Jun 16, 2025 Work Session & City Commission

OH, AND WE'LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE RETIREMENT.

[00:00:04]

[WORK SESSION – 6:45 P.M.]

HERE TO PRESENT RETIREMENT 101. THIS IS ACTUALLY BASED OFF OF A POWERPOINT, A PRESENTATION THAT I DO THAT WE TRY TO OFFER ANNUALLY TO OUR EMPLOYEES. JUST TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE BENEFIT OF A PENSION, EMPOWER THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PENSION WORKS AND HOW THE CALCULATIONS WORK. AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, DISPEL ANY RUMORS OR MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE PENSION PROGRAM.

I DID TRY TO TAILOR IT TO YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT, SO I DON'T GO AS DEEP IN THE WEEDS AS I NORMALLY WOULD, BUT WE'RE STILL GOING TO GO A LITTLE DEEP. SO FOR THIS EVENING, I'M HOPING TO GO OVER JUST ONE.

WHAT IS A PENSION? THE DEFINITION? COMPARE PENSION TO OTHER TYPES OF BENEFIT PLANS.

GO OVER THE BASICS OF THE CITY'S PENSION PROGRAM.

ALSO CONTRIBUTIONS AND ELIGIBILITY. THE CALCULATIONS AND I HAVE A KIND OF FUN ACTIVITY AT THE END TO KEEP IT LIGHT.

SO PENSION PLAN A PENSION. A PENSION IS A DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN, DEFINED BENEFIT WHERE AN EMPLOYER GUARANTEES A FIXED INCOME FOR LIFE AFTER RETIREMENT, TYPICALLY BASED ON YEARS OF SERVICE AND SALARY.

SO IT'S AN AMOUNT THAT IS CALCULATED THAT YOU WILL GET AFTER YOU RETIRE.

EVERY MONTH FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. SO EVERY MONTH, THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

NOW COMPARING THAT TO A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN.

SO DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION DEFINED CONTRIBUTION IS THINGS LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, A 401K, A 401A, A 457. SO THOSE ARE EXAMPLES OF DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLANS.

THAT'S WHERE EMPLOYEES OR EMPLOYERS WILL PUT UP MONEY TO THE SIDE TO BE INVESTED INTO THE MARKET. SO THINK OF A 401K A PORTION OF A OF SALARY IS PUT AWAY INVESTED.

AND THEN AT THE END WHEN YOU'RE READY TO RETIRE, THERE'S AN ACTUAL AN AMOUNT THAT IS IN THAT PLAN OR IN THAT EMPLOYEE'S ACCOUNT VERSUS WITH US, WE DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT OR AN AMOUNT.

IT'S AN AMOUNT THAT YOU WILL BE GIVEN MONTHLY THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

SO, FOR ONE THE 401K, 401A, 433, 457, THOSE ARE EXAMPLES.

401K I THINK IS THE PRIVATE SECTOR OPTION 401A AND 457 ARE GOVERNMENT.

THE PUBLIC OPTIONS AND THEN 430 3BI THINK IS FOR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. AND YOU CAN SEE I PULLED THIS GRAPH FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR JUST TO KIND OF SHOW YOU HOW LIKE IN THE 80S, PENSIONS WERE MORE POPULAR. AND THEN YOU'VE SEEN HOW IT'S DEFINITELY COME DOWN OVER THE YEARS AND THEN IT'S REMAINED FLAT.

AND THEN YOU SEE HOW SINCE THE 70S, 80S, 90S, HOW THE OTHER, THE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLANS HAVE KIND OF RISEN AND ARE WAY MORE OR WAY MORE POPULAR. AND THIS IS NUMBER OF RETIREMENT PLANS IN THE US THAT LIKE ACTIVE RETIREMENT PLANS, THOSE WHAT IS IT MEASURE? AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT'S ACTIVE.

AND OVER THE COURSE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE NUMBER OF WORKERS IN 1975 VERSUS NOW.

OH, IT'S OKAY. I MEAN, I ASSUME IT'S ALMOST DOUBLED.

YEAH. BECAUSE IT PROVIDES CONTEXT IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE.

YEAH, DEFINITELY. AND THEN WITH US, WE OFFER WE ALSO OFFER A 457.

SO WE WOULD BE IN THE DARK ORANGE AND IN THE LIGHT ORANGE.

BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE OFFERING A, THE CITY OFFERS 457B IRA AND THE PENSION.

SO, YOU KNOW A LOT OF PLACES LIKE CITIES OR GOVERNMENTS MIGHT BE OFFERING BOTH.

SO THAT ALSO HELPS THAT GROWTH IN THAT DARK ORANGE.

AND THE 457B IS THROUGH MISSION SQUARE. YEAH.

RIGHT. YES. IT'S VOLUNTARY. AND SO A LITTLE BIT OF A SYSTEM OVERVIEW.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT PLANS OR TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS.

IT'S THE RULE OF 75 WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN.

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ALL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, ALL FULL TIME PERMANENT EMPLOYEES ARE MEMBERS.

IT'S A REQUIREMENT. AND AFTER TEN YEARS, YOU'RE 100% VESTED.

EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS ARE SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENT EVERY YEAR BASED ON CALCULATIONS PERFORMED BY THE PLAN'S ACTUARY.

SO THE RETIREMENT BOARD, I THINK THE PLAN SANCTUARY COMES YEARLY AND ANNUALLY AND WILL PRESENT ABOUT HOW THE PLAN IS DOING AND THE FUNDING NEEDS. SO THAT NORMALLY HAPPENS PRE THE BUDGET.

SO, THEN ANDREA AND MEREDITH WILL HAVE THOSE NUMBERS TO HELP WITH THEIR BUDGETING.

AND AT 9.5%, WAS THE AMOUNT FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

THAT'S MORE THAN WHAT THE ACTUARIES REQUIRED.

YEP. OKAY. AND SO. AND THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WOULD TRIGGER RETIREMENT OR THREE TYPES OF RETIREMENT.

YOU HAVE REGULAR RETIREMENT EARLY RETIREMENT AND THEN DISABILITY RETIREMENT.

AND I WILL GO THROUGH ALL THREE IN THIS. SO RETIREMENT PLAN DOCUMENT THE PLAN HAS TO BE OPERATED CONSISTENTLY WITH ITS WRITTEN TERMS. THE BIG MONSTER OF A DOCUMENT. BUT IT DOES GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM BENEFICIARIES TO UNREDUCED, RETIREMENT, ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SPOUSES.

THERE'S A COPY IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE AS WELL AS ON SHAREPOINT.

AMENDMENTS TO THIS PLAN ARE APPROVED BY THE BOARD AND THE CITY COMMISSION.

I BELIEVE IN JULY OF 2024 I HAD BROUGHT A RECOMMENDED CHANGE TO YOU ALL. I THINK THAT WAS THE LAST AMENDMENT.

AND THAT WAS ABOUT INCREASING THE SURVIVOR PAYOUT FOR EMPLOYEES THAT MAY PASS AWAY WHILE IN SERVICE OR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE, WHO STAYED WORKING AND PASSED AWAY WHILE IN SERVICE.

SO YOU ALL APPROVED THAT AMENDMENT, SO THAT IS INCLUDED.

AND THEN EVERY FIVE YEARS IT'S REQUIRED TO HAVE A RESTATEMENT WHICH WOULD HAVE ALL THE AMENDMENTS THEN ADDED TO THE PLAN ITSELF.

AND WE DO HAVE A HIGHLIGHTER DOCUMENT. THAT'S A DOCUMENT THAT'S LIKE MAYBE THREE PAGES THAT HAS THE HIGHLIGHTS.

SO IF THIS IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING AND YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS, YOU COULD KIND OF FIND IT IN THAT LOOK IN THE HIGHLIGHTER FIRST.

HOW MANY EMPLOYEES USE THE SHARE THE ONLINE INFORMATION TO.

BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE DONE TRAINING, AND WE WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS AVAILABLE SO YOU COULD LOOK AT YOUR OWN SPECIFIC INFORMATION WHENEVER YOU WANT.

I PASS. OH. NICE PASS. OH, OKAY. YEAH, WE'LL I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.

OKAY. AND I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE ANALYTICS ON HOW OFTEN I PASS IS USED, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY ASK.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE A PORTAL SO EMPLOYEES CAN GO IN AND RUN CALCULATIONS.

SO IF THEY WANT TO SAY IF I'M WHEN I'M 56 AND MY KIDS ARE GRADUATING FROM THIS, I'M CONSIDERING RETIRING, WHAT WOULD I GET? OH, I'M WILLING TO GET THEM THROUGH COLLEGE.

OKAY, I'M 59. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? YOU COULD RUN ALL OF THOSE SCENARIOS, AND PREVIOUSLY WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY THE ACTUARIES EVERY FOR EVERY SCENARIO. SO THIS WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO EMPOWER EMPLOYEES TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS, BUT ALSO NOT HAVE TO PAY ACTUARIES EVERY SINGLE TIME.

SO NEXT I'LL TALK ABOUT THE RETIREMENT BOARD.

SO THE PLAN IS GOVERNED BY THE BOARD. AND THE MEMBERS ARE THE MAYOR, THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY CLERK ONE GENERAL EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH IS VOTED ON BY EMPLOYEES AND THEN ONE PUBLIC SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH IS VOTED ON BY EMPLOYEES AND THEN TWO RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVES.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD A CHANGE TO OUR PUBLIC RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE? IS THERE A TERM OF SERVICE? MIC]. SO SIX YEARS, I BELIEVE. CALLS FOR. OH, SORRY.

THE CITY COMMISSION HAS ONE APPOINTMENT, AND THE ACTUAL RETIREMENT BOARD, I BELIEVE, HAS ONE APPOINTMENT, I DON'T REMEMBER I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG WE COULD GO BACK AND FIND THEIR TERMS, BUT THERE'S NOT A LIMIT

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BUT WE THINK 2018 MIGHT BE THE LAST. YEAH, I JUST BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH OUR OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

SO QUESTION. AND SO THE BOARD MEETS MONTHLY AND THEY APPROVE RETIREMENT APPLICATIONS. ENDS REVIEW. INVESTMENT OPTIONS AND MAKE AND REVIEW AMENDMENTS TO THE PLAN.

THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR ADMINISTERS THE PLAN AND STAFFS THE BOARD IF EMPLOYEES HAVE QUESTIONS.

THIS IS PART FROM MY RETIREMENT 101 FOR EMPLOYEES.

IF EMPLOYEES HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR SPECIFIC RETIREMENT BENEFIT, DEFINITELY CONTACT HUMAN RESOURCES.

IF AN EMPLOYEE HAS QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PLAN ITSELF THAT THEN THEY SHOULD EITHER CONTACT HUMAN RESOURCES OR THEIR REPRESENTATIVE. AND THEN ALSO THE PLAN HAS AN ATTORNEY.

AN ACTUARIAL FIRM AND THEN ALSO AN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FIRM THAT ADVISES THE BOARD.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE BACKGROUND HELPING WORK ON THE PENSION OR HELP KEEP IT RUNNING.

SO I TOLD YOU THERE WAS TWO PLANS. JUST KIND OF WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES.

SO RULE OF 75 THAT'S PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE.

NORMAL RETIREMENT AGE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FOR RULE OF 75 IS 60.

AND THEY CONTRIBUTE 14% OF THEIR SALARY. AND THEY HAVE INCREASING MULTIPLIERS BASED OFF OF YEARS OF SERVICE. SO AND I'LL DEFINITELY I HAVE A TABLE LATER ON TO SHOW YOU.

SO YOU'LL KIND OF SEE WHAT THEY GET FOR THAT 14%.

AND THEY CAN RETIRE WHEN AGE PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE EQUALS 75.

SO THEY COULD LEAVE AT 60, BUT THEY ALSO CAN LEAVE EARLIER IF THEIR AGE PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE EQUALS 75.

AND THEN RULE OF 80, WHICH IS GENERAL EMPLOYEES MYSELF NORMAL RETIREMENT AGE WOULD BE 65 CONTRIBUTE ON AVERAGE 6%.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED OF A CALCULATION.

I'LL GO THROUGH IT. BUT 6% AND THEN NO INCREASING MULTIPLIERS AND THEN RETIRE WHEN AGE PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE EQUALS 80.

BOTH OF THESE SCENARIOS. I CAN RETIRE IN BOTH OF THESE SCENARIOS.

SO EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION REQUIRED TO CONTRIBUTE AS A CONDITION OF FULL TIME PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT, SOMETIMES NEW EMPLOYEES WOULD BE LIKE, CAN I JUST NOT? NOPE. EVERYONE HAS TO CONTRIBUTE. CONTRIBUTING 4%.

OKAY, SO RULE OF 80, REMEMBER I SAID IT'S KIND OF MORE COMPLICATED.

SO THE FIRST $2,000 A MONTH IN EMPLOYEE GETS, THEY CONTRIBUTE 4%.

ANYTHING OVER $2,000 FOR THAT MONTH IS AT 8%.

WE DID THE MATH. ON AVERAGE, EVERYONE PAYS. I MEAN, ON AVERAGE, THE AVERAGE AMOUNT IS 6%.

THAT'S EASIER TO EXPLAIN THAN THE 4%, 8% AT TIMES.

AND THEN RULE OF 75, IT'S FLAT, CONTRIBUTING 14%.

NOW, I GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF A PAYCHECK HERE ON THE RIGHT TO KIND OF SHOW YOU ALL.

WELL, NORMALLY TO SHOW EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, WHERE DOES IT COME OUT? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? IT'S THE LAST ON THE BOTTOM.

THAT'S E RULE 80. AND IN THIS SCENARIO I RAN THE NUMBER.

AND I THINK THAT'S LIKE 6.09%. EXACTLY. YES. AND SO IT LOOKS LIKE. SO OUR POLICE AND FIRE DO NOT GET THE SOCIAL SECURITY OF OUR GENERAL EMPLOYEES DO THEIR PART.

YES. THEIR PENSION, THEY ALSO GET SOCIAL SECURITY, BUT FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE, THEY ONLY HAVE THEIR.

YES, UNLESS THEY PAY THE 457 FOR IRA. OKAY. AND SO YEAH, IN THIS IF THIS WAS A POLICE OR FIRE CHECK THAT SOCIAL SECURITY IN THE ORANGE SECTION WOULD NOT BE THERE.

AND THEN IT WOULD SAY RULE OF 75 AND IT WOULD BE AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE.

BUT THEY STILL PARTICIPATE IN MEDICARE, DON'T THEY? SO, YEAH. IN RETIREMENT THEY GET ON MEDICARE.

SO I WOULD THINK SO. YEAH. AND THEN RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY RULE OF 80.

SO THIS JUST GOES OVER THE SAME TYPES OF THINGS.

BY THE WAY, I DID PUT SOME PHOTOS OF SOME RETIREES YOU MIGHT KNOW IN HERE.

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SO 65 AND TEN, OR YOU CAN LEAVE EARLY. AND I TRY TO GIVE SOME SCENARIOS.

NOW, YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO START HERE SUPER EARLY IN YOUR CAREER.

