE EXAMPLES OF DOING THIS? >> THE MAJOR MODEL IS CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER. I WILL SAY THAT IF COMMISSION APPROVES THIS POLICY AND WE LAUNCHED THIS REBATE PROGRAM, WE WOULD BE THE FIRST IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. THE ORIGINAL ENERGY FUND IDEA DID COME FROM ATHENS CLARK COUNTY, BUT THE FIRST ONES TO ACTUALLY START EXPANDING THOSE FUNDS IN THIS WAY, WE WOULD BE THE FIRST. >> THANK YOU. >> I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND DETAIL THAT WENT INTO THIS SO THAT THERE ARE CLEAR GUIDELINES AND THAT THEY ARE FORMULATED TO HELP THOSE WHO NEED THE MOST ASSISTANCE AND WHO MAY HAVE THE LEAST ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES OR APPLIANCES. THESE THINGS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN MAKING THEIR HOMES MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT IT'S A THOROUGH POLICY, AND I THINK IT WILL BE GREAT TO SEE IT IMPLEMENTED. IT WILL BE NICE TO HEAR BACK EXACTLY WHAT THINGS HAVE BEEN COVERED, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE HOUSING PROGRAM WITH ROOFS REPLACED AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT TO COME BACK AND SAY, HERE ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE THE TYPES OF BENEFITS THAT THIS FUND HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE TO OUR RESIDENTS WHO NEED IT. >> EXACTLY. WE CERTAINLY HEARD DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLEAN ENERGY PLAN THAT IT'S NOT JUST ONE FACTOR THAT WOULD PREVENT SOMEBODY FROM UNDERTAKING AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT. [02:40:02] THERE ARE MANY FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. I THINK THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, THAT JULIE IS DOING, KRISTIN ALLEN DID, AND ALL THESE FOLKS ARE PUTTING ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY FEASIBLE FOR SOMEBODY TO TAKE THAT ACTION THAT THEY MAY HAVE WANTED TO DO SO FOR A WHILE. >> I'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS. HERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION R-25-XX TO ESTABLISH THE COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND UTILIZATION POLICY. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> MOTION MADE AND SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. THE CHAIR VOTES AYE. IT IS ADOPTED AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU. NEXT, [VIII.C. Electric Fire Pumper Recommendation.] THE ELECTRIC FIRE PUMPER RECOMMENDATION. WELCOME TO CHIEF WASHINGTON. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO PURCHASE AN ELECTRIC FIRE PUMPER WITH EQUIPMENT FROM PIERCE MANUFACTURING IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,598,440. THIS VEHICLE WILL REPLACE OUR CURRENT 2030 SOFTEN FIRE PUMPER. THIS RECOMMENDATION IS IN LINE WITH THE CITY OF DECATUR CLEAN ENERGY PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION IN 2022, THAT ESTABLISHED THAT THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO FULLY ELECTRIFIED THE VEHICLE FLEET BY 2035. THIS PLAN CALLS FOR THE PURCHASING OF VEHICLES ON A YEARLY BASIS AS THE CITY'S EXISTING COMBUSTION ENGINE VEHICLES REACHED THE END OF THEIR PLAN LIFE CYCLE. PURCHASING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE DEMONSTRATES THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO LEADING BY EXAMPLE IN THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION THAT WILL PRODUCE VALUABLE LEARNING FOR PEER COMMUNITIES AS THEY ATTEMPT TO ELECTRIFY THEIR FLEETS. OPERATING A BATTERY POWERED ELECTRIC PUMPER WILL REDUCE THE CITY'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND REDUCE EXPOSURES TO HUMP DIESEL EXHAUST AND OTHER AIR POLLUTANTS FOR BOTH FIREFIGHTERS AND THE COMMUNITY. SHOULD THE CITY NOT PURCHASE AN ELECTRIC PUMPER AT THIS TIME, THE CITY'S NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN ELECTRIFYING FIRE DEPARTMENTS MAJOR APPARATUSES WILL BE 2030. WHEN STAFF WILL DEVELOP SPECIFICATIONS FOR A NEW QUINT, AND CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO MANUFACTURERS AT THIS POINT THAT HAVE AN ELECTRIC QUINT. AT THE MARCH 4, 2024 MEETING, THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE RECOMMENDATION THAT CITY STAFF MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SPECIFICATION OF ELECTRIC PUMPER AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 2.7 MILLION. TWO BIDS WERE RECEIVED IN DECEMBER, ACTUALLY DECEMBER 18, 2024. ONE WAS FOR PIERCE MANUFACTURING AND THE AMOUNT OF $2,598,440. THE OTHER WAS FOR FIRELINE E-ONE AND THE AMOUNT OF $2,344,786. THE KEY FACTOR TO INFLUENCE OUR DECISION TO CHOOSE