BUT LIKE YOU COULD RETIRE AS EARLY AS 49 IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE 31 YEARS.

SO YOU PROBABLY HAD TO HAVE STARTED HERE AT 18.

BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO SHOW THAT IT'S NOT. YOU HAVE TO RETIRE AT 50.

IF YOU STARTED HER EARLY, YOU CAN DEFINITELY LEAVE EARLIER.

THERE'S ALSO A REDUCED EARLY RETIREMENT. SO IF SOMEONE FOR SOME REASON REALLY WANTED TO RETIRE EARLY AND THEY DID NOT MEET RULE OF 80, OR THEY WERE NOT 65 AND TEN YEARS, THEY COULD LEAVE UNDER THE REDUCED, HOWEVER, AGE 60 WITH 15 YEARS, BUT IT'S A HALF OF 1% FOR EVERY MONTH YOU LEAVE EARLY.

SO THERE HAS TO BE A VERY GOOD REASON YOU WOULD WANT TO TAKE THAT FINANCIAL HIT, BUT WE OFFER IT.

RULE OF 75. THIS IS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. SEE, MR. BOOKER BUT NORMAL RETIREMENT DATE. YOU SEE, IT'S LESS THAN THE RULE OF 80, 60 PLUS TEN YEARS.

AND YOU COULD LEAVE AT DIFFERENT YEARS, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE HIT 75, 50 AND 25, 49 AND 26.

AND THEN, JUST LIKE WITH THE OTHER PLAN, YOU COULD ALSO AT AGE YOU COULD ALSO DO REDUCED EARLY RETIREMENT 55 AND 15 AGAINST IS A HALF OF 1% FOR EVERY MONTH YOU LEAVE EARLY. SO RETIREMENT FACTORS.

SO IF SOMEONE COMES INTO OUR OFFICES AND SAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO RETIRE, THERE'S SOME THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW BEFORE WE CAN RUN A CALCULATION.

SO FIVE HIGHEST CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF ANNUAL EARNINGS YEARS OF SERVICE.

NOW ALSO WE WANT TO KNOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO HAVE A BENEFICIARY IN THAT? ARE YOU PLANNING TO REDUCE HOW MUCH YOU ARE GOING TO RECEIVE SO THAT YOU CAN CARRY A BENEFICIARY? AND THEN IF SO, WE NEED TO KNOW THE BENEFICIARY'S AGE.

SO THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE IF YOUR BENEFICIARY IS MUCH YOUNGER THAN YOU WHEN YOU PASS, WE HAVE TO PAY THEM MONTHLY THE REST OF THEIR LIFE.

AND THE YOUNGER THEY ARE, THE MORE.

YEAH. THAT WE WOULD THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OVERTIME.

SO ACTUARIES GET ALL THAT INFORMATION GOES TO ACTUARY TO GIVE US THOSE CALCULATIONS.

ALSO, WE NEED TO KNOW YOUR AGE AT RETIREMENT IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO EARLY RETIRE.

SO RETIREMENT BENEFIT DOESN'T CHANGE JUST BECAUSE YOUR BENEFICIARY IN YOU, IT'S STILL YOUR BENEFICIARY. SO, IT'S YOU CAN STILL SELECT BUT 75%, 50% I KNOW YOU'LL SHOW THAT, BUT THAT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE NOT GETTING LESS BECAUSE THEY'RE THAT MUCH YOUNGER.

YES, YOU ARE. IT'S I THOUGHT IT WAS PART OF. OKAY.

AND I COULD SHOW YOU ON THE OTHER SHEET WHEN WE GET THERE.

BUT. SO RULE OF 80. I'M JUST GOING TO DO A QUICK RUN THROUGH THE CALCULATION.

I'LL TRY TO NOT BORE YOU TO DEATH. BUT BASICALLY WE HAVE A 65 YEAR OLD EMPLOYEE RETIRING ON JANUARY 1ST, 2026. THEY WERE HIRED 25 YEARS AGO. SO THAT'S 25 YEARS OF SERVICE.

AND I HAVE FIVE CONSECUTIVE ANNUAL EARNINGS. SO I HAVE 60, 58, 56.

YOU CAN SEE THAT AVERAGES OUT TO 56,000 OR $4666 A MONTH.

NOW, RULE OF 80 IS A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THING TO TRY TO EXPLAIN TO EMPLOYEES OR ANYONE, EVEN ME TRYING TO CALCULATE IT FOR MYSELF. BUT IT IS THERE.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHAT THE EMPLOYEE WOULD GET 1% OF THE FIRST $550 OUT OF THAT $4,666 FOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE, WHICH EQUALS $137. THEN ANYTHING OVER THE 550, THEY GET A 1.65% MULTIPLIER INSTEAD OF THE 1%, AND THEN YOU MULTIPLY IT BY 25.

THEN YOU ADD THOSE TWO THINGS UP, AND THAT GIVES YOU $1,835.

AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE REST OF THEIR LIFE 22,000.

SO THEN WHAT? BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO JUST THEY'RE 65.

THEY'RE NOT JUST GOING TO GET RETIREMENT FROM THE CITY OF DECATUR.

THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO GET SOCIAL SECURITY. SO I JUST GAVE THE AVERAGE I WENT AND GOT THAT FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY WEBSITE, THAT NUMBER. AND THEN THAT GOT US TO 78% OF EARNINGS.

[00:20:03]

ONE LEG IS SOCIAL. ANOTHER LEG IS THE PENSION.

AND SO THERE'S REALLY YOU SHOULD ALSO BE PUTTING INTO THE 457 IRA.

SO THAT COULD BE YOUR THIRD LEG. COMMISSIONER, DO WE INDEX THE PAYMENT FOR INFLATION OR DOES IT STAY FLAT? STAYS FLAT UNLESS THE BOARD THE BOARD HAS DONE A COLA AND.

COLA IT HAD BEEN 10 OR 15. SO THERE'S NO AUTOMATIC TRIGGER.

WHICH IS ACTUALLY THAT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW CONSERVATIVE THIS PLAN IS.

THERE ARE LOTS OF PLANS THAT HAVE GOTTEN INTO SOME FINANCIAL TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY HAVE THESE AUTOMATIC.

YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER SLIDE BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED BENEFICIARY.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT $22,000 FIGURE IF THE EMPLOYEE PASSES AWAY AND THEN THEIR BENEFICIARY I'M SURE THAT NUMBER GETS CUT.

IS THERE A SLIDE THAT SHOWS WHAT? THAT. OH, YEAH.

YEAH, I GOT THAT COMING. AND THIS IS THESE ARE BASED ON SALARIES, NOT SALARY PLUS OVERTIME.

IS THAT CORRECT? NO. SO OVERTIME IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CONTRIBUTIONS OR IN THE BENEFIT.

SO IT'S JUST THE ANNUAL SALARY. I THINK SEVERAL YEARS AGO THERE WERE SOME ALSO SOME WAS A LITTLE BIT OF CONTROVERSY ABOUT SOME PENSION PLANS ALLOWING FOR AND SO SENIOR EMPLOYEES WERE GETTING ALL THE OVERTIME AND BUMPING UP THIS FOR RETIREMENT PURPOSES. SO BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR THAT IT WAS BASED ON SALARY, NOT SALARY PLUS OVERTIME. SO. OH, SORRY. SO JUST TO SEE WE DON'T HAVE ANY CLOSE, RELATIVELY GENEROUS.

WHEN YOU HIT 65, YOU WOULD ALSO QUALIFY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY.

SO YOU GET A SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK. SECURITY CHECK WERE JUST 22% OF YOUR SAVINGS.

IT'S PROBABLY, SORRY, 22% OF YOUR. SALARY, BUT YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE YOUR INCOME INCREASE. SO.

THAT'S A NICE NUMBER. IT SAVES ON THE THIRD LEG.

MIC].

AND YOUR HEALTH CARE EATS THAT UP TOO. SO YEAH YOUR HEALTH CARE ONCE YOU GO OVER 65 YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE INTO THE MARKETPLACE AND THEN IT BECOMES SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT.

SO IN THEORY. RIGHT. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BRIDGE YOU, BUT IN THEORY, YEAH.

AND THEN WE OFFER SUPPLEMENTAL FOR MEDICARE AS WELL.

OUR EMPLOYEES GET VERY EXCITED WHEN THEY JOIN THAT PLAN.

SO RULE OF 75. SO ASSUMPTIONS, SAME ASSUMPTIONS.

65 YEAR OLD EMPLOYEE RETIRING ON JANUARY 1ST.

BEEN HERE 25 YEARS. SAME ANNUAL EARNINGS. I JUST TRY TO MAKE IT EASY.

BUT THEIR CALCULATION IS A LOT EASIER TO CALCULATE.

SO IT'S BASED OFF OF 25 YEARS, YOU'D LOOK AT THIS TABLE AND THEIR MULTIPLIER WOULD BE 2.75% TIMES 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TIME, THAT SAME MONTHLY AMOUNT.

AND NOW YOU GOT TO 38,000, WHICH IS 69%. AND I ADDED THAT PERCENT SIDE OF THE TABLE TO KIND OF SHOW WHAT THE PERCENTAGES ARE. SO OFTEN IN PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU MAY HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE.

THEY'VE HIT RULE OF 80, BUT THEY WILL STAY BECAUSE THEY WANT TO HIT THAT 30 YEAR MULTIPLIER BECAUSE THEY CAN GET ALL THE WAY TO 90%.

BUT LIKE YOU SAID, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT SOCIAL SECURITY.

YEAH. I'M CURIOUS. WAS IT ALSO 25 YEARS? YES.

THERE WERE 70% AFTER 25 YEARS? WELL, 78% IF YOU ADD SOCIAL.

OH. OH, NEVERMIND. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. REMEMBER THE PUBLIC SAFETY THEY PAY 14%.

AND SO, PART OF THAT IS THEY, THEY VOTED TO TAX THEMSELVES FOR THE GREATER BENEFIT.

[00:25:05]

I WAS NOT FOLLOWING. SORRY. THAT'S MY FAULT, NOT YOURS.

AGAIN, I STILL RECOMMEND TO THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN A HIGHER BENEFIT OR THAT THE 457 PLAN IS THERE IF THEY HAVE EXTRA INCOME THAT THEY'D LIKE TO INVEST.

SO NEXT AGAIN, OPTIONS. NOW YOU HAVE NOW, WITH THAT MONEY WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, YOU HAVE OPTIONS.

YOU WANT TO TAKE THE LIFETIME MAX? BECAUSE WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS THE LIFETIME WAS THE MAX AMOUNT OR OPTION B, DO YOU WANT TO DO A LIFETIME REDUCED MONTHLY BENEFIT TO RETIREE AND A DESIGNATED BENEFICIARY OVER THE SPAN OF BOTH LIFETIMES? AND I PULLED AN EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM MY HEART TO KIND OF HELP ILLUSTRATE THIS.

SO THE SINGLE FACTOR THAT'S, THAT'S THE MAX FOR THIS EMPLOYEE IS $1,622.45 A MONTH THE REST OF THEIR LIFE. $0 TO A BENEFICIARY WHEN THEY PASS OR THEY BASICALLY HAVE A CHOICE. DO THEY WANT TO REDUCE TO 1300 AND LEAVE 975 AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

SO WITH ANY EMPLOYEE THAT IS CONSIDERING RETIRING, THEY WOULD GET THESE ACTUAL NUMBERS.

THEY'D GIVE US THEIR BENEFICIARIES INFORMATION AND DATE OF BIRTH, AND THIS WOULD BE RAN FOR THEM.

SO BEFORE THEY MAKE A DECISION, THEY KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE GIVE YOU THE CALCULATION AND SAY GUESS IT.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY. SO THIS WAS CALCULATED USING THE CURRENT AGE OF THE BENEFICIARY.

IS THAT CORRECT. YEAH, I PULLED FROM A RIGHT FROM AN ACTUAL CALCULATION.

RIGHT. AND I DON'T REMEMBER IF THEY WERE OLDER OR YOUNGER OR ANYTHING.

I JUST I TRIED TO MAKE IT AS ANONYMOUS. SO I FORGOT WHO IT WAS.

SO OTHER TOPICS THAT I TRY TO REVIEW BECAUSE IT'LL EITHER COME UP OR, AND PEOPLE WANT TO ASK OR JUST TRY TO PUT IT OUT THERE.

INSURANCE. SO I KNOW SOME EMPLOYERS DO NOT OFFER MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR RETIREES, BUT WE DO.

SO WE HAVE A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN FOR OUR RETIREES BEFORE THEY TURN 65.

AND THEN DENTAL AND VISION ARE THE THINGS THAT WE OFFER.

AND, YOU KNOW, I LET THEM KNOW IT'S ALLIED. IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'RE ON RIGHT NOW.

IT'S A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN. EMPLOYEES WITH TIME IN BOTH PLANS, WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY, BUT I STILL LIKE TO GO OVER IT. ESPECIALLY IF ANYBODY'S CONSIDERING GOING TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OR REQUESTING A TRANSFER.

SO BASICALLY, IT'S TWO SEPARATE CALCULATIONS FOR EACH YEARS, EACH TIME AND EACH DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN IT'S TWO SEPARATE RETIREMENT DATES. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IN ONE PLAN YOU ARE ELIGIBLE A LOT YOUNGER THAN YOU ARE IN THE OTHER PLAN.

SO YOU ESSENTIALLY COULD RETIRE FROM ONE PLAN AND THEN A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, RETIRE FROM THE NEXT ONE OR A YEAR OR TWO LATER.

SO IT'S TWO SEPARATE PROGRAMS. DEATH BENEFITS PRE-RETIREMENT.

AGAIN, I MENTIONED TO YOU THAT I BROUGHT THAT TO YOU.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT. YOU ALL HAD VOTED TO MOVE IT FROM 50% JOINT AND SURVIVOR.

SO BASICALLY, AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE TODAY PASSES AWAY WHILE IN SERVICE.

AND PREVIOUSLY THE MAX THEIR SPOUSE BENEFICIARY COULD RECEIVE WAS 50% OF THEIR THE AMOUNT THEY WERE ELIGIBLE FOR, AND YOU ALL MOVED THAT TO 75%. AND THE ACTUARIES VALUED ADDING THAT AS ONLY $1,000 MORE ANNUALLY.

SO IT WAS DEFINITELY A GREAT THING FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE.

YEARLY STATEMENTS WE PROVIDE. NIGHT PASS IS WHERE EMPLOYEES CAN GO IN AND RUN THEIR CALCULATIONS, VESTING THE BENEFIT STATEMENT. YES, YOU CAN SEE THE VALUE OF THE PLAN AND THE ESTIMATE OF THEIR BENEFIT.

YEP. EVERY JANUARY WE SEND THOSE OUT AND THEN VESTING.

SO IF AN EMPLOYEE DECIDES SO AFTER TEN YEARS YOU'RE VESTED IF YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE BEFORE RETIREMENT, YOU HAVE SOME CHOICES. WHETHER YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR RETIREMENT HERE AND STAY TERM VESTED, MEANING THAT THEN WHEN YOU DO MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS, YOU DO TURN THE AGE TO RETIRE.

[00:30:05]

SO CASHING OUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PENALTIES IRS PENALTIES WITH THAT.

SO OFTEN WE SEE ROLLOVERS AND THAT CAN BE INTO OUR IRA OR INTO A 457 INTO ANOTHER TYPE OF PLAN.

AND THEN IF EMPLOYEES LEAVE CASH OUT, ROLLOVER AND THEN DECIDE, YOU KNOW WHAT, DECATUR WAS SO MUCH BETTER THAN I THAN I WAS THINKING, MAYBE I SHOULD COME BACK.

AND THEY COME BACK. THEY CAN BUY BACK THOSE YEARS OF SERVICE.

SO YEAH, THEY HAVE TWO YEARS FROM RETURNING CASHED OUT.

YES. OR YOU CAN ROLL IT BACK IN. IF YOU ROLLED IT OUT INTO A, YOU COULD ROLL IT BACK TO US AND PEOPLE HAVE DONE THAT.

SO NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE ACTIVITY. IT'S A POP QUIZ, BUT DON'T WORRY, I HAVE NOT TOLD YOU ANY OF THE ANSWERS.

SO THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE. WERE YOU PAYING ATTENTION? THIS IS JUST. CAN YOU GUESS? SO I THOUGHT WE COULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FUN.

SO, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY ACTIVE EMPLOYEES ARE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE TODAY? LESS THAN 20 OR MORE THAN 20. MORE THAN 20. OH, BARELY CLOSE. SOME OF THEM ARE IN THIS ROOM, RIGHT? OKAY.

HOW DOUBLE? HE'S ONE OF THOSE. HE'S ONE OF THE SCENARIOS.

SCENARIOS? HE'S AN 80/75. SO HOW MANY RETIREES IS THE CITY CURRENTLY PAYING RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR? 60. LESS THAN 50. MORE THAN 10 GOES TO EITHER. SO IT'S NOT BETWEEN 50. I'M GOING TO GO WITH MORE THAN 100.

I'M GOING WITH MORE THAN 100. MORE THAN 10O. 114.

ISN'T ANY OF THESE HAS COME BEFORE? YOU SHOULD KNOW.

YOU SHOULD KNOW THESE ANSWERS. YOU'RE THE RINGER.

HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU THINK WE HAVE THAT ARE FESTIVE? LESS THAN 50. MORE THAN 50. MORE THAN 50. OKAY, OKAY.

YEAH. Y'ALL ARE GETTING IT. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO WE HAVE THAT ARE TERM VESTED.

THAT IS SO BUS SERVICE AGE PLUS. YEAH. OH NO TERM VESTED IS WHEN THEY DID NOT QUALIFY FOR RETIREMENT, BUT THEY RESIGNED. SO THEY LEFT AND THEY LEFT THEIR RETIREMENT HERE.

OH INTERESTING. DO WE HAVE A GUESS HERE? LESS THAN TEN.

LESS THAN TEN. MORE THAN TEN. I'M GOING WITH MORE THAN TEN.

I'M GONNA GO WITH LESS THAN. MORE THAN 15. YOU KNEW IT HAD TO BE CLOSE.

THOSE LITTLE NUMBERS. WOW. SO I THINK WE HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE AVERAGE YEARS OF SERVICE FOR CITY OF DECATUR EMPLOYEES? 20 AVERAGE. MORE THAN YOU GIVING US A MORE. YOU GIVING US.

YOU'RE MAKING US GUESS. I'M MAKING YOU GUESS.

I THINK 20, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AND SOME 17.5, NOT 17.5, 18, 17. BUT WE'LL GET TO THE 15. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF NEW EMPLOYEES. LOOK AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WELCOME, EVERYONE. HELLO. MY NAME IS. OKAY. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO WE HAVE WITH OVER 30, 20 YEARS OF SERVICE? SORRY, 30? 20. 20.

NO. 50. 50. I DON'T KNOW. 17. 20. 37. WHICH YOU WOULD THINK WOULD MAKE THAT BRIDGE GO UP? RIGHT. RIGHT.

BUT IT'S JUST BRAND NEW EMPLOYEES. BRING THAT DOWN.

WE HAVE A FEW IN THIS ROOM. RIGHT. SO ANY QUESTIONS? THAT'S A GOOD PRESENTATION. VERY INFORMATIVE. FUN.

FUN. ALL RIGHT. WHAT'S THAT? IT SAYS NO ONE EVER ABOUT RETIREMENT.

YEAH. IT'S FUN. YEAH. EASY TO CONSUME. HOW DOES THIS EVER FACTOR IN AS A RECRUITING TOOL? I MEAN, I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE ARE CAN AVAIL THEMSELVES TRULY OF A PENSION ANYMORE.

YEAH. DEFINITELY. I THINK WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE PUSH IT, YOU KNOW.

ESPECIALLY TELLING THE STORY OF, YOU KNOW, YOU GIVE 30 YEARS AND YOU CAN GET UP TO 90% OF YOUR PAY.

[00:35:03]

YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, CAN YOU IMAGINE 30 YEARS FROM NOW? DOUBLE EDGED SWORD REALLY IS. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNGER NEW EMPLOYEES WHO BALK AT THIS.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I CAN TAKE THAT MYSELF AND I CAN DO BETTER, YOU KNOW, LET ME OR MEGAN, I THINK EVERYONE THINKS THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAT. BUT AGAIN WE, WE STILL BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THIS PENSION. YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY THIS FREE INVESTMENT SHOULD NOT BE YOUR ONLY INVESTMENT AGAIN. I SEE IT.

THIS DOUBLE EDGED SWORD. IT'S RECOGNIZE HOW RARE, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF.

JUST HAVE THAT IN MY PAYCHECK EVERY WEEK FOR ME TO DECIDE.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE WHO HAS RETIRED HAS SAID, I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, I AM I SURE AM GLAD THAT I HAD THIS AT THE END OF MY CAREER.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF GEORGIA CITIES OR COUNTIES HAVE DEFINED BENEFIT? I MEAN, ANYBODY OR I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S VERY COMMON THAT IN GEORGIA, THE CITIES AND COUNTIES HAVE THE NEW THE NEW CITIES ARE MUCH, MUCH LESS LIKELY TO HAVE A TRADITIONAL PENSION PLAN. BUT EXISTING. PENSION PLAN.

I DO REMEMBER A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WHEN THERE WAS A LOT OF LIKE RECRUITMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL, IN PARTICULAR FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT OF, LIKE TRADITIONAL PENSION PLAN.

THIS WAS FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, AND I WAS WORKING FOR GEORGIA STATE.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, TOOK THEY COULD MOVE THEIR MONEY FROM A TRADITIONAL PLAN INTO A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN. AND THEN LIKE 2008, 2009 HIT AND THEY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE WORKING MORE YEARS THAN THEY PLANNED BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH THEIR RETIREMENT.

AND SO THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS A WAY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN WE HAVE A VERY CONSERVATIVE RETIREMENT PLAN AND WE MAKE SURE IT IS WELL FUNDED. AND SO IT IS A WAY OF AT LEAST YOU KNOW, NOT PUTTING ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE READY TO RETIRE AND THAT BASKET DOESN'T HAVE MANY EGGS LEFT IN IT.

SO I THINK IT IS A BENEFIT FOR I THINK FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.

AND AS YOU SAY, AT THE END OF THEIR CAREER, THEY'RE HAPPY THAT THEY AND ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE USED THE THREE LEGGED APPROACH THAT FOR NOW, THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY. AND WE HOPE THAT CONTINUES AND THAT RETIREMENT PLAN AS WELL AS THAT SORT OF SUPPLEMENT TO BRING YOU UP TO WHERE YOU MIGHT WANT TO BE WHEN THAT RETIREMENT TAKES PLACE.

SO. HAVE A REALLY GREAT ACTUARY. WE HAVE GOOD ATTORNEY.

AND THE BOARD IS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE WORK THAT IT DOES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE PLAN IS, IS PROTECTED AND FUNDED. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION FOR MONDAY,

[I. Call to Order by Mayor.]

[II. Approval of the Minutes.]

APPROVAL. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES AYE AND THE MEETING? THE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED. I'D NOW LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER.

[IV.A. Falak Alam, with Goodwyn Mills and Cawood, on behalf of the City Schools of Decatur, is requesting the approval of a Comprehensive Site Development Plan for the construction of a day care and learning center for children 0-4 years old with supplemental administration offices at 346 West Trinity Place. The Planning Commission recommends approval with conditions.]

[00:40:04]

I DO. THANK YOU. MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS. I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE AMEND THE AGENDA.

AND THAT IS TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE ITEM FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.

AND I HAVE A STATEMENT THAT I'M GOING TO READ THAT EXPLAINS THE REASONING FOR MAKING THIS CHANGE.

BUT ALSO, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY HAVE THE HAVE THE AGENDA AMENDED.

AND I'LL JUST START WITH THE STATEMENT OF FALAK ALAM WITH GOODWYN, MILLS AND CAYWOOD ON BEHALF OF THE CITY SCHOOLS OF DECATUR, SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF A COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A DAYCARE AND LEARNING CENTER FOR CHILDREN 0 TO 4 YEARS OLD, WITH SUPPLEMENTAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES AT 346 WEST TRINITY PLACE.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT REQUEST ON JUNE 10TH, 2025, AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS INCONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE PROCEDURES FOR APPROVAL OF A COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN. THE REQUEST WAS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING BY THE CITY COMMISSION AT TONIGHT'S MEETING.

HOWEVER, IN PREPARATION FOR THE CITY COMMISSION'S REVIEW, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN APPROVAL IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT. GIVEN THAT THE PROPOSED USE THAT OF A DAYCARE IS PERMITTED AS A LIMITED USE WITHIN TO WITHIN THE SUBJECT C-2 ZONING DISTRICT. HERE, THE PROPERTY ON WHICH THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSED THAT THAT PROPERTY IS ZONED C-2. DAYCARES ARE ALLOWED AS A LIMITED USE.

AND THIS PROJECT DOES MEET THOSE USE STANDARDS UNDER THE UDO.

AS SOON AS THAT WAS REALIZED WE DID REACH OUT TO THE APPLICANT.

THE APPLICANT HAS FORMALLY WITHDRAWN THE REQUEST, AND THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CITY COMMISSION.

AND WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD LIKE FOR THERE TO BE A MOTION, PLEASE, TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO REFLECT THIS FINDING. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? TO AMEND THE AGENDA. SO MOVED. OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF AMENDING THE AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES AYE, AND THE AGENDA IS AMENDED.

IF THERE ARE THOSE WHO WANTED TO MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT THIS, THE THIS WOULD COME UNDER REQUEST AND PETITIONS AT THE TOWARD THE END OF THE MEETING.

WE ARE NOT TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA.

AND I WILL ADD, IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS.

THIS RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THE STATEMENT. PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME DIRECTLY AND MY EMAIL ADDRESS, ANDREAARNOLD@DECATUR.COM OR ALSO CALLED THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE (404) 370-4102 AND MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS ALSO ON THE WEBSITE.

BUT I'M THE POINT OF CONTACT, PLEASE. THANK YOU.

SO NEXT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PROCLAMATIONS THAT I WILL READ.

[III. Proclamations.]

THE FIRST IS IN CELEBRATION OF JUNETEENTH. AND WHEREAS JUNE 19TH, 1865 MARKS THE DATE THAT MAJOR GENERAL GORDON GRANGER ARRIVED IN GALVESTON, TEXAS, AND ANNOUNCED THE END OF BOTH THE CIVIL WAR AND SLAVERY.

AND WHEREAS THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION HAD BEEN SIGNED BY PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN ON SEPTEMBER 22ND, 1862, BUT THE SLAVES IN TEXAS WERE UNAWARE OF IT UNTIL BEING TOLD BY GENERAL GRANGER.

AND WHEREAS IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED, JUNE 19TH WAS COMMEMORATED BY THE HOLIDAY OF JUNETEENTH,

[00:45:03]

AND WHEREAS JUNETEENTH COMMEMORATES THE PAST AND CALLS US TO ACTION TODAY, AND WHEREAS A JUNETEENTH FLAG WILL FLY ON THE FRONT HALL OF CITY HALL AND OTHER CITY BUILDINGS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE MONTH OF JUNE.

AND WHEREAS WE, THE CITY OF DECATUR, PLEDGE TO REMAIN COMMITTED TO THE WORK OF ADVANCING EQUITY, EQUALITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE DECATUR COMMUNITY.

NOW THEREFORE, I MAYOR PATTI GARRETT, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, THE CITY OF HOMES, SCHOOLS AND PLACES OF WORSHIP DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 19TH, 2025 AS JUNETEENTH DAY OF OBSERVANCE AND HEREBY URGE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO OBSERVE THIS DAY WITH ACTIVITIES AND REFLECTIONS THAT CELEBRATE FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. MY HONOR TO PRESENT THAT PROCLAMATION, AND ALSO WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK. WHEREAS THE CITY OF DECATUR MANAGES PARKS, PUBLIC LANDSCAPING AND OTHER PUBLIC LANDS THAT MAY INCLUDE GREENWAYS AND WILDLIFE HABITATS. AND WHEREAS, THE CITY OF DECATUR PROVIDES RECOMMENDATIONS TO DEVELOPERS AND RESIDENTS REGARDING LANDSCAPING TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP, INCLUDING THE PROTECTION OF POLLINATORS AND MAINTENANCE OF THEIR HABITATS IN URBAN AND SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENTS. AND WHEREAS POLLINATOR SPECIES SUCH AS BIRDS, MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, AND THOUSANDS OF BEES, SPECIES OF BEES ARE ESSENTIAL PARTNERS IN PRODUCING MUCH OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY.

WHEREAS POLLINATION PLAYS A VITAL ROLE FOR THE TREES AND PLANTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, ENHANCING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND CREATING RECREATIONAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. AND WHEREAS POLLINATORS PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR MAINTAINING HEALTHY, DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS AND NOT ONLY FORESTS AND GRASSLANDS, BUT ALSO IN TOWNS AND CITIES.

AND WHEREAS THE BEE CATERER NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK FESTIVAL WILL BE HELD ON JUNE 21ST, 2025 FROM 10 A.M.

TO 2 P.M. ON THE DECATUR SQUARE. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I.

PATTI GARRETT, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DECATUR. THE CITY OF HOMES, SCHOOLS AND PLACES OF WORSHIP, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF JUNE 16TH THROUGH 22ND AS NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK AND AS AN AFFILIATE OF BEE CITY, USA AND A MEMBER OF THE MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE.

I URGE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO RECOGNIZE THIS OBSERVANCE.

SO AGAIN, A REMINDER THAT THERE IS A POLLINATOR FESTIVAL ON THE SQUARE THIS WEEKEND.

AND A REMINDER FROM THE FIRST PROCLAMATION THAT THE CITY CITY HALL, OF COURSE, WILL BE CLOSED IN OBSERVANCE OF JUNETEENTH ON THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK. SO AND THEN FINALLY, AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.