PIERCE OVER THE FIRELINE E-ONE UNIT WAS THE ESTIMATED PRODUCTION TIME THAT WAS PROVIDED BY BOTH OF THE VENDORS. PIERCE ESTIMATED THEY COULD DELIVER A TRUCK AT 18 MONTHS WHILE FIRELINE SAID 35 MONTHS. IF WE WENT WITH THE LATER, IT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY DELAY OUR IMPACT WITH OUR SCHEDULED FUTURE VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS. IF APPROVED, THE FIRE PUMPER BUILDOUT WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY. WITH A DELIVERY OF 18 MONTHS, THIS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WILL BE INCLUDED IN OUR FY '26-'27 BUDGET AND WILL BE FINANCED THROUGH THE GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATIONS DIRECT LEASE FINANCING PROGRAM. I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. >> I HAVE A COUPLE. >> SURE. >> THE COST OF AN ELECTRIC VERSUS, I KNOW WE HAD A PRESENTATION WHERE WE LOOKED AT THE ELECTRIC, A HYBRID, AND A TRADITIONAL DIESEL, DO YOU DON'T HAPPEN TO REMEMBER THOSE FIGURES OFFHEAD, WHAT THEY WERE? BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT, WHY DO WE NEED TO BUY AN ELECTRIC? [02:45:01] WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THE CORRECT RESPONSE ON OUR PART IS BECAUSE IT'S TIME FOR US TO REPLACE A VEHICLE FROM OUR NORMAL REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE. WHETHER WE BUY AN ELECTRIC OR NOT, WE STILL HAVE TO REPLACE A VEHICLE. THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION OF WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE THREE OPTIONS THAT WE LOOKED AT INITIALLY? >> AFTER WE DID MORE RESEARCH, WE FOUND THAT THE HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE IS THE SAME. THERE ISN'T A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELECTRIC AND HYBRID. THEY BOTH OPERATE [OVERLAPPING] >> IN PRICE? >> NO. THAT IS JUST THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FIRELINE AND THE PIERCE MANUFACTURING. THAT'S IT. IT'S JUST HOW THE PUMP OPERATES WHEN IT SWITCHES OVER TO GAS, IT OPERATES A DIESEL PUMP. THAT'S WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WHAT WE WERE REFERRING TO WHEN WE INITIALLY DID OUR RESEARCH WAS THE HYBRID VERSUS ELECTRIC. THEY BOTH DO THE SAME THING. IT'S JUST MAYBE A REDUCTION IN TIME OF HOW MUCH IT TAKES TO SWITCH TO GAS. THERE ISN'T A VERSUS ELECTRIC, THEY'RE BOTH ELECTRIC UNITS. THEN THE GAS UNIT. BACK IN MARCH OF 2024, WE DID NOT DO A FORMAL REQUEST. IT WAS JUST BASED ON WHAT THE VENDORS WERE CURRENTLY SELLING THEIR GAS APPARATUSES AT THAT TIME AND IT WAS AROUND 1.7 MILLION. >> I THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK YOU STATED AT THE OBVIOUS, BUT ONE THING THAT I HAVE LEARNED, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CAUSES OF CANCER FOR FIREFIGHTERS IS DIESELS, IDLING INSIDE A FIRE BASE. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY ELIMINATE. I KNOW THE TECHNOLOGY WILL GET BETTER AS IT GOES, BUT OUR FIREFIGHTERS DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO WAIT ON THAT TECHNOLOGY TO BE PERFECT. BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT DIESEL ENGINES DO TO THEIR LUNGS. I THINK WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN BE AS SAFE AS THEY CAN BE. I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE THAT STEP TO KEEP OUR FIRST RESPONDER SAFE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST RESPONSE TIME, BUT IT'S THEIR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING TOO, AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT INITIATIVE BY YOU AND BY THE CITY TO MAKE THIS EFFORT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER. >> I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE TECHNOLOGY, I'M SORRY [INAUDIBLE] SOMETIMES. IT'S BASICALLY ELECTRIC, BUT WHEN YOU ARRIVE ON THE SCENE, YOU NEED MORE POWER AND SO THEN YOU HAVE A DIESEL FUEL PUMP; IS THAT ACCURATE? SORRY. >> YES. AGAIN, BOTH OF THE PIERCE AND FIRE LINE, THEY HAVE A ONBOARD BATTERY PACK THAT PROVIDES THE PRIMARY POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN AS WELL AS THE PUMPER. THE DIESEL ENGINE IS THERE, IT ESSENTIALLY CHARGES THE BATTERY AS THE BATTERY IS BEING DRAINED. THEN IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, IT CAN SWITCH OVER TO FULL DIESEL. >> WHY WOULD IT KICK IN? >> IT'S BASED ON THE BATTERY TECHNOLOGY THAT REACHES A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CHARGE THAT SAYS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE CHARGED BY THE DIESEL. >> IF WE'RE ON A SCENE AND THE BATTERY IS WINDING DOWN [OVERLAPPING] AND DEPLETED, AS A BACK, THERE IS DIESEL. >> BUT DRIVING AROUND THE CITY, IT WILL