I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS AS PARK AND REC PARK AND RECREATION MONTH PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE CITY OF DECATUR, WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS, IMPROVING THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR PARKS.

AND WHEREAS, PARKS AND RECREATION ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES BY PROVIDING SPACE FOR POPULAR SPORTS, HIKING TRAILS, SWIMMING POOLS AND MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE ACTIVE LIFESTYLES.

[00:50:02]

AND WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION INCREASE A COMMUNITY'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY THROUGH INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES, EXPANSION OF THE LOCAL TAX BASE INCREASED INCREASE TOURISM, THE ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF BUSINESSES, AND CRIME REDUCTION. AND WHEREAS, PARKS AND RECREATION ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WHEREAS OUR PARKS AND NATURAL RECREATION AREAS ENSURE THE ECOLOGICAL BEAUTY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE A PLACE FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO CONNECT WITH NATURE AND RECREATE OUTDOORS. AND WHEREAS THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS DESIGNATED JULY AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH. NOW THEREFORE, I.

MAYOR PATTI GARRETT, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DECATUR.

THE CITY OF HOMES, SCHOOLS AND PLACES OF WORSHIP DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF JULY AS PARK AND RECREATION MONTH AND URGE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO RECOGNIZE THIS OBSERVANCE.

SO WANTED TO DO THIS THIS EVENING. WE DO NOT MEET DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY, AND SO WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS STARTING FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PEOPLE THAT I'D ASK TO COME FORWARD.

AND PLEASE ACCEPT THIS.

PLACE THIS DIRECTION. AND THE COMMISSIONERS WANT TO JOIN JOHN.

I WOULDN'T WEAR ANY SOCKS RIGHT THERE.

OKAY. YOU ALWAYS HAVE YOUR BACK ROW. RIGHT. ONE.

TWO. THREE. I'LL TAKE ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. OH, OKAY.

AND I BELIEVE OUR ONE OF OUR ARBORISTS IS HERE FOR THE POLLINATOR.

YOU DON'T GET US ALL.

MIC].

[V. Public Hearing.]

PROPOSED BUDGET ESTIMATES IN 2025. MILLAGE RATES.

AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER. AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS THE THIRD OF THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATES, AS WELL AS THE BUDGETS, THE REVISED AND PROPOSED BUDGETS.

AS YOU RECALL, WE IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE'VE HAD AN EXTENDED WORK SESSION A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES, AGAIN, RANGING FROM THE MORE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS TO MORE CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES, THE BEVERAGES AND BUDGET AND BEVERAGE BOOK CLUB.

WE'VE HAD THE TRELLISES UP AROUND TOWN WHERE FOLKS WERE ABLE TO WRITE DOWN AND LEAVE BEHIND THEIR MESSAGES AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE BUDGET.

WE'VE ALSO HAD A BUDGET RELATED QUESTION ONLINE.

AND THEN OF COURSE, THE BUDGET IS AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY ONLINE ALSO AT CITY HALL, AT THE LIBRARY.

SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OVER THE LAST MONTH TO REVIEW THE BUDGET.

AND OF COURSE, THE, THE MILLAGE RATE, WE DEVELOP THE BUDGET.

AND THEN BASED OFF OF THE DIGEST AND WHAT IS NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BUDGET THEN WE'RE ABLE TO DETERMINE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE MILLAGE RATE WE ARE NOT MAKING.

WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING A CHANGE TO THE OVERALL MILLAGE RATE.

[00:55:02]

AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT MILLAGE RATE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE BUDGET.

THE BUDGET JUST CONTINUES WITH THE GOALS OF OUR COMMUNITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN AND IT AND IT SUPPORTS ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY.

I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT IN MORE DETAIL LATER THIS EVENING, THOUGH, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATE AND THE BUDGET.

AND AT THAT TIME, WE CAN GO INTO SOME MORE DETAIL AS WELL ABOUT THE BUDGET ITSELF.

WE'LL OPEN IT UP NOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE ITEMS. THE 2024-25 REVISED BUDGET ESTIMATES, THE PROPOSED BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR 25-26.

AND ON THE MILLAGE RATES, WE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ACTION ITEMS LATER AND ALSO UNDER REQUESTS AND PETITIONS.

BUT IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ITEMS WITH RESPECT TO THE BUDGET AND MILLAGE, WE WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST IN THE ROOM, AND THEN WE WILL SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE ONLINE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT AS PART OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING. SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP NOW TO SEE IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD.

STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND MAKE A COMMENT.

MARY KOWALSKI, 119 BERRY STREET I JUST HAVE A COMMENT OR A QUESTION.

REALLY NOT A COMMENT. IT'S ALL THE LOVELY STUFF WHERE YOU HAD THE, THE BEVERAGE AND BUDGET TALKS AND EVERYTHING. WHERE'S ALL THIS INFORMATION AT? WHERE'S THE SUMMARY? HAVE YOU ALL SEEN A SUMMARY OF ALL THESE COMMENTS? HAS IT BEEN COLLECTED ANYWHERE SO WE CAN SEE WHAT PEOPLE HAD TO SAY? HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT CAME OUT OF ALL THAT PUBLIC INPUT? THAT'S REALLY MY QUESTION IS HOW DO HOW DO YOU ALL WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION AND VOTE ON THIS, HOW HAVE YOU SEEN AND HOW HAVE YOU INTERACTED WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION? YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THIS INFORMATION? I DIDN'T FIND ANY OF IT ONLINE.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT BECOMES OF THE INFORMATION WHEN WE HAVE ALL THIS PUBLIC INPUT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND WE CAN ADDRESS THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ACTUAL AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD. ELSE I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT BUDGETS AND THE MILLAGE RATE. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR THOSE WHO ARE ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON OUR AS PART OF THE BUDGET HEARING, AND WE'LL GIVE YOU THE SAME OPPORTUNITY IF YOU WILL RAISE YOUR VIRTUAL HAND.

WE WILL UNMUTE YOU AND ASK YOU TO STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND PLEASE MAKE YOUR COMMENT.

SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE WILL TAKE COMMENT ON THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. AND THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE ORDINANCES ADOPTING THE MILLAGE RATES, THE ADOPTION OF THE FEE SCHEDULE THE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE VARIOUS FUND BUDGETS, THE RESOLUTION AMENDING THE PAY AND CLASSIFICATION PLAN A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES WITH THE WILD CENTER A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER AGREEMENT WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND SECURITY CAMERAS FOR THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT. SO IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. NOW IS THE TIME TO PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND MAKE YOUR COMMENT.

SEEING NONE, WE WILL ALSO OFFER THE SAME OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE JOINING ONLINE.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS THAT I JUST ENUMERATED PLEASE UNMUTE.

WE PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE WILL UNMUTE YOU AND ASK YOU TO STATE YOUR NAME AND MAKE YOUR COMMENT.

SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS AND I BELIEVE WE WILL TURN

[VII.A. Ordinances Adopting Millage Rates.]

[01:00:08]

THOSE I MEAN, JUST BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY.

SO WE HAD THE MOST UP TO DATE RESPONSES THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO THE CITY COMMISSIONERS AND THEN THE FEEDBACK FROM THE TRELLISES, ALSO FROM THE BOOK CLUB THAT WAS PROVIDED IN THE EXTENDED WORK SESSION THAT WE HAD ON JUNE 4TH. AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY IN ONE OF THE SLIDES.

SO IT'S DOCUMENTED WHERE WE HAVE VERY, VERY SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED TO US THROUGH THAT FORM OF PUBLIC INPUT. SO AGAIN, IN JUNE, JUNE 4TH THE DATA THAT WE HAD RECEIVED FROM A COUPLE OF THE PUBLIC INPUT OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS RECENTLY AS THIS MORNING, HAVING THE FEEDBACK FROM AND MISS ROARK IS ANXIOUS TO SHARE EVEN MORE ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATED THIS INFORMATION TO THE CITY COMMISSIONERS TO HELP THEM MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.

SEVERAL OF THE DATES AND BASIC INFORMATION HAS BEEN IN THE FOCUS THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

THERE'S ALSO A WEB PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE DEDICATED TO BUDGET ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT LISTED EVERYTHING THAT STARTED WITH THE TRELLISES DOWN THROUGH THE JUST POLL QUESTIONS, WHERE WE HOSTED THE ONLINE THIS YEAR.

BUT ALL OF THOSE ARE THERE, INCLUDING OUR BUDGET ART.

SO IF YOU SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN, YOU GET TO SEE OUR ART AND LEARN ABOUT OUR ARTIST. AND THEN I WORK WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND THE EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT STUFF IS GOING OUT REGULARLY ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AND ALL OUR SOCIAL PLATFORMS. AND THEN THE RESPONSES AND COMMENTS WERE. PROVIDED FOR THE CITY COMMISSIONERS DURING THE WORK SESSION. AND THEN I WOULD SAY THE COMMENTS THAT WE PROVIDED WITH FOR TODAY WERE USUALLY I THINK THEY WERE MOSTLY YES NO SUPPORT. SOME WITH A FEW COMMENTS, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THE TOTAL NUMBER.

BUT IT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY IN SUPPORT OF OUR CURRENT BUDGET AND THE WORK SESSION IS ONLINE.

IT WAS POSTED THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE AFTER THE WORK SESSION WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S BEEN AVAILABLE. AND AGAIN, THAT'S A FAIRLY LENGTHY, INFORMATIVE, DEEP DIVE KIND OF DOCUMENT.

BUT NOT QUITE AS MEATY AS THE BUDGET ITSELF. THANKS.

AND I THINK MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD THING. YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE TO, TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE ALSO PUTTING THAT YOU SAID IT WHEN YOU WERE PRESENTING THE INFORMATION, BUT TO LET RESIDENTS KNOW THAT THAT'S TYPICALLY WHERE TO FIND THE FEEDBACK IS THAT IT IS INCORPORATED INTO THE WORK SESSION FOR THE COMMISSIONERS.

AND I'M DEFINITELY I MEAN, WHEN WE'RE OPEN TO IDEAS AGAIN, I MEAN, WE WANT PEOPLE TO ENGAGE AROUND THE BUDGET AND THE BUDGET PROCESS.

I MEAN, AS STAFF, WE BELIEVE IT'S THE ONE OF, IF NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT TASK THAT WE HAVE.

AND IT'S AND IT'S A SIGNIFICANT DECISION BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T, IF IT'S NOT PART OF THE BUDGET, THEN IT IS VERY UNLIKELY IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT YEAR.

AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST WE WANT TO HAVE AS MANY TOUCH POINTS AS WE CAN WITH THE COMMUNITY AND SHARE THAT BACK WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.

AND SO WE REALLY ARE WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.

SO WE ARE VERY OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS. I WAS JUST GOING TO POINT OUT ALSO THAT WE A FEW YEARS AGO, PULLED THAT WORK SESSION OUT OF THE REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING TO GIVE MORE PEOPLE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO COME SIT AND LISTEN TO WHAT WE DEDICATE THREE FULL HOURS TO, JUST TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET AND FIELDING QUESTIONS.

SO I THOUGHT WE, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A GOOD USE OF TIME TO PULL THAT OUT OF WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A NORMALLY BUSY AGENDA, TO HAVE ITS OWN TIME, TO HAVE A A DEEP DIVE INTO THE BUDGET.

SO JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT FOR OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE COMMISSIONERS DO TRY TO GET OUR CONSTITUENTS TO PARTICIPATE AND TO BRING ISSUES FORWARD SO THAT WE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND THAT THE STAFF HAS THAT INFORMATION AS WE ARE PUTTING DEBT OR APPROVING A BUDGET AND AS A

[01:05:09]

AND THEN WE RAISE THOSE ISSUES WITH EACH OTHER DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

WE DISCUSS THEM AT OUR RETREAT. IS OUR EXPECTATION AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING WE WANT FUNDED.

BUT THAT THE BUDGET ACTUALLY IS A REFLECTION OF THAT INPUT THAT WE RECEIVE OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

AND THEN WE ALSO THEN COMMUNICATE TO THE CITY MANAGER.

THERE IS A SPECIFIC CONSTRAINT, IF YOU WILL, INPUT PROCESS THAT'S RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO THE BUDGET, BUT THE WITH BUDGET ITSELF SHOULD BE REFLECTION OF OUR VALUES AND OUR PRIORITIES, WHICH SHOULD BE A REFLECTION OF THE VALUES AND PRIORITIES THAT WE HEAR FROM FOLKS LIKE YOU OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. I JUST WANTED TO JUST HOLISTICALLY SAY THAT IF YOU DID LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE SPECIFIC BUDGET PROCESS, IT'S PROBABLY PRETTY LIMITED.

BUT IS IT AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT, AGAIN, WE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, LISTEN TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TELLING US ARE IMPORTANT TO TRY TO REFLECT THAT IN THE BUDGET.

COMMENTS. AND SO NOW WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE MILLAGE RATES.

TONIGHT, YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATES FOR 2025.

AND THE AMOUNT OF THOSE OF THE MILLAGE RATES, THAT DOES DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT IS GENERATED.

FOR THE PURPOSES OF FUNDING THE BUDGET AND THE CURRENT 2024 COMBINED MILLAGE RATE.

AND THAT'S FOR THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS THE OPERATIONS FUND, OUR BOND FUND, THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FUND AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND IS 12.97 MILLS AT YOUR MAY 19TH MEETING.

YOU DID TENTATIVELY ADOPT A 2025 COMBINED MILLAGE RATE, ALSO OF 12.97 MILLS.

AND YOU ARE BEING ASKED TONIGHT TO ADOPT THAT SAME MILLAGE RATE.

JUST SO FOLKS ARE AWARE THAT THE BUDGET DOES REFLECT ROUGHLY A 7.9% INCREASE IN THE 2025 PROPERTY TAX DIGEST. FOR THE BUDGET ALSO ASSUMES A CONSERVATIVE TAX COLLECTION RATE, AS WELL AS ASSUMING THAT THERE WILL BE AGGRESSIVE APPEALS.

PART OF THAT IS BASED OFF OF OUR PAST EXPERIENCE WITH INCREASES IN THE TAX DIGEST AND IN PARTICULAR KNOWING THAT THE COMMERCIAL DIGEST INCREASED 15%. SO I DO ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE AGGRESSIVE APPEALS AND THAT 7.9% INCREASE WILL BE ERODED.

AND I AM HAPPY TO ALSO SHARE THE CHANGES IN THE MILLAGE RATES.

ESSENTIALLY, WE DO MAKE SOME REDUCTION IN THE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE RATE FROM 1.98 MILLS TO 1.82 AND TRANSFER THAT THAT DIFFERENCE TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE PURPOSE OF GENERATING ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND, DECREASING SLIGHTLY 2.17 MILLS.

THE 2.1 AND THE DECATUR DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY REMAINING AT 0.35.

AS STATED EARLIER, THE COMMISSION HAS HELD THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE BUDGET AND THE MILLAGE RATES ON JUNE 2ND AND THEN TWICE TODAY.

AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU ADOPT THE THREE ORDINANCES FOR THESE MILLAGE RATES.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS. THE FIRST ORDINANCE TO CONSIDER IS ORDINANCE 25-05 THAT ESTABLISHES THE GENERAL FUND TAX RATE AT 10.80. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADOPT THAT ORDINANCE? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ROLL CALL. VOTE. COMMISSIONER MEYER. FRANK, HOW WILL DO YOU VOTE? A. A MR. WALSH MAYOR PRO TEM POWERS. AYE. CHAIR VOTES AYE, AND THE ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED.

NEXT, ORDINANCE O-25-06 ESTABLISHES THE BOND FUND TAX RATE AT 1.82.

[01:10:08]

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

IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL.

. AND THE ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED. AND THE LAST IS ORDINANCE 02507 THAT ESTABLISHES THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FUND TAX RATE AT 0.35. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.

THE ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED. SO THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE NEXT TO THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CONSOLIDATED FEE

[VII.B. Adoption of Fee Schedule.]

WE HAVE MILLAGE RATES. AND ANOTHER WAY WE FUND THE BEAUTIFUL WORK THAT WE DO HERE IS THROUGH THIS FEE SCHEDULE.

SO BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS AN UPDATE TO THE SCHEDULE YOU ADOPTED ON JUNE 17TH OF 2024.

AND THEN THAT WAS AMENDED ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2024 AS THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.

REFERENCES THE CITY'S FEE SCHEDULE. IT IS APPROPRIATE TO KEEP OUR FEES UP TO DATE AND COMPARABLE TO OTHERS CHARGED BY OUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES NEAR AND SOMEWHAT FAR BY TRAFFIC ANYWAY AND OR THEY MEET OUR STRATEGIC GOALS THAT YOU HAVE DETERMINED BY ESTABLISHING FEES FOR SERVICE. THE CITY IS DOING ITS PART TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES SUBSIDIZED BY ALL TAXPAYERS, YET UTILIZED BY ONLY A FEW. BUT I HAVE A TYPO HERE.

I NEED TO FIX THE DRAFT OF THE 2025-2026 FEE SCHEDULE WAS SHARED DURING A WORK SESSION ON APRIL 21ST.

THE ATTACHED SCHEDULE SHOWS RECOMMENDED NEW CHANGES, FEES, OR CHANGES TO EXISTING FEES AS HIGHLIGHTED, AND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE THE APRIL 21ST DATE, BUT WE'LL GO OVER THEM VERY QUICKLY IN THE FILMING AREA.

IT'S AN UPDATE TO THE LIST OF STREETS INCLUDED IN THE DOWNTOWN PARKING DISTRICT CATEGORY, AND THE PER METERED PER METERED SPACE FEE REMAINS AT 500 FOR THESE FEW ADDITIONAL STREETS AND UPDATING THE FILM PERMIT RUSH FEE FROM $500 TO $250.

AND THIS 250 NONREFUNDABLE FEE IS IN ADDITION TO THE ACTUAL FILM PERMIT FEE.

THEN, IN THE ONLY OTHER AREA TO HAVE SOME CHANGES WAS IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION, AND IT'S JUST AN ADJUSTMENT TO CAMP CLASS AND FACILITIES FEES FOR VARIOUS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT OFFERINGS. THE MEMO GOES INTO SOME DETAIL ABOUT SEVERAL OF THOSE AREAS, BUT DO YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ARE AVAILABLE FOR MOST PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS? SO ADOPTION OF THIS CONSOLIDATED FEE SCHEDULE INCORPORATING THE NEW CHARGES WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST IF YOU APPROVE IT.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. WE DID, BUT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ADOPTED.

OKAY. YEAH. I'M ASSUMING WHEN THE DECATUR LEGACY PARK TRACK AND FIELD FEES ARE DETERMINED, THEY WILL COME BEFORE THIS BODY FOR ADOPTION.

IS THAT CORRECT? SO IS THERE A DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHEN THAT MIGHT BE? I KNOW YOU'RE NOT. I DO NOT, AND I THINK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION UNLESS I MEAN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE'S THEY'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THOSE FEES, AND THAT'S A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

I HESITATE TO PROVIDE A DATE. BUT IF WE, YOU KNOW, AS YOU PICKS UP, IT WOULD BE NICE FOR, FOR GROUPS TO KNOW WHAT THAT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

SO AND I DO UNDERSTAND THEY'RE WORKING TO SEE WHAT OTHER FACILITIES MAY CHARGE AND WHAT LIKE THE TRUE COST MIGHT BE FOR HOLDING AN EVENT THERE. SO, AND I'LL JUST ADD THE LAST TWO WEEKS, WE HAD TRACK MEETS HOSTED BY THE ATLANTA TRACK CLUB AND AGAIN TREATING THESE AS PILOT EVENTS. EXACTLY. FOR THE PURPOSE OF, WELL, ONE DETERMINING ARE WE PREPARED TO HOST THESE TYPES OF EVENTS? YOU KNOW WHAT? ALL IS INVOLVED LOGISTICALLY, BUT ALSO HELPING US TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF WHAT SORT OF FEES WE SHOULD BE CHARGING,

[01:15:06]

OTHER QUESTIONS. ALL DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSOLIDATED FEE SCHEDULE AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? CHAIR. VOTES.

AYE. AND IT IS ADOPTED. AND I THINK ALL OF US FOUND THE WORK SESSION AHEAD OF THIS VERY HELPFUL.

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THAT TIME, I THINK.

[VII.C. Resolution Establishing Various Fund Budgets.]

THANK YOU. WELL, NOW THAT WE HAVE REVENUES, WE HAVE A MILLAGE RATE ADOPTED AND FEES ADOPTED.

I THINK WE'RE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET AND THIS BUDGET.

AS COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY STATED THAT IN MANY WAYS WE ARE WORKING ON YEAR ROUND.

AND THEN STAFF IN PARTICULAR HAVE SPENT LITERALLY AT LEAST THE LAST SIX MONTHS COMPILING AND WORKING COOPERATIVELY. WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A UNIQUE BUDGETING PROCESS HERE AT THE CITY, AND A DECISION BASED BUDGETING PROCESS WHERE WE ARE GUIDED BY THE VISION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. AND WE DO THIS IN A COLLABORATIVE FORMAT AMONG DEPARTMENTS.

AND I THINK I SAY THAT MOST YEARS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAY SAY, WELL, IT CERTAINLY MAKES SENSE.

DOESN'T EVERYBODY DO THAT? NO. YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO IS, IS ACTUALLY QUITE UNIQUE, ESPECIALLY FOR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITY.

AND ULTIMATELY IT ALLOWS US TO DEVELOP A BUDGET THAT, THAT TRULY DOES SUPPORT ALL OF THE GOALS, THE MISSION AND ULTIMATELY THE VISION OF THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE COMMUNITY.

SO THE BUDGET ITSELF THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS WITH INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY, INPUT FROM OUR EMPLOYEES AND OF COURSE, INPUT FROM THE CITY COMMISSION.

AND WE DEVELOPED THIS BUDGET WITH NO RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE MILLAGE RATE.

AND THEN, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, SOME REAL NOMINAL FEE ADJUSTMENTS.

THE BUDGET TRULY DOES STRIVE TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE TAX BURDEN THAT WE KNOW IS EXPERIENCED BY MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS AND ALSO OUR BUSINESSES, BUT IT ALSO CONTINUES TO ENSURE THE PROVISION OF EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

I CHARACTERIZE THE BUDGET AS RESPONSIBLY AMBITIOUS, MEANING SIMPLY THAT IT IS FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE, AND IT SUPPORTS INNOVATIVE AND EVEN TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND SERVICES.

AS I STATED EARLIER, THIS BUDGET DOES ASSUME A CONSERVATIVE TAX COLLECTION RATE COMBINED WITH THE HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF PROPERTY ASSESSMENT APPEALS.

CAUTIOUS BUDGETING RESULTS IN A GENERAL FUND BUDGET THAT INCREASES 4.95% TO JUST UNDER 5%, OR JUST OVER 2 MILLION, OR ABOUT $2.1 MILLION, TO TOTAL $45,211,000.

AGAIN, THAT'S THE GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET.

THIS INCREASE DOES INCLUDE A 2.5% MERIT BASED PAY INCREASE FOR ALL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.

AND JUST AS A REMINDER, IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR OUR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR AN INCREASE TO THEIR BASE SALARY. THERE WAS A MERIT BASED ONE PAY PERIOD ADJUSTMENT, SO ONE ADDITIONAL PAY PERIOD.

AGAIN, MERIT BASED WAS PROVIDED TO EMPLOYEES, BUT NO INCREASE TO BASE SALARY.

THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL FULL TIME POSITIONS INCLUDED IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET.

HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THAT THERE WERE REQUESTS FOR 14 NEW POSITIONS FROM STAFF, WHICH I THINK IS INDICATIVE OF THE DEMANDS THAT STAFF FEEL

[01:20:05]

AND RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR NEW POSITIONS. THERE WERE SOME MATERIAL INCREASES ASIDE FROM PERSONNEL RELATED INCREASES, AND THOSE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH HEALTH INSURANCE.

AND AS I AS I STATE HERE, REALLY UNSUSTAINABLE INCREASES TO PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE PREMIUMS ARE DETERMINED TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM OF THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING TOWARDS OUR VISION TO BE AN EQUITABLE, THRIVING AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY. AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES.

BUT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD SOME REAL SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE TRANSFORMATION CONTINUING TO MODEL EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN OUR ORGANIZATION AND WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ENHANCING ROAD SAFETY FOR PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, ALL USERS OF THE ROAD PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD PUBLIC TRUST. AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THOUGH WITH ALL THAT SAID, AND THE CONSERVATIVE NATURE OF THE BUDGET, IT DOES ANTICIPATE USING FUND BALANCE TO MEET THOSE EXPENDITURES.

THE PROPOSED USE OF FUND BALANCE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICIES.

IT REQUIRES FUND BALANCE TO BE USED FOR NON-RECURRING EXPENDITURES AND THAT THAT FUND BALANCE NOT DROP BELOW 20% OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.

SO THE BUDGETED USE OF FUND BALANCE IS JUST OVER $1.5 MILLION.

THAT WILL LEAVE A FUND BALANCE OF $11.1 MILLION, OR 25% OF THE 2526 GENERAL FUND BUDGET. AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT FISCAL RESTRAINT IS NECESSARY.

WE ALWAYS BELIEVE IT'S NECESSARY TO AVOID OVERSPENDING AND MAKING ANY LONG TERM COMMITMENTS THAT WOULD HAVE A SERIOUS NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR FUTURE FISCAL YEARS. THAT IS REALLY MUCH THE BUDGET IN A NUTSHELL.

ALSO, JUST REMIND PEOPLE TO JUST TO REMEMBER THAT THE BUDGET IS MORE THAN JUST A FINANCIAL DOCUMENT, MORE THAN JUST A FINANCIAL TOOL OR A WORK PLAN FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT IT'S ALSO A COMMUNICATIONS TOOL THAT WE DO STRIVE TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC ACCESSIBLE, APPROACHABLE, READABLE.

IT'S OUR STORYBOOK BUDGET IN MANY WAYS. WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT OUR AUDIENCE AND YOU KNOW, AND MAKING SURE THAT IF YOU JUST READ THE NARRATIVE YOU KNOW, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS ORGANIZATION IS SUPPORTING RESIDENT OR BUSINESS OWNER DEFINED THE NARRATIVE ALSO WITH ART AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE COVER ART, MAYBE GET TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE LOCAL ARTIST, PATRICE LEWIS, WHO HAS DEVELOPED THIS ORIGINAL WORK OF ART SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BUDGET.

PART OF WHAT WE CALL THE BUDGET AS ART COLLECTION.

AND IT'S CALLED SAFEGUARDING AND SERVING. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT THIS AND INTERPRET, INTERPRET WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED HERE. THE ARTIST DOES USE THE GARDENING OF OUR DECATUR DAY LILIES TO REPRESENT OUR VERY SERIOUS APPROACH TO FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND THE RESULTING POSITIVE FINANCIAL GROWTH THROUGH THE CITY'S CARE OF THE BUDGET AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE BY THE SKY AND SUN, AND DOES REFLECT THAT PUBLIC FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED AND REINVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY, CARRYING OUT THE GOALS OF THE COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN.

THAT VISION THAT DECATUR WILL FOSTER AN EQUITABLE, THRIVING AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY FOR ALL TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE.

THAT SAID, I DO PRESENT TO YOU THE REVISED BUDGETS FOR 24-25 AND PROPOSED BUDGETS 2526 FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. QUESTIONS? JUST A COMMENT. AND THE ONE THING THAT I WAS REALLY EXCITED FOR, AND IT'S A SMALL THING, BUT WE'RE ADDING 50 CROSSING.

WE'RE UP TO 50 CROSSING GUARDS, NOT ADDING 50, SORRY.

FOR A SECOND BUT ALSO BOOSTING THEIR PAY JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEY ARE INVALUABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT HAPPEN AS PART OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

[01:25:04]

WE HAVE LOTS OF KIDS THAT ARE WALKING AND BIKING TO SCHOOL.

WE ARE WORKING ON SAFE STREETS FOR ALL. AND SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART, CERTAINLY IN HELPING OUR STUDENTS GET TO AND FROM SCHOOLS SAFELY. I ALSO JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE RESOLUTION MOST OF WHAT WE A BULK OF OUR BUDGET IS GENERAL FUND. BUT THE THINGS THAT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT COME UNDER DIFFERENT FUNDS AS WELL.

PART OF THIS THE MOTION AND PART OF WHAT WE ARE APPROVING WITH RESPECT TO PROPOSED AND REVISED BUDGETS INCLUDE THE GENERAL FUND, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET, OUR SPLOST ONE AND TWO FUNDS, THE CEMETERY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT THE 2010 URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY FUND. WE HAVE ALSO THE 2013 URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY FUND.

OUR PFA OR PUBLIC FACILITIES AUTHORITY FUND, OUR TAX ALLOCATION DISTRICT FUND, THE DEBT SERVICE FUND THAT ALSO INCLUDES SCHOOL DEBT AND INTEREST FROM SOME OF THEIR BONDS.

THE EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM, THE 911 FUND, THE SOLID WASTE ENTERPRISE FUND.

STORMWATER UTILITY ENTERPRISE FUND. THE CONFERENCE CENTER.

PARKING DECK ENTERPRISE FUND. OUR HOTEL MOTEL TAX FUND.

THE COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND. IT'S ONE OF THE NEWER THINGS THAT WE HAVE ADDED TO OUR BUDGET.

THE TREE BANK FUND, THE CONFISCATED DRUG FUND THE SCHOOL ZONE SAFETY CAMERA PROJECT FUND, OUR COMMUNITY GRANTS FUND, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUND ESPECIALLY, AND SPECIAL EVENTS FUND.

SO IT IS A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS THAT ARE WE ARE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD AND HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD AS BEING IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO EXPEND FUNDS FOR. SO WITH THAT, THIS IS A RESOLUTION VOTE.

DO I HEAR A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH THE VARIOUS FUND BUDGETS? RESOLUTION R-25-X AS PRESENTED. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES I AND THE FUND BUDGETS ARE ADOPTED.

NOW WE'LL MOVE ON. YES. BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MARY.

I KNOW I SAID WE WERE TAG TEAMING TONIGHT, BUT MEREDITH ROARK, OUR CHIEF OF STAFF AND CITY CLERK PLAYS A TREMENDOUS ROLE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. AND YOU'RE AWARE THAT MEREDITH WEARS MANY HATS, BUT FOR A GOOD PART OF THE YEAR, SHE'S WEARING THE BUDGET DIRECTOR, BUDGET MANAGER, BUDGET ANALYST HAD AS WELL.

SO A LOT TO ME TO, TO HAVE YOU HERE AND TO HAVE YOUR ASSISTANCE AND THIS IS A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE MEREDITH ALONG WITH EVERYBODY PUTS A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET OFFICE, AND PEOPLE MAY ASSUME THERE'S A BUDGET OFFICE.

THERE'S NOT. IT'S MEREDITH'S OFFICE. THANK YOU.

MANY THANKS TO YOU. THANK YOU. AND IT'S MY PLEASURE.

ALL RIGHT. SO, I AM NOW HERE BEFORE. I THINK IT'S KIND OF THE LAST OFFICIAL BUDGET ITEM OF THE EVENING.

[VII.D. Resolution Amending the Pay and Classification Plan.]

SO THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL OF CHANGES FOR THIS YEAR, AND THEY WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST IF APPROVED.

SO NUMBER ONE IS THE CLASSIFICATION FOR THE POSITION OF PUBLIC WORKS.

PROJECT MANAGER WILL BE ELIMINATED AND REPLACED WITH AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR THAT WILL BE HOUSED IN THE STREETS DIVISION.

THE CLASSIFICATION FOR THE POSITION OF ATHLETICS MANAGER WILL BE CREATED, AND THE CLASSIFICATION FOR THE POSITION OF CIVILIAN DETECTIVE WILL BE CREATED.

THE ATHLETICS MANAGER POSITION WILL REPLACE A CURRENT RECREATION COORDINATOR SUPERVISOR POSITION, AND THE CIVILIAN DETECTIVE WILL REPLACE A SWORN INVESTIGATOR POSITION.

ADDITIONALLY, ONE RECREATION COORDINATOR IS RECOMMENDED TO BE RECLASSIFIED AS A COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

[01:30:07]

AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AS IS THE CITY MANAGER.

QUESTIONS? JUST A COMMENT. SOUNDS LIKE FUN. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT STEP FORWARD FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO START INCORPORATING, JUST AS WE DID WITH ADDING A SOCIAL WORKER.

ADDING CIVILIANS IN THESE ROLES, I THINK IS AN INCREDIBLY GOOD, BOLD, POSITIVE MOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY BASED POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THANKS TO THE CHIEF, WHO WE WILL HEAR FROM SHORTLY.

SO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WELL, JUST THE OTHER POSITIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, DESPITE OF ALL THE ADDITIONAL DEMAND ON STAFF.

WE'RE STILL HOLDING THE LINE AT 258 FULL TIME POSITIONS.

SO WE THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID AT OUR CEREMONY ON JUNETEENTH OVER AT THE LEGACY, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY ARE THE FACE OF THIS CITY.

AND MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES DON'T LIVE HERE, BUT YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT BECAUSE OF THE PRIDE THEY TAKE IN THE JOBS THAT THEY DO.

SO I THINK MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES DO OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED.

AND SO THAT IS WE RECOGNIZE THE WILLINGNESS AND FLEXIBILITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO STEP IN AND DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND SO WE WANT TO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GIVE RAISES LAST YEAR.

I'M HAPPY THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TO DO THAT THIS YEAR AND TO RECOGNIZE THE THE MERIT AND THE WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES MEAN FOR US AS COMMISSIONERS, BUT ESPECIALLY TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S THE, THE, THE ALL WE HAVE CAPITAL PROJECTS, BUT THE BULK OF ESPECIALLY OUR GENERAL FUND IS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO. RIGHT. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION R-25-YY THAT AMENDS THE PAY AND CLASSIFICATION PLAN AS DESCRIBED.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES AYE. AND THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT, A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES. COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT I AM ASKING FOR AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT

[VII.E. Contract for Services.]

JUST AS A REMINDER, THE CITY OWNS GREEN SPACES ON OAK VIEW ROAD, THE WILD WOODS AT OAKHURST GARDEN THE SUGAR CREEK GARDEN, HAWK HOLLOW, AND THOSE ARE MANAGED AND MAINTAINED BY THE WILD CENTER.

HOPEFULLY FOLKS HAVE SEEN THE GREAT INVESTMENT MADE BY THE WILD CENTER AT THE OAKHURST COMMUNITY GARDEN WITH A BEAUTIFUL LARGE INDOOR CLASSROOM, ADDITIONAL RESTROOMS, TEACHING CATERING KITCHEN AND GREAT OUTDOOR IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING GREEN STORMWATER, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS ARE ALSO BEING MADE TO THE HAWK HOLLOW GARDEN TO IMPROVE THE RECREATIONAL EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE SOME COMMUNITY EDUCATION SPACES.

THEY PROVIDE SCIENCE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO STUDENTS AT ALL DECATUR SCHOOLS, AND THEY ALSO WORK WITH EVERYONE WITH CHILDREN AT THE DECATUR HOUSING AUTHORITY, PROVIDING SOME AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS SUPPORTING THAT.

IT'S THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP. AND WE DO LEVERAGE THE UNIQUE SKILLS AND EXPERTISE AT THE WILD CENTER TO PROVIDE THESE COMMUNITY SERVICES AT A LEVEL OF SERVICE MUCH GREATER THAN WHAT THE CITY COULD PROVIDE ABOUT THIS DOLLAR AMOUNT ALLOTTED TO SUCH PROGRAMING.

AND WELL, I AM. WELL, THE BUDGET'S BEEN ADOPTED.

THE FUNDS ARE IN THE IN THE PROPOSED OR THE NEXT YEAR'S ADOPTED BUDGET.

[01:35:04]

BUT WE DID HAVE A REQUEST SPECIFICALLY FROM THE DIRECTOR AND FROM THE CHAIR OF THE WILD CENTER TO THE FUNDS COME JULY, ONCE THE BUDGET GOES INTO EFFECT AND THERE IS NO, THERE'S NO MAGIC IN TERMS OF THE TIMING.

IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, OUR SCHEDULE HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.

IT'S BEEN DONE IN THE FALL. AND I AM ASKING THAT THIS COMMISSION ACCOMMODATE THEIR REQUEST OF THE WILD CENTER FOR THIS CONTRACT, FOR SERVICES. SO A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT IT'S THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT.

AND AGAIN, FOR, FOR THE SIMILAR SERVICES THAT HAD BEEN PROVIDED IN THE PAST.

QUESTION. ANY COMMENT? DO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THESE? AND I PARTICULARLY LIKE THE WILD CENTER ONE BECAUSE THEY'RE MAINTAINING SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

THEY ACTUALLY SAVE A LOT OF MONEY. I DON'T THINK WE COULD COME CLOSE TO CONTAINING THESE PARCELS FOR $20,000.

IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THAT ALIGNMENT OF THEIR MISSION AND THE PUBLIC ACCESS AND THE PUBLIC USE AND THE PUBLIC BENEFITS.

AS WE LOOKED AT OUR WORK, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NONPROFITS, THIS IS ONE PICTURE OF THAT.

ALL RIGHT. SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION TO. THERE'S A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT FOR SERVICES WITH THE WILD CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000.

AND WE HAVE A SECOND. SO FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES. AYE. AND WE ARE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO APPROVE THAT OUT OF THIS NEXT YEAR'S APPROVED BUDGET.

[VII.F. School Resource Officer Agreement.]

YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU A AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM. WE ACTUALLY DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT WE'VE HAD WE'VE BEEN WE'VE HAD AN AGREEMENT WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SINCE AUGUST OF 2004.

AT THE TIME THAT WE PROVIDED ONE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

IT WAS THEN UPDATED IN 2015 TO ALLOW FOR TWO SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.

JUST RECENTLY AND THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SAT DOWN.

SINCE IT HAD BEEN TEN YEARS SINCE THE AGREEMENT HAD BEEN VISITED.

AND A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE WORLD AS IT RELATES TO SCHOOL SAFETY.

EVEN STATE, YOU KNOW, STATE REQUIREMENTS AROUND SAFETY AND SECURITY IN SCHOOLS.

AND SO THIS WAS A PRIME OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REVIEW THE EXISTING AGREEMENT, UPDATE THAT AGREEMENT AND, AND COME UP WITH THE, THE WHAT I BELIEVE IS A NEW AND IMPROVED AGREEMENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

THIS AGREEMENT DOES PROVIDE FOR A MINIMUM OF TWO SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, BUT IT WILL ALLOW MORE AS STAFFING PERMITS.

AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S UPDATED TO REFLECT THAT CURRENT TRAINING STANDARDS.

AND AGAIN REALLY THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT OF THE.

THIS THIS PROGRAM REALLY GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY POLICING.

AND DEFINITELY BASED OFF OF PAST EXPERIENCE, WILL CERTAINLY PRODUCE POSITIVE OUTCOMES.

NOT ONLY FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT FOR THE CITY ITSELF.

AND JUST OUR WE ARE COMMITTED TO. AGAIN, THE MINIMUM OF THE TWO POLICE OFFICERS FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THAT THAT DOES ASSUME. THAT THAT STAFFING IS AVAILABLE.

WE DO HAVE THE STAFFING TODAY AND ANTICIPATE YOU KNOW.

THAT BEING POSITIVE, YOU KNOW, INTO THE FUTURE.

BUT WE ALSO DO HAVE THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, FOR ANY EMERGENCY.

ESPECIALLY ANY EMERGENCY STAFFING NEEDS AND THAT THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS WE HAVE THAT ABILITY.

SO WE'RE NOT CONSTRAINED. BUT LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE THE STAFFING WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO PROVIDING.

THAT. ALSO, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO

[01:40:08]

SHE'S GOING TO START WALKING UP, SIR.

SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE THE STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, IF ANY? WELL, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS HAVE TO GO THROUGH AT LEAST A 40 HOUR SRO TRAINING.

COULD BE THROUGH THE STATE. THERE'S NATIONAL ORGANIZATION CALLED NASRO THAT THEY CAN GO THROUGH AS WELL.

AS FAR AS THIS MOU GOES WE'RE HAVING OFFICERS SUBMIT LETTERS INTENT, AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE YEAR OF EXPERIENCE WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE ALREADY DONE THE LETTER. LETTERS OF INTENT.

WE HAVE GOTTEN A NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THAT HAVE PUT IN FOR THAT.

WE'LL HAVE AN INTERVIEW PROCESS AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND IF THIS IS APPROVED, THEN WE'LL SELECT AT LEAST TWO SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS TO BEGIN IN AUGUST OR, I GUESS, JULY. SO, WHERE DO THEY GO? DO THEY ROTATE, OR IS ONE GOING TO BE SPECIFICALLY STATIONED AT A SCHOOL AND SOMEONE ELSE ROTATING? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? ONE WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY TO DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN ONE WOULD BE TO BEACON HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL.

OKAY. THE MOU REQUIRES A TWO YEAR COMMITMENT FOR THE OFFICER, AS LONG AS THEY CONTINUE TO BE EMPLOYED WITH THE CITY OF DECATUR, THEN IT WOULD BE A TWO YEAR COMMITMENT FOR THE SRO PROGRAM.

AND THEN WHAT DID THEY DO IN THE SUMMER MONTHS AND DURING SCHOOL BREAKS? THEY WOULD COME BACK TO US IN WHAT, DURING SCHOOL BREAKS, THEY WOULD TRY TO TAKE VACATIONS AND BE OUT AT THE SAME TIME.

THAT SCHOOL IS CLOSED. SO THAT WAY THE SCHOOL IS NOT UNDERSTAFFED.

WHILE THEY'RE ON VACATION DURING THE SUMMER TIMES THEY WOULD COME BACK TO US.

THAT WOULD ALSO BE A TIME THAT THEY WOULD DO ADDITIONAL TRAINING.

FOR THAT PARTICULAR ROLE, THERE WILL BE SUMMER SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES.

SUMMER SCHOOL IS CURRENTLY GOING ON AT THIS AT THIS TIME SOME OF THEIR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD BE ATTENDING AFTER HOURS MEETINGS AT THE SCHOOL AND ALSO SPORTING EVENTS FOR CERTAIN SPORTS WITHIN THE SCHOOLS.

THEY'RE ALREADY AN SRO AT DHS NOW. NO, MA'AM.

OKAY. THEY HAVE TWO. I CAN'T REMEMBER THEIR EXACT NAMES, BUT BASICALLY TWO.

TWO UNARMED GENTLEMEN, THAT THAT WORKED THERE.

OKAY. AND SO, IS THERE WAS THERE A COMPELLING NEED TO SWITCH FROM UNARMED? IN ESSENCE, SECURITY OR OBSERVATION INDIVIDUALS TO AN ACTUAL POLICE OFFICER? WAS THAT A DISCUSSION THAT WAS HAD? HOW DID HOW WAS IT DECIDED THAT THAT WAS THE CORRECT APPROACH AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE NOW? THERE'S NO SPECIFIC INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED THAT SAYS, OH, WE NEED TO HAVE ARMED OFFICERS BACK IN THE SCHOOL, OR AT LEAST IN THE CITY OF DECATUR. OBVIOUSLY, THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND EVEN HERE IN GEORGIA THAT HAVE OCCURRED THAT MAKES IT WISE TO HAVE OFFICERS IN THE SCHOOL.

IT'S BEEN ABOUT TWO YEARS, PROBABLY SINCE WE'VE HAD SROS IN THE SCHOOL COMING OUT OF COVID DUE TO STAFFING SITUATIONS.

IT'S NOT A DECISION THAT I TOOK LIGHTLY. AND WAITED AS LONG AS I COULD TO ACTUALLY PULL THE TWO THAT WE HAD IN THE SCHOOLS BACK ON THE STREET FOR THAT.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO KEEP THE SRO PROGRAM AND WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS.

IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY BENEFICIAL FOR US BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THE SCHOOLS AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO GET BACK TO.

STAFFING PREVENTED US, AT LEAST FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE STILL IN THE ACADEMY, WE'RE FIVE POSITIONS DOWN.

SO THAT ARE UNFILLED AT THIS TIME. AS WE CONTINUE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS, THEN WE MAY ADD ADDITIONAL SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS MAYBE AN ADDITIONAL ONE, YOU KNOW, AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, ONE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. IF THERE WOULD NEED TO BE SROS AT ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS.