OPERATE ESSENTIALLY AS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, AND THEN PRIMARILY AT SCENES, IT'LL OPERATE AS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE UNTIL CERTAIN PARAMETERS ARE MET. >> THAT IS THAT SAFETY BACKDROP, SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE [INAUDIBLE] SOMEBODY IS GOING TO DIE ON THE SCENE. >> YEAH. >> WE KEEP OUR FIRE TRUCKS A VERY LONG TIME. THE TECHNOLOGY IS EVER CHANGING IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES. IS THERE SOMETHING THAT'S A PART OF THE CONTRACT THAT LIKE FOR SOFTWARE UPDATES, OR WOULD THAT BE MAINTAINED OVER TIME? BECAUSE IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A LONG LIFESPAN AND UPDATED TECHNOLOGY, WAS THAT A PART OF THE CONVERSATION OR THE BIDDING PROCESS? [02:50:04] >> I DON'T THINK WE ADDRESSED THAT AT ALL. THE FIRE TRUCK IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM A REGULAR VEHICLE, WHICH I KNOW THE TECHNOLOGY COMES STRAIGHT TO A REGULAR VEHICLE, BUT THE FIRE APPARATUS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, SO I AM NOT SURE. WE DID NOT ASK THAT QUESTION. THIS WAS FAIRLY NEW FOR US LOOKING AND IT WASN'T THAT MANY OUT. WE CAN DEFINITELY ASK THAT QUESTION. IF WE ARE APPROVED TO MOVE FORWARD, WE CAN SEE IF THERE'S SOME WAY WE CAN ADD SOME TECHNOLOGY UPDATES WITHIN THE CONTRACT. >> BUT THE OPERATION WITHIN THE ELECTRIC FIRE TRUCK, IT'S COMPARABLE TO THAT OF A DIESEL. IS THERE SOME SPECIALIZED SOFTWARE THAT THIS RELIES ON? >> NO. >> IT'S JUST THAT THE POWER IS ELECTRIC. >> CORRECT. IT'S NOT LIKE UPDATES COME. >> IT'S NOT DOESN'T HAVE A COMPUTER NECESSARILY. >> CORRECT. >> THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN ONE THAT'S IN A DIESEL TRUCK. >> CORRECT. >> YOU'RE JUST BASICALLY PLUGGING IT IN TO GET THE BATTERY CHARGE. >> YES. >> THE SAME SORTS OF THINGS THAT YOU GET ON THIS? >> YES. >> I AGREE. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE AT LEAST SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GOING TO BE OBSOLETE IN FIVE YEARS WHEN WE NEED TO HOLD ONTO THIS FOR 20 YEARS. WE WILL HAVE THIS FOR 20 YEARS. >> IS THERE A WARRANTY IN THE BATTERY? >> YES. THERE IS A WARRANTY ON THE BATTERY. RIGHT NOW, THE BATTERIES ARE PROJECTED TO LAST ANYWHERE FROM 8-10 YEARS. >> IS IT WARRANTIED FOR THAT LONG? >> I BELIEVE THE WARRANTY IS FOR 12 YEARS. AGAIN, THERE IS THAT QUESTION OF, AFTER THAT WARRANTY IS UP, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BATTERY, DOES IT NEED TO BE REPLACED? WE DON'T HAVE, I THINK, A DEFINITIVE ANSWER TO THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT A BATTERY IS NOT USABLE AFTER 8-10 YEARS, BUT IT JUST HAS DEGRADED 1.5% ANNUALLY. THE QUESTION IS, OPERATIONALLY, DO YOU NEED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY TO FULFILL YOUR OBLIGATIONS? WE ALSO EXPECT THAT BY THE TIME THAT WE GET TO THAT POINT OF REPLACING THE BATTERY, THAT THOSE BATTERIES WILL HAVE RESIDUAL VALUE FOR SECOND LIFE APPLICATIONS. WE ALSO EXPECT THAT BY THE TIME THAT WE GET TO THAT POINT, PRICES FOR BATTERIES CONTINUES TO DECLINE. AGAIN, WE TRIED TO DO A FULL COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS AND INCORPORATE THOSE FUTURE-LOOKING QUESTIONS. WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE INFORMATION AT THIS TIME TO MAKE A DEFINITIVE CHOICE ON WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. >> $2.6 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY, SO THAT'S WHY WE ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS. ANNUAL BUDGET. >> IT'S ALWAYS 1.7. >> [OVERLAPPING] I DON'T KNOW. WE'RE GOING TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS OF THE EXPENDITURES. YES. >> I TAKE IT FROM MR. NIFONG PRESENCE UP HERE, THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST A LOOK AT BY YOU AND ESB AND INPUT ABOUT AN EVALUATION OF THIS AS WELL. WOULD THAT BE A CORRECT ASSUMPTION? >> YES. AS I MENTIONED, I WORKED WITH PROFESSOR ANTHONY HARDING, WHO'S ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY BOARD AS WELL AS A PROFESSOR IN THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY AT GEORGIA TECH, TO DO A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS THAT TRIED TO INCORPORATE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PARAMETERS INTO A ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THE NET PRESENT VALUE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS IS. I WILL ADMIT THAT BASED ON THAT, I WOULDN'T SAY ROUGH, BUT PRELIMINARY WORK, WE STILL ARE PAYING A PREMIUM FOR THIS, THAT THERE'S NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT, BUT IT DOES SAVE ON OUR CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS. ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, ABOUT 16 TONS ARE AVOIDED. IT PROVIDES THOSE HEALTH BENEFITS THAT MAYOR PRO TEM POWERS ALLUDED TO AS WELL. >> I THINK THAT WAS ONE THING THAT REALLY STUCK OUT TO ME WAS [02:55:04] WHEN CHIEF WASHINGTON MENTIONED THAT IN HER OFFICE, SHE SMELLS THAT DAY-IN-DAY-OUT, DOOR CLOSED, AND THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS FIRST LINE FOLKS ARE EXPERIENCING A PART OF THEIR DAILY WORK LIFE. HOPEFULLY, THIS ONE WILL BE PARKED THE CLOSEST TO THE BAGGIE. >> I HAVE ONE MORE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT BECAUSE OF OUR SMALL SIZE, IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO DO THIS? YOU JUST DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE IT VERY FAR. >> I WOULD CERTAINLY SAY THAT OPERATIONALLY, WE ARE A GREAT PLACE TO TRY THIS OUT. I WILL SAY WHEN IT COMES TO THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS, THAT THAT ALSO DIMINISHES THE BENEFITS OR REDUCES THEM BECAUSE IT ISN'T DRIVEN AS MUCH. YEAH. >> I KNOW THAT WE DO JOIN IN MULTIPLE ALARM FIRES IF NEEDED, WOULD WE SEND THAT ONE OR WE HAVE A DIFFERENT TRUCK WE'D SEND? >> IT WOULD DETERMINE WHAT'S REQUESTED AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY AS TO WHAT UNIT WE WOULD SEND. >> CASE BY CASE. >> I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY, WE, QUITE OFTEN, ARE IMPRESSING ON OUR RESIDENTS HOW WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE CLEANER ENERGY WITHIN HOUSEHOLDS OR OPTIONS TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK OR RESPONSE WE GET, WHICH IS FAIR, IS TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. I FEEL LIKE OFTEN, WANT TO, BUT WE CAN'T MAKE NUMBERS WORK, IT'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, AND IT'S PART OF THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, AND HERE'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT, SO APPRECIATE IT. >> ONE LAST FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. ESTIMATED FUEL SAVINGS ON DIESEL FUEL, SAY, OVER 10 YEARS. DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE OVER? >> CURRENTLY, THE 2013 SOUTHERN PUMPER USES ABOUT 1,600 GALLONS OF DIESEL ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, SO 16,000 GALLONS BASED ON CURRENT DIESEL PRICES THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY PROVIDE COST SAVINGS. BUT I THINK IF WE GET THE CHARGER AT THE FIRE STATION 2 ON THE CORRECT GEORGIA POWER RATE AND DIESEL CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN PRICE AS IT IS EXPECTED TO DO SO, WE WOULD AT SOME POINT, HIT A BREAK EVEN POINT WHERE WE'RE SAVING MONEY ON THAT ANNUAL OPERATIONAL COST. >> THANK YOU. THAT WAS THE EXPLANATION I WAS LOOKING FOR BECAUSE THERE IS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH PUTTING THOSE CHARGING STATIONS IN AND THEN YOUR EVERYDAY CHARGE CYCLE OR WHATEVER, WHAT HAVE YOU. BUT AT SOME POINT, YOU DO START TO SEE SAVINGS PRETTY QUICKLY. I THINK IF WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT BEING A PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY AND GETTING TO OUR 2030 AND 2035 INITIATIVES, IS A BIG STEP. IT IS A HUGE STEP. >> IT'S A VERY BIG STEP. >> THE CHARGING STATION, YOU MENTIONED THAT, AND I THINK THAT WAS MAYBE A QUESTION ABOUT WHERE IT WOULD GO. I THINK YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PREVIOUS PRESENTATION THAT THE CHARGING STATIONS, IF THEY'RE NOT PUBLIC FACING, THEN GEORGIA POWER CHARGES THOSE WHEN PUTTING THOSE IN. >> WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO INSTALL A MORE POWERFUL DC FAST CHARGER AT FIRE STATION 2 TO ACCOMMODATE THIS VEHICLE. WE ESTIMATE THE PRICE OF THAT CHARGER ITSELF TO BE APPROXIMATELY $65,000. WE ARE HOPING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GEORGIA POWER'S MAKE READY PROGRAM, WHICH WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING AT A NUMBER OF OUR FACILITIES TO FACILITATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE THAT CHARGER. WE ARE CONSIDERED PUBLIC FACING BECAUSE IT'S A MUNICIPAL FLEET VEHICLE THAT'S BENEFITING. WE'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO HAVE VEHICLES FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS AND EVERYBODY CYCLING THROUGH THAT FAST CHARGER ALL DAY AS WELL, BUT IT WOULD ALSO BE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR USE IN CERTAIN TIMES AS WELL. >> DO WE GET A DECREASED RATE FROM GEORGIA POWER? >> WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE TO GET THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE SEPARATELY METERED FROM THE BUILDING, AND THEN WE CAN GET ON A EV CHARGER RATE THAT WOULD INCENTIVIZE US TO CHARGE THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT AND NOT DURING THE TIMES OF PEAK DEMAND ON THE SYSTEM. [03:00:02] >> I THINK THAT COULD BE A SAVINGS. >> IT IS MUCH LOWER. >> [OVERLAPPING] NO QUESTION, JUST A QUICK COMMENT. SOMETIMES IT COSTS A LITTLE BIT MORE TO DO RIGHT BY PEOPLE. THE CLEAN ENERGY PLAN IS AN EFFORT FOR US TO DO RIGHT BY OUR COMMUNITY. I SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO RIGHT BY OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO DOES LIFE-SAVING WORK. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE WORK THAT DECATUR FIRE DOES, YOU'RE, FIRST OF ALL, VERY LUCKY, BUT TWO, YOU DEFINITELY KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS. I WILL CONTINUE TO SING YOUR PRAISES AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU-ALL CONTINUE TO DO TO KEEP US SAFE AND YOU RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES THAT COULD BECOME TRAGIC. I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY WORTH THE INVESTMENT. >> I'M SUPPORTING THIS. THE REASON I'M SUPPORTING IT IS BECAUSE OF MAYOR PRO TEM POWERS SAID IN TERMS OF THE HEALTH OF OUR FIRE FIGHTERS. THE WORLD NEEDS EARLY ADOPTERS AND I TRY TO BE AN EARLY ADOPTER WHEN IT COMES. BUT IF THERE'S AN EXPENSE THAT'S TAKEN FROM IT, AND JUST GIVEN THE STATE OF OUR WORLD, IT'S JUST BEEN HARD SOMETIMES LOOK AT THIS PRICE, BUT I THINK WE LOOK AT THE HEALTH OF OUR FIRE FIGHTERS [INAUDIBLE] IS DEFINITELY WORTH THE INVESTMENT HAS, AND AS POINTED OUT, IT'S EXPENSIVE. >> OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR THOROUGH EXPLANATIONS AND ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO PURCHASE AN ELECTRIC FIRE PUMPER FROM PIERCE MANUFACTURING IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,598,440? >> SO MOVED. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES AYE. IT'S APPROVED. THANK YOU. NOW WE WILL MOVE TO REQUEST AND PETITIONS. IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD ANYTHING TO THIS BODY THIS EVENING, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT. IT WILL BE OUR LAST TIME TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR REQUEST AND PETITIONS. SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE REQUEST AND PETITIONS. THERE'S ALSO NOT ANYONE PARTICIPATING ONLINE. WE WILL MOVE TO REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS. [X. Reports and Other Business.] WE DO HAVE A RESOLUTION, RESOLUTION R-25-Y THAT CONFIRMS THAT THE CITY COMMISSION ENTERED INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON APRIL 7 FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING LEGAL MATTERS. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT RESOLUTION? >> SO MOVED. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR> >> AYE. >> I'LL ABSTAINING FROM THAT VOTE AGAIN. >> ANY OPPOSED? MAYOR VOTES AYE, AND THE RESOLUTION IS APPROVED WITH AN ABSTENTION FROM COMMISSIONER WALSH. I'LL LOOK TO THE CITY MANAGER TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD. >> NO STAFF REPORTS TONIGHT. >> NO STAFF REPORTS. I WILL PAD OVER TO COMMISSIONER MEYER. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT TODAY. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO SAY THIS WAS A GREAT MEETING, AND I ALWAYS LOVE WHEN WE HAVE A 100% POSITIVE MEETING. [LAUGHTER] THOSE ARE THE BEST MEETINGS. ALL OF YOU WHO KNOW ME WELL KNOW THAT I GENERALLY DO NOT WRITE OR READ PREPARED REMARKS. IT JUST ISN'T MY THING UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT THAT I DON'T WANT TO FLUB. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT AND PREFACE IT WITH THE FACT THAT ANY STATEMENT I MAKE FROM THIS SEAT IS MINE AND MINE ALONE AND IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS ENTIRE BODY. WHEN WE REACHED THE POINT WHERE OUR ADVOCACY FOR ONE MARGINALIZED GROUP DIRECTLY HARMS ANOTHER MARGINALIZED GROUP. WE HAVE REACHED THE POINT WHEN WE ARE DOING ADVOCACY ALL WRONG. WHEN WE REACH THE POINT WHERE THE ATTENTION GIVEN TO PUBLIC ACTIVISM IS WEAPONIZED AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE QUIETLY DOING THE WORK, WE HAVE LOST THE GOOD FAITH THAT IS THE FOUNDATION OF ACTIVACY FOR CHANGE. THERE IS REAL HARM IN SACRIFICING THE RIGHTS AND NEEDS OF THE MANY FOR THE SAKE OF SOME AND CALLING IT ADVOCACY FOR ALL. [03:05:05] THERE IS REAL DANGER IN THE SWING OF DIVISIVENESS AT A TIME WHEN WE NEED ALLYSHIP, COLLECTIVE COLLABORATION, AND STRENGTHENED NUMBERS TO PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND PERSEVERE. TODAY IS A DAY THAT I CONSIDER A SIGNIFICANT DAY. I WOULD LIKE TO QUOTE SOME LYRICS FROM SONGS BY MY FAVORITE ARTIST, PRINCE WHO DIED ON THIS DAY IN 2016. YOU MAY NOTICE THAT I AM WEARING THE IMAGE FROM THE ALBUM COVER OF MY FAVORITE PRINCE ALBUM, AND I'M ALSO WEARING DIAMONDS AND PEARLS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE REAL. [LAUGHTER] UP TO YOU TO GUESS. PRINCE'S MUSIC MADE SUCH A PROFOUND IMPACT ON MY LIFE AND MY CORE VALUES AS I GREW INTO MY IDENTITY. SO MUCH SO THAT WHEN I FOUND OUT I WAS EXPECTING A CHILD, JUST MONTHS AFTER THE PRINCE'S DEATH. THERE WAS NO OTHER NAME I COULD EVEN CONSIDER FOR MY BABY, AND LUCKILY, HIS DAD LIKE THE NAME ENOUGH TO AGREE. SO MY SON PRINCE WILL BE EIGHT THIS WEEK. THE FIRST SONG THAT I WOULD LIKE TO QUOTE LYRICS FROM IS "PROBABLY WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME. WE ARE THE NEW POWER GENERATION. WE WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD. THE ONLY THING THAT'S IN OUR WAY IS YOU." AND FROM THE SAME SONG, "PARDON US FOR CARING. WE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS AGAINST THE RULES. IF WE ONLY WANT TO LOVE ANOTHER, THEN TELL ME NOW WHO'S THE FOOL." ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITES, "AMERICA AMERICA, GOD SHED HIS GRACE ONLY. AMERICA, AMERICA, KEEP THE CHILDREN FREE." THEN THIS ONE FROM A SONG THAT STOPPED 10-YEAR-OLD ME IN MY TRACKS WHEN I FIRST HEARD IT AND HAS BEEN ONE OF MY PERSONAL LIFE'S ANTHEMS EVER SINCE. THE PART I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU GOES, HAM NOW, MAYBE WE COULD FIND A GOOD REASON TO SEND A CHILD OFF TO WAR. WHAT IF WE'RE CONTROLLING ALL THE OIL? IS IT WORTH A CHILD DYING FOR? IF LONG LIFE IS WHAT WE ALL LIVE FOR, THEN LONG LIFE WILL COME TO PASS. ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN THE PICTURE OF A CHILD IN A CLOUD OF GAS, AND YOU THINK YOU'VE GOT IT BAD? THIS LAST ONE IS ESPECIALLY FOR DECATUR RIGHT NOW. WE'RE AGAINST HUNGRY CHILDREN. OUR RECORD STANDS TALL, BUT THERE'S JUST AS MUCH HUNGER HERE AT HOME. WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN IF YOU'LL TRY TO UNDERSTAND A FLOWER THAT IS WATERED WILL GROW, AND A CHILD MISUNDERSTOOD WILL GO. HELLO. WE ARE A FRACTURED COMMUNITY, BUT WE'RE NOT YET BROKEN. WE MAY BE SPLIT, BUT WE AREN'T DIVIDED, AND WE ARE SO MUCH STRONGER AND COULD BE SO MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL IF WE STAY TOGETHER. WE SAY WE CARE ABOUT THE SAME THINGS, THAT WE SHARE THE SAME VALUES AS A COMMUNITY. LET OUR VALUES DRIVE US TO ACTIONS THAT PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE CHILDREN IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO HAVE THE MOST TO LOSE, NOT JUST SOME OF THEM, BUT ALL OF THEM. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, MAYOR. >> COMMISSION. >> I KNOW YOU LOVE GOING AFTER. [LAUGHTER] >> IT'S INTERESTING. FIRST OF ALL, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD MEETING. I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET HOWARD AVENUE UNDERWAY. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT SITING WITH YOU AND COMMISSIONER MEYER FRANK? THAT JUST MY ON THAT A WHILE AGO. I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE AREA STREET CROSSING IS STILL SEPARATED, EXCITED TO SEE THAT GOING FORWARD. EXCITED ABOUT THE FIRE TRUCK. YOU JUST BECAUSE MY WIFE, CORDY HAS BEEN ACTIVE. SHE WORKED IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND WHO CDC STUFF. IT'S INTERESTING WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT YOU WERE SPEAKING A SAFETY ABOUT THIS, THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HELP AND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT INVITING AND I THINK WITH THE UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL, AND I THINK THAT DIVIDING CONCURS IS CREW. BROOKS HAD AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES. IN TALKING ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE NEED UNNATURAL ALLIANCES BECAUSE NEW YORK CHALLENGING UNNATURAL ACTION IS SOMETHING. [03:10:03] IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US NOT TO ATTACK OUR ALLIES AND OUR FRIENDS. JUST SAY THIS IS CC. WE GOT TO STOP FIGHTING EACH OTHER AND WE NEED TO START FIGHTING WHAT IT IS. I AM, I THINK WE DO A GOOD JOB WITH THAT COMMISSION SOMETIMES. THOSE ARE MY TIMES. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER WALSH. >> THANK YOU. GREAT TO BE THE MIDDLE CHILD, TOO. [LAUGHTER] BUT HONESTLY, AND I'D LIKE TO SAY A GREAT MEETING. THANKS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND HOW INDIVIDUALLY AND ON A GIVEN NIGHT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE WHO YOU ARE, SPEAK YOUR HEART, SHARE SOMETHING DEEPLY PERSONAL IF POSSIBLE AND HOW IT RELATES TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OR HERE AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU DID THAT AND TOOK THE TIME AND BROUGHT US BACK TO. ALSO, THE IMPORTANCE OF ART AND HOW MUSIC, WHICH IS ART, TEACHES US A LOT AND MAKES A HUGE IMPRESSION. THAT WHAT YOU'RE STANDING FOR TONIGHT, IF I CAN MAP OVER TO IT IS HOW WE CARE A LOT IN CITY GOVERNMENT ABOUT HOW OUR SCHOOLS ARE DOING, HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING, HOW THEIR LEADERSHIP IS DOING, AND IF IT'S LIKE OUR HOUSEHOLD, I THINK A LOT IT'S TIME TO SAY WE CO PARENT HERE AS GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOLS. IF SOMEONE IN THE HOUSE IS NOT FEELING WELL OR NOT HEALTHY, OR NOT AT FULL CAPACITY, OR THINGS ARE NOT OKAY. WE ALL DON'T FEEL WELL, AND WE HAVE EMPATHY AND WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS BY EACH OTHER AND BE SUPPORTIVE, AND I FEEL THE SAME WAY, SO I'M SPEAKING HIGH-LEVEL ON THAT. BUT I WANT US TO ALL BE DOING WELL IN COMMUNITY TOGETHER, SHARING IN THE WORK, SHARING IN THE HARD TIMES AND THE GOOD, AND I WOULD NOT WANT OUR CO-PARENT ALSO TO THINK THAT WE DON'T ALSO WANT THE SAME OUTCOMES, PARTICULARLY AROUND EQUITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, WHICH IS WE OFTEN USE MORE WORDS HERE ABOUT BEING WELCOMING AND BELONGING, ALL OF THOSE VALUES THAT I THINK WE SHARE. SPEAKING OF WELCOMING AND BELONGING, IF WHAT THE MAYOR SAID ABOUT GOING TO CITY HALL. NONE OF US WORK THERE OR HAVE AN OFFICE THERE. I DO THINK WE'RE MORE LIKE A VISITOR WHEN WE GO. MAYBE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MAYOR. BUT NO, WHEN WE GO THROUGH WHEN I'M THERE, IT'S ALWAYS A WARM RECEPTION. I FEEL COMFORTABLE. IT'S A NICE BUILDING, AND PEOPLE ARE LOVELY. WHEN HAD THE MAYBE IN OPPORTUNE MOMENT TO SAY HI TO ME ON A DAY. I DROPPED IN LAST FALL FOR SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I HAD JUST TAKEN DROPPED MY SON OFF TO COLLEGE. AND I DIDN'T GET HI, HOW ARE YOU OUT, BUT SHE IS SUCH A WARM, NICE PERSON. I BURST INTO TEARS AND I GOT TO STAND THERE FOR ABOUT 10 OR 15 MINUTES, GET HUGS AND A NICE EXCHANGE, AND A VERY WARM, DEEPLY HUMAN PERSON WHO EVERYONE HERE IS AS WELL. IT JUST HAPPENED TO BE GWEN WHO GOT ME THAT MORNING. TO SAY THAT THEY ARE HERE FOR US, AND THEY DO REALLY HARD WORK, IMPORTANT WORK, AND ARE ALSO GENUINELY NICE, LOVE AND CARING PEOPLE. I THINK THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT OUR CITY GOVERNMENT. I WANTED TO SAY WELCOME TO TWO NEW STAFF, SO I'LL TRY NOT TO FIND YOU AND START CRYING TOO, BUT NEVER WELCOME. IT'S A TOUGH MORNING. AND THANK YOU FOR THE EEL CRACKERS. IT SAYS ON THE BOX, IT'S A SNACK FOR NIGHTS. >> IT WAS PAID [OVERLAPPING] >> I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET OUT TO LEGACY. WHATEVER YOU WANT TO GO AND SEE AND DO OR GET FROM IT, EVEN JUST A PARK AND WALK, OR CALL ME, CALL ANY OF US, WE'D LOVE TO MEET YOU OUT THERE. I THINK THERE MAY STILL BE A LOT OF FOLKS. IT TOOK PEOPLE YEARS TO GET OVER TO THE BELT LINE. IT'S NOT THAT FAR AWAY TO GO AND SEE WHAT'S KNITTING TOGETHER AND HOW IT WORKS AND EACH NEW PART IS MAKING THE OTHER PARTS BETTER. THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SEEING. I'M NOT A PLACE-MAKER, PLANNER, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT. BUT TO GO AND SEE EACH NEW THING, YOU CAN SEE THE COMPLEMENTARY NATURE, AND THAT SPEAKS BACK TO HOW THE COMMUNITY SPOKE AND SAID, LET'S DO MORE THAN ONE THING OUT THERE, AND THEN WE CAN ALL ENJOY IT. I THINK WE'RE SEEING THE FRUITS OF THAT ENGAGEMENT AND THE INPUTS. THAT'S EXCITING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS NEXT CHAPTER OF THE CREATIVE ARTIST VILLAGE. I'LL LEAVE WITH THAT. IT'S BEEN A NICE LONG NIGHT AND APPRECIATE EVERYBODY A GOOD MEETING. >> THANK YOU. TIM. >> NORMALLY, I'M THE ONE THAT'S THE I GUESS THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT COMMISSIONER MEYER TOOK THE MANTLE TODAY. I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE HAPPY EARTH DAY, [03:15:01] AND WHAT A GREAT DAY TO BUY AN ELECTRIC FIRE TRUCK, SO WE CAN SAVE. IT'S NOT LOST ON ME THAT WE PUT ALL THIS EFFORT INTO IT, AND IT HAPPENED ON EARTH DAY. I THINK WE TRY TO MAKE STEPS TO BE A LEADER, BUT ALSO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE LEAVE. I HOPE THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES SEE YOU THE THOUGHT THAT WE PUT INTO JUST THE MOST MUNDANE OF DECISIONS SOMETIMES WHERE OTHER CITIES, THIS WOULD TAKE TWO SECONDS OUT OF THEIR DAY TO GO, YET WE YOU NEW FIRE TRUCK BOOM, WE HAVE A HEALTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE VALUES OF A FIRE TRUCK, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE SELF WORTH OF OUR PEOPLE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT SETS THE CITY DECATUR APART FROM OTHER CITIES. I WAS AT DINNER OR BRUNCH YESTERDAY WITH SOME FOLKS. THEY KNEW I WAS IN GOVERNMENT, AND I WON'T TELL THE NAME OF THE CITY, BUT I THOUGHT THE STORY WAS WORTH REPEATING. THE CITY ATTORNEY AND ONE OF THE CITY PLANNERS, AND ONE OTHER CITY PERSONNEL WERE ARRESTED BY THE FBI ON FEDERAL CHARGES BECAUSE APPARENTLY THEY WERE UP TO NO GOOD AND THEY TRIED TO HIDE A BUNCH OF EVIDENCE AT THE BEHEST OF THE CITY ATTORNEY. THAT WOULD NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, IN 1 MILLION YEARS HAPPEN HERE BECAUSE WE WORK WITH SOME OF THE MOST SKILLFUL PEOPLE OF INTEGRITY IN THIS NATION. THAT'S WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO, AND THAT'S WHY WE TAKE TIME TO PUT IN WITH THE VERY MUNDANE, LIKE BUYING A FIRE TRUCK. BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNCOVER EVERY STONE AND HAVE VERY, VERY THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHY WE'RE DOING SOMETHING, EVEN IF WE ONLY GET ONE E MAIL THAT SAYS, WHY ARE YOU DOING IT? BECAUSE WE WANT TO SPEND THE TIME TO REALLY THOUGHTFULLY SHARE WHY YOU ELECTED US AND WHY WE'RE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY. IT'S BEEN A VERY EMOTIONAL WEEKEND FOR A LOT OF US. IT WAS EASTER WEEKEND, IT WAS PASSED OVER A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON. THE POPE PASSED AWAY THIS MORNING. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE WORLD, AND IT SEEMS LIKE GOOD PEOPLE LEAVE US ALL THE TIME. WE'RE HERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NEXT? I THINK WHAT WE DO NEXT IS WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY IS WE GET UP HERE AND WE TRY TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE DECISIONS AND WE SPEAK OUR TRUTH, AND WE KNOW THAT I BELIEVE THERE WAS A SONG CALLED I BELIEVE THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE, AND I STILL BELIEVE THAT, AND SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR THEM. PERIOD, SO ISN'T GOING TO BE A NEXT GENERATION. PERIOD. >> THANK YOU. THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND FOR A GREAT MEETING. I THINK WE MADE SOME GREAT DECISIONS TO HELP US CONTINUE TO MEET THE GOALS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE ROBUST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MAKING THAT HAPPEN. JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS IS LAST THURSDAY NIGHT FOR JAZZ NIGHTS IN OAKHURST. SPEAKING OF CELEBRATING EARTH DAY, THE LEGACY COMMUNITY DAY IS THIS COMING SATURDAY, AND WE'LL BE CELEBRATING EARTH DAY AS A PART OF THAT. I BELIEVE IT STARTS AT 10:00 AM AND GOES THROUGH TWO O'CLOCK. A GREAT DAY TO GO OUT AND LEARN ABOUT IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THE NON-PROFITS OUT THERE, AND TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY, IF YOU HAVE ADMITTED THE NEW TRACK AND FIELD TO SPEND SOME FUN TIME AT LEGACY. I COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK WHEN COMMISSIONER MEYER WAS TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN AND THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN. THE MAYOR OF TALLAHASSEE IS A FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE ON THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE BOARD. I SENT HIM AN E-MAIL LAST WEEK, AND I THINK JUST THINKING ABOUT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE AND CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS BEING KILLED. I THINK WE HAVE TO STOP AND THANK AND BE CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S WAY TOO MUCH GUN VIOLENCE EVERYWHERE THAT IS SACRIFICING CHILDREN AND THAT I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME OF MEANINGFUL CHANGE TO KEEP THOSE THINGS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FROM HAPPENING AND IT WAS JUST ANOTHER TRAGEDY THAT WE WANT TO REMEMBER [03:20:04] AND FIGURE OUT BETTER WAYS TO HELP PEOPLE THAT OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT MAY PUT THEM DRIVE THEM TO THOSE DECISIONS, BUT ALSO TAKE AWAY THE ABILITY TO EASILY ACCESS WEAPONS TO DO IT. I ALSO APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU ALL GAVE ME TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT MY TRIP TO JAPAN, AND JUST LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE GOOD WORK OF THE COMMISSION. WITH THAT, THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 9:22. THANKS. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.