SO WOULD YOU DECIDE THIS BASED ON BASED ON INCIDENTS THAT OCCUR AT THE SCHOOL? SO IF THERE ARE IF THERE CONTINUE TO BE NO INCIDENTS, WOULD YOU DETERMINE THAT THERE WAS NO NEED TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM?

[01:45:02]

I THINK ONE IS NOT ENOUGH. THERE. SO AGAIN, I THINK TWO WOULD BE APPROPRIATE THERE, MAYBE ONE OR MORE AT, AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND I THINK THERE'S ALSO A NEED IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THE 4 OR 5 ACADEMIES.

IS THERE NOT NECESSARILY ONE AT EVERY ONE, BUT ONE THAT CAN MOVE AROUND TO SOME OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS, SCHOOLS WITHIN THE CITY OF DECATUR. AND YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO BUILD, BUILD TRUST, BUILD RAPPORT WITH THE STUDENTS, GET TO KNOW THE STUDENTS, GET TO KNOW THE STAFF, GET TO KNOW THE PARENTS AND JUST BE THERE FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE SCHOOLS.

I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. SO I PERSONALLY HAVE GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THE STUDENTS WERE NOT MY OWN THAT I BIRTHED.

OKAY. THESE ARE THESE ARE OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN, OKAY.

I GENERALLY DON'T ASK MY CHILDREN QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS KIND OF STUFF.

I PROBABLY SHOULD, BUT I DON'T. AND THE FEEDBACK THAT I GOT FROM THE CHILDREN THAT I SPOKE WITH WAS THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO FEEL LIKE THEY WERE GOING INTO A SCHOOL THAT HAD BEEN MILITARIZED OR THAT WAS PROJECTING UPON THEM THAT THEY WERE UNSAFE OR THAT THEY WERE A HAZARD OR THAT THEY WERE PROBLEMATIC.

THEY JUST WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL AND BE KIDS AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AT SCHOOL.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU OR MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WHILE Y'ALL WHILE YOU'RE CONSIDERING THIS, HAVE YOU GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM STUDENTS AND WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK DID THEY GIVE YOU? WE ACTUALLY DID A SAFETY SUMMIT THIS YEAR WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

IT'S A GOOD SUMMIT. A NUMBER OF US WERE SAT ON THE SAT ON THE BOARD THERE FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ALSO THE DECATUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAD SENT OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE TO THE STUDENTS.

AND WE ADDRESSED A NUMBER, A NUMBER OF THEIR CONCERNS.

BUT AS YOU MENTIONED SAFETY WAS A HUGE CONCERN FOR THEM.

AND SOME OF THEM CERTAINLY FELT UNSAFE AT THE SCHOOL.

AND KNOWING WHAT'S OCCURRED HERE IN GEORGIA IS CERTAINLY A CONCERN.

YOU KNOW, IF IT COULD HAPPEN THERE, IT COULD CERTAINLY HAPPEN HERE AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, KIDS THESE DAYS ARE DEALING WITH SITUATIONS AND THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN AT SCHOOL THAT WE NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH WHENEVER WE, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE WERE IN SCHOOL. MAYBE SOME FIGHTS, TORNADO DRILL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT WE'VE NEVER, YOU KNOW, NEVER HAD TO DO AN ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILL OR BE, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATING IN THAT LOCKDOWNS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO THE TEACHERS ARE SOMEWHAT FEARFUL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, I THINK CITY DECATUR SCHOOLS HAS HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO IMPROVE SAFETY WITHIN THE SCHOOLS.

AND YOU CERTAINLY LEARN FROM ANY INCIDENT THAT OCCURS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE, AGAIN, I MEAN, IT COULD BE 3000 MILES AWAY, BUT IF IT HAPPENED THERE, THEN WE HAVE TO ACT LIKE IT COULD HAPPEN HERE AND TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO ADDRESS IT.

AND THOSE SROS WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY TRAINED TO HANDLE SITUATIONS THAT COULD ARISE LIKE THAT IN THE EVENT.

YES. OKAY. SO, IF I COULD MAKE A COMMENT BECAUSE SOME OF THIS CONVERSATION BEGAN THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD REACHED OUT TO ME AND JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE SRO PROGRAM AND WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE IT ANYMORE.

AND WAS THERE. SHE WONDERED IF SOMETHING HAD HAD LIKE THAT THE THERE WAS SOME IF THERE HAD BEEN SOME MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN SCHOOL AND THE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT CAUSED IT TO GO AWAY.

AND I SAID IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE JUST DID NOT HAVE THE PERSONNEL AFTER COVID THAT I KNEW WE WERE VERY, YOU KNOW, OUR NUMBERS WERE DOWN AND THAT THE THOSE THAT WAS AN AREA THAT SOME OFFICERS HAD TO BE PULLED BACK IN FOR THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.

AND I MENTIONED IT, I THINK, TO THE CITY MANAGER, AND I THINK THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT.

AND SO IT WAS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ASKING WHY IT WASN'T THERE ANYMORE, BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN RESOURCE OFFICERS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT AND THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN SEEING IF THE PROGRAM COULD BE REINSTATED IN, IN SOME WAY AND THAT THE

[01:50:06]

I ENVISION 99.9% OF THE WORK BEING THE DEVELOPING, THE RELATIONSHIPS, BEING A ROLE MODEL, MAKING THE CONNECTIONS AT THE GAMES, THE SCHOOL EVENTS.

THERE'S INFORMATION IN HERE ABOUT THE EXPECTATION FOR THE OFFICERS TO BE PROVIDING THEIR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN THE CLASSROOM WITH THE STUDENTS.

AND AGAIN, VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MIGHT BE THE FEAR OF SOME OF THE STUDENTS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WOULD ENVISION, LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A POLICE STATE.

AGAIN, THAT'S I MEAN, WE'RE AGAIN, WE'RE JUST WE'RE LOOKING TO TAKE OUR COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM AND INSTILL THAT IN THE WALLS OF THE SCHOOL.

BUT I THINK, I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR THAT, THAT AS A CONCERN TO MAKE SURE OF THAT WHEN WE'RE. YEAH. AND SO, MY ASSUMPTION IS THERE ARE STANDARDS THESE SROS ARE GOING TO BE FOLLOWING THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, RIGID WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY POLICING MODEL.

AND IF THEY DO NOT ADHERE TO THOSE, THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO REPRIMAND OR REPLACEMENT.

SO I ASSURE YOU, IF I DIDN'T THINK THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE FOLLOWING OUR GOOD COMMUNITY POLICING MODEL IN THE SCHOOLS, I WOULDN'T BE ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS. I'D JUST BE WAITING FOR MY TURN TO VOTE.

I NOTICED THE CHIEF KNOWS ME WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW IF I'M ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS.

I'M ENGAGED. I'M WITH YOU. OKAY, SO IT SAYS IN THIS AGREEMENT THAT SCHOOL SYSTEM FUNDS 75%, WE FUND 25%. IS THE COST OF THE PROGRAM JUST THE SALARIES OF THE SROS, OR ARE THERE ADDITIONAL COSTS, SALARIES AND BENEFITS? OKAY. THE FULL THE FULL COST OF THAT EMPLOYEE.

AND I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. HOW LONG IS THIS AGREEMENT? 2029. AUGUST 30TH, 2029. AND THEN IT'S. RENEWED FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS.

OKAY. BUT IT'S ALSO IT CAN BE TERMINATED AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE, BUT 30 DAYS NOTICE.

SO IN MANY WAYS, IT'S A IT'S A 30 DAY AGREEMENT WITH THE TERM 30, 20, 29.

OKAY. THANK YOU. CHIEF. YES, MA'AM. IN REFERENCE TO CALLS TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL COVER THE OVERTIME COST FOR SPORTING EVENTS OR MEETINGS.

AND ANYTHING AFTER HOURS. GOOD ANSWER. WELL. THANK YOU.

YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. HOW DOES THE ? HOW DO THE SROS MESH TOGETHER WITH THE CURRENT SAFETY DIRECTOR AND THEIR STAFF THAT'S IN PLACE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM? THEY HIRED SOMEONE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

MAYBE LESS THAN TWO. YEAH. SO SAFETY DIRECTOR BROWN AND I, THE PROBABLY THE MAJORITY OF OFFICERS AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PROBABLY HAVE NOT MET THEM AND EVERYTHING.

I MEAN, THEY PROBABLY RUN INTO EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, ANSWERING A CALL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT HIM AND HIS STAFF WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE SROS AND US AS WELL.

THE SROS WILL REPORT TO A SUPERVISOR AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO THEY'RE STILL OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT THEY WILL WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS ANY, ANY ISSUES THAT THAT MAY ARISE.

THEY'LL ALSO WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE SECURITY PLANS FOR THE SCHOOLS.

EACH YEAR THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE TO SUBMIT A SAFETY PLAN TO THE STATE, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO DO SO MANY DRILLS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO THEY'LL BE WORKING IN TANDEM TOGETHER TO KIND OF A NEW FRONTIER, THOUGH, BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE HAD SROS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BEFORE, THEY DID NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE. RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. NOW, THERE WAS PRIOR TO DIRECTOR BROWN, THERE WAS ANOTHER GENTLEMAN THAT THAT WAS I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHETHER THEY HAD THE SAME TITLE OR WHAT, BUT THEY HAVE NOT ALWAYS HAD THAT PARTICULAR PERSON IN THAT POSITION.

THE AGREEMENT DOES SPELL OUT IN SECTION SIX SOME OF THOSE MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND IT DOES SAY THAT THE SRO, THE SUPERVISOR, THE DIRECTOR ALL WILL MEET.

[01:55:06]

IT IS DIFFERENT. AND THAT IS THAT IS A CHANGE IN THE NEW AGREEMENT.

I WOULD LIKE AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN TONIGHT.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE LIKE REDLINE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PREVIOUS MOU AND THE CURRENT MOU.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF JUST SO THAT WE ALL CAN BE UP TO DATE WITHOUT ASKING YOU 75 QUESTIONS OVER THE NEXT FOUR HOURS.

HEY! NO PUN INTENDED. NO, YOUR QUESTIONS WERE AWESOME.

BUT JUST SO THE COMMUNITY WILL ALSO KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THAT LAST AGREEMENT AND THEIR CITY, THEIR ATTORNEY AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY. YES. MADE A NUMBER OF REDLINE CHANGES.

BUT YOU KNOW, AS CITY MANAGER LAID MENTIONED A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE SCHOOLS SINCE THE LAST MOU THAT WAS SIGNED.

SO YOU KNOW, THIS CERTAINLY REFLECTS WHERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, NOW.

AND IT CERTAINLY HAS MORE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

YOU KNOW, THE ONE BEFORE PROBABLY HAD HAD A LITTLE BIT FOR THE, FOR THE SRO AND A LITTLE BIT FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT NOW IT IS A MORE COMPLETE DOCUMENT THAT HOLDS EVERYBODY ACCOUNTABLE TO MAKE SURE THE KIDS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MUST BE NICE TO SOME LATE NIGHT READING. YEAH. NOW THAT WE HAVE PASSED THE BUDGET.

RIGHT. OH, YEAH. I NEED SOMETHING NEW TO READ.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I WILL SAY THE AGREEMENT IS APPRECIATE THE THOROUGHNESS AND THE GOING BACK AND AND TAKING A LOOK TO MAKE SURE IT WAS UPDATED TO REFLECT THE NEEDS OF CURRENT SCHOOL SYSTEM NEEDS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS.

SO. THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS. DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY SCHOOLS OF DECATUR AND THE CITY OF DECATUR FOR A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.

IS THERE OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. CHAIR. VOTES. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? I DIDN'T HEAR ANY.

SO CHAIR VOTES I AND THE AGREEMENT IS APPROVED.

I JUST WANT TO ADD I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR THAT IN THE MEMO THAT IT IS ALSO PROVIDING AUTHORITY FOR THE CITY MANAGER OR CITY ATTORNEY TO MAKE ANY MINOR CHANGES.

NOTHING OF SUBSTANCE WOULD BE MADE. BUT AGAIN, TYPOS, THAT SORT OF THING THAT THAT AUTHORITY SIMILAR TO MANY OF OUR AGREEMENTS WE GIVE YOU.

JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'LL LOOK AT SECURITY CAMERAS IN THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT.

[VII.G. Security Cameras-Downtown Business District.]

ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. I'M SCOTT RICHARDS. I'M THE CHIEF OF POLICE.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS EVENING IN FRONT OF Y'ALL.

I'M HERE TONIGHT TO RECOMMEND THE APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT TO PURCHASE AND INSTALL SECURITY CAMERAS AT KEY STREET INTERSECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT. THIS PROJECT IS A CONTINUATION OF THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY AND SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGH EXPANDED CAMERA NETWORK, FOLLOWING THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF SECURITY CAMERAS IN CITY PARKS AND THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT IN 2022.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS IDENTIFIED 19 ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS WHERE SURVEILLANCE COVERAGE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.

OFFICIAL. THESE WERE SELECTED BY CRIME TRENDS, TRAFFIC ACTIVITY AS WELL AS POLICE DEPARTMENT INPUT.

THE SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY NOT ACTIVELY MONITORED AND IS UTILIZED FOR INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSES ONLY.

FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT, JOHNSON CONTROLS SECURITY SOLUTIONS, LLC HAS SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL UNDER THE SOURCEWELL PURCHASING AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE AND INSTALL THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT. SCOPE OF THE WORK INCLUDES THE INSTALLATION OF 19 MULTI-SENSOR IP CAMERAS.

THEN MOUNTING HARDWARE. CELLULAR. CELLULAR COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT.

AND THE INTEGRATION WITH THE EXISTING SYSTEM AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THE PROPOSAL ALSO INCLUDES PROGRAMING, TESTING, TRAINING, ALONG WITH A ONE YEAR WARRANTY.

[02:00:06]

WE RECOMMEND ESTABLISHING A PROJECT BUDGET OF $215,000.

FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN FY 2526 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.

WE REQUEST THE CITY COMMISSION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH JOHNSON CONTROLS SECURITY SOLUTIONS, LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $204,764.17 AND APPROVE A TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET OF 215,000. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? HI AGAIN. CHIEF.

HELLO. YOU KNOW I HATE CAMERAS, SO I'VE GOT ANOTHER 75 QUESTIONS TO ASK.

IT WASN'T DIRECTED AT YOU. SURE IT WASN'T. SO.

OKAY, SO WHERE ARE THESE 19 CAMERAS GOING? OKAY.

THE 100 BLOCK OF CLAREMONT. 200 BLOCK OF CHURCH STREET.

500 BLOCK OF CHURCH STREET. CHURCH STREET AT EAST TRINITY PLACE.

COMMERCE DRIVE AT BEAUMONT AVENUE. COMMERCE DRIVE AT CHURCH STREET.

COMMERCE DRIVE AT CLAREMONT AVENUE. COMMERCE DRIVE AT SWANTON WAY.

COMMERCE DRIVE AT WEST TRINITY PLACE. EAST PONCE DE LEON AVENUE AT CHURCH STREET.

EAST. PONCE DE LEON AVENUE AT NORTH. CANDLER STREET EAST.

TRINITY PLACE AT EAST HOWARD WEST. PONCE DE LEON AVENUE AT CLAREMONT, WEST.

PONCE DE LEON AVENUE AT COMMERCE DRIVE WEST. PONCE DE LEON AVENUE AT FAIRVIEW STREET WEST.

PONCE DE LEON AVENUE AT AND NORTHERN AVENUE WEST, PONCE DE LEON AVENUE AT PONCE DE LEON PLACE WEST, TRINITY PLACE AT SWANTON WAY, AND EAST AND WEST TRINITY AT NORTH MCDONOUGH.

IN A FORMAT THAT I COULD SHARE AT A LATER POINT WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.

YES. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. SO THE ONLY ONE THAT I COULD NOT PLACE IN MY HEAD WAS COMMERCE AND BEAUMONT.

WHICH ONE IS COMMERCE IN BEAUMONT? THAT'S RIGHT THERE IN THE COMMERCE BEFORE YOU GET TO THE BANK IS.

GOTCHA. GOTCHA, GOTCHA. OKAY, OKAY. THANK YOU.

I KNEW IT HAD TO BE SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE. SO A LOT OF THESE LOCATIONS SOUND LIKE THEY'RE IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S DRIVING TRAFFIC, BUT NOT NECESSARILY FOOT TRAFFIC AND NOT A WHOLE LOT OF BUSINESSES.

SO WHY WERE THESE LOCATIONS SPECIFICALLY SELECTED? WELL, THERE IS A LOT OF THEM THAT THAT THE WEST PONCE ONES ARE DEFINITELY IN BUSINESS DISTRICT.

SO I GET THAT. YES. I MEAN THE CERTAINLY THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE IN THE BUSINESS DISTRICT OR THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE AREA AS WELL. WE HAVE CERTAINLY HAD SOME INCIDENTS WHERE THE CAMERAS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE PROVIDED VIDEOS SO THAT WE COULD IDENTIFY A SUSPECT FOR CRIMES THAT THEY HAVE COMMITTED IN, IN OTHER, OTHER AREAS.

SO SOMETIMES IT COULD SHOW THE VEHICLE COMING OR GOING FROM THE BUSINESS DISTRICT AS THE SUSPECTS HAVE COMMITTED A CRIME.

OKAY. AND SO THESE AREN'T TRAFFIC CAMERAS, BUT THESE ARE CAMERAS THAT YOU WOULD USE IN THE EVENT THAT A CRIME IS BEING COMMITTED, HAS BEEN COMMITTED FOR INVESTIGATION PURPOSES.

YES. THEY ARE NOT. THEY'RE NOT ACTIVELY MONITORED BY ANYBODY AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

OKAY. AND SO ARE THERE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE TO PREVENT INADVERTENT PROFILING OR ANY OTHER TYPES OF RISKS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH NOT, YOU KNOW, NECESSARILY HAVING SEEN A CRIME ON SITE, BUT SEEING SOMEONE WHO MAY BE A PERSON OF INTEREST CAPTURED ON CAMERA AROUND THE TIME THAT A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED. YES, MA'AM.

WE DO HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE. WHENEVER WE INITIALLY DID THE 11 CAMERAS IN 20 OR 2022 WE HAD A CREATED A POLICY AND PUT A POLICY IN PLACE.

CURRENTLY THE DETECTIVES AND THE SUPERVISOR OVER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS HAS ACCESS.

DEPUTY CHIEF WOODRUFF HAS ACCESS. AND TECHNICALLY, I HAVE ACCESS, BUT DON'T ACCESS.

OKAY. SO EVERYBODY CAN ACCESS THEM. JUST THE THOSE WHO HAVE AUTHORITY TO DO SO.

AND SO IN IN THE REPORT, IT MENTIONED THAT THE OTHER CAMERAS HAVE BEEN DEEMED SUCCESSFUL.

[02:05:04]

UP UNTIL THIS WEEK, WE HAD THEM AT FIVE LOCATIONS.

THE GAZEBO LOCATION HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT CURRENTLY THE LOCATIONS WE DO HAVE THEM ARE AT CHURCH STREET.

AT SYCAMORE STREET ON TOP OF SQUASH BLOSSOM, ON THE SQUARE, ON TOP OF THE BUILDING THAT USED TO BE BOHO AT 115 SYCAMORE STREET AND ALSO ON NORTH MCDONOUGH STREET. SOME OF THE OTHER INCIDENTS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE HAVE HAD WHERE THE CAMERAS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO US BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY A SUSPECT.

WE HAD A CHILD STRUCK BY A VEHICLE LAST YEAR IN THE IN THE RAIN, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST YEAR.

ON WEST HOWARD AVENUE. WE HAD A BRIEF, VAGUE DESCRIPTION OF THE CAR.

THE CAMERAS AT CHURCH CHURCH IN SYCAMORE STREET HELPED US TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT PARTICULAR VEHICLE THAT WAS USED AND HOLD THE PERSON ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT. ALSO AIDED US IN A NUMBER OF SMASH AND GRAB BURGLARIES THAT OCCURRED ON CHURCH STREET.

HELPED US IDENTIFY A SUSPECT IN DISARMING OF DISCHARGING OF A FIREARM ON 400 BLOCK OF CHURCH STREET IN THE AFTERNOON TIME.

THAT SCARED A LOT, A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS AND HAD SOME OF THE BLOCK BY BLOCK FOLKS WITNESSED IT AND THEY WERE VERY FEARFUL.

THAT HELPED US IDENTIFY A SUSPECT AND HOLD THAT PARTICULAR PERSON ACCOUNTABLE.

HELPED US IDENTIFY THE ARSONIST THAT WE HAD THAT WAS BURNING UP SOME DUMPSTERS IN SYCAMORE STREET AREA.

HELPED US IDENTIFY AN ARMED ROBBERY SUSPECT OF SOUL PLAY THERE AT CLAREMONT AND PONCE DE LEON.

AND ALSO HELPED US IN A USE OF FORCE INCIDENT THAT WE HAD ON THE SQUARE WHERE A GENTLEMAN WAS WALKING AROUND IN A MACHETE.

AND OUR OFFICERS HAD TO USE THEIR TASER TO APPREHEND THE SUSPECT.

AND, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH THEY HAD BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE OF IT, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE SQUARE CAMERAS THAT WERE THERE AS WELL AND USE THAT IN THE USE OF FORCE INVESTIGATION. AND THEN LASTLY, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF THEM IN THE, IN THE PARKS LEGACY PARK, MACQUARIE PARK, GLEN LAKE AND DECATUR RECREATION CENTER.

ONE INCIDENT THERE IN MACQUARIE PARK, THERE WAS A LANDSCAPING TRAILER THAT WAS DUMPING MULCH IN MACQUARIE PARK.

SO, WE'RE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THOSE VIDEO, THE CAMERAS THAT WERE IN THE PARK AND BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHO WAS DUMPING THE MULCH THERE AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL.

YOU CAME PREPARED FOR ME TODAY, DIDN'T YOU? YOU WERE READY FOR MY FOOLISHNESS.

THAT WAS ONLY 72 QUESTIONS. YOU GOT THREE MORE.

THANK YOU. CHIEF. PLEASE DO. YOU DO THAT.

ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH QUESTIONS AND THE THOROUGH ANSWERS.

OKAY. HOW ARE THOSE CAMERAS HOLDING UP? THE ONES WE INSTALLED, THEY'RE ALL FUNCTIONING.

REPAIR PROBLEMS. I WANT TO DEFER TO DEPUTY CHIEF WOODRUFF.

I BROUGHT HIM. HE'S THE PROJECT MANAGER OF THE 1 IN 2022 AS WELL AS THIS AND WORKS WITH VC THREE.

HE WAS OUR IT COMPANY AND ALSO THE VENDOR, SO I'LL LET HIM ANSWER THAT.

YES. THERE WERE SOME ISSUES IN THE BEGINNING, BUT THEY ARE ALL THE ONES THAT ARE UP AND RUNNING ARE FUNCTIONAL.

WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THAT WAS KIND OF THE GROWING PAINS OF WORKING WITH THREE DIFFERENT VENDORS TRYING TO GET THIS UP AND RUNNING.

WHICH IS ONE REASON WHY WE WENT WITH THAT. FOR US MOVING FORWARD.

BUT THEY'RE ALL HOLDING UP. WE HAD TO DISPLACE A COUPLE OF CAMERAS.

THEY HAVE BEEN REINSTALLED AND ARE WORKING GREAT.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SOURCE WELL PROCESS? AND THE.

THAT IS PROCESS.

YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION. SORRY. SO JUST IN THAT THAT I'M ASSUMING WE CAN YOU CAN USE THAT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH GETTING ADDITIONAL BIDS,

[02:10:05]

THEY USE ALL OUR DOOR CODES. EVERYTHING. KEY ACCESS CARDS IS ALL THROUGH JOHNSON CONTROLS.

WHEN WE FIRST PUT IT OUT TO BID IN 2022 PUBLIC WORKS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID TWO DIFFERENT RFPS.

WE ACTUALLY CAME TO THE SAME DECISION WITH THE SAME COMPANY WITH, WHICH WAS NEXTGEN.

GREAT COMPANY. IT WAS JUST A LOT A HEAVY LIFT TO WORK WITH THREE DIFFERENT VENDORS TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY TO WORK TOGETHER.

AND GETTING THESE, THESE SYSTEMS UP AND RUNNING.

JOHNSON CONTROLS HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US AS FAR AS, AS ALL OF OUR SECURITY NEEDS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SO FAR WITH OUR BUILDINGS AND THE CAMERAS.

AND SO WE WERE CONFIDENT WITH, WITH WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO PROVIDE, SOURCE WELL, SOURCE WELL DOES THE VETTING FOR US ESSENTIALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST PRICE. I MEAN, IT'S SIMILAR TO BUYING OFF OF THE STATE CONTRACT.

THAT'S WHAT I ASSUMED IT WAS. RIGHT, RIGHT. AND SO WE HAVE WE HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT BY GOING THROUGH SOURCE.

WELL, AND ALSO IT MEETS IT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES AGAIN IN TERMS OF ENSURING COMPETITIVE BIDS.

THOSE THAT BIDDING PROCESS HAS ALL BEEN HANDLED BY SOURCE.

WELL. SO, IT SAVES US A COUPLE OF STEPS WHILE STILL ENSURING THE BEST PRICE AVAILABLE FOR THE PRODUCT. THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS? ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION.

JUST REAL QUICK WHILE I'VE GOT IT IN FRONT OF MINE. IT'S COMING OUT OF THE 2526 BUDGET.

CORRECT. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THAT THIS TOOK PRIORITY OVER AS FAR AS BUDGETARY SPENDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OR FOR OUT OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, OR WAS THERE ANY? I MEAN, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP HERE.

SO WAS THERE A CHOICE BETWEEN THIS AND SOMETHING ELSE OR THIS HAS NOT THIS HAS NOT DISPLACED ANY OTHER PURCHASE.

WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT CONVERSATION OF, WELL, IF WE'RE GOING TO FIT THIS IN, THEN THIS CAN'T HAPPEN.

THAT HAS NOT BEEN ANY KIND OF DECISION THAT WAS MADE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITHIN THEIR PARAMETERS.

BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER PURCHASE THAT WAS PUSHED ASIDE OR PUNTED TILL NEXT YEAR. SO THIS COULD HAPPEN. OKAY. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION THOUGH.

BUT AGAIN. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE BEEN HERE SINCE YOUR PROMOTION.

CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. WELL DESERVED.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY WE WILL LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH JOHNSON CONTROL SECURITY SOLUTIONS, LLC. AND THE AMOUNT OF $204,764.17 AND APPROVE A PROJECT BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $215,000 FOR SECURITY CAMERAS IN THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THE CHAIR VOTES? AYE. AND THE MOTION IS APPROVED FOR THE CONTRACT.

NEXT, WE DO HAVE AN ANNEXATION PETITION FOR 146 SCOTT BOULEVARD.

AND I BELIEVE THAT IS THE CITY MANAGER. YES. WE HAVE RECEIVED AN ANNEXATION PETITION OR ANNEXATION REQUEST FOR THE PROPERTY AT 146 SCOTT BOULEVARD. THIS PROPERTY SITS ADJACENT TO AND RIGHT BEHIND 150 SCOTT BOULEVARD.

AS MOST FOLKS WILL KNOW, 150 SCOTT BOULEVARD IS VENETIAN POOL.

AND THE VENETIAN POOL COMMUNITY ALSO OWNS THIS PROPERTY.

146 SCOTT BOULEVARD. IT IS IN UNINCORPORATED DEKALB COUNTY.

AND THE POOL ASSOCIATION IS REQUESTING THAT THIS ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY BE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY USING THE 100%.

WHAT I'M ASKING OF IS TO FORMALLY ACCEPT THE PETITION AND REFER IT TO STAFF. REFER THE PETITION TO STAFF TO PROCESS.

[02:15:03]

THEY WOULD NEED TO GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR ZONING AND LAND USE REVIEW AND CHANGES.

AND SO THAT WOULD BE ON AUGUST 12TH. AND THEN AGAIN, IT WOULD COME TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR AN ADOPTION OF AN ANNEXATION ORDINANCE. TONIGHT, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE APPROVAL TO ACCEPT AND REFER TO STAFF. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY.

MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? CHAIR VOTES.

AYE. AND THE MOTION PASSES, AND WE WILL PASS IT OFF TO THE STAFF TO, I BELIEVE, NOTIFY THE CITY SCHOOLS OF DECATUR, DEKALB COUNTY. AND I BELIEVE THE COUNTY HAS 30 DAYS.

RIGHT. THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING UPON THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION, IF THEY WANTED TO OBJECT TO IT.

SO SINCE I JUST DID MY ANNEXATION ARBITRATION TRAINING, I KNOW THESE THE DEADLINES, AND THE PROCESS IS.

LET'S HOPE THAT THE ARBITRATION TRAINING WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY.

I AM HOPING THAT AS WELL. SO NEW LIFE SKILL. ALRIGHT, SO NOW WE WILL OPEN THE MEETING UP FOR

[VIII. Requests and Petitions.]

AND THEN WE TYPICALLY DO NOT RESPOND DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME.

WE LISTEN TO YOUR REQUEST AND PETITION, AND THEN USUALLY WE'LL ADDRESS THEM LATER ON IN THE MEETING.

DURING OUR COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE MEETING.

SO, BUT WE'LL OPEN IT UP NOW. AND IF ANYONE LIKES TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND MAKE YOUR COMMENT.

SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP NOW FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME.

GOOD EVENING. I'M LILLIAN PETTIS, SIX ONE, FOUR CLAREMONT AVENUE.

I'M COMING TO YOU REGARDING THE SPEED CAMERA THAT IS PLACED IN MY FRONT YARD.

I HAVE COME TO THE CITY BEFORE WITH A PETITION TO MOVE IT OVER TO THE ISLAND.

THAT'S AT CLAREMONT AND LAMONT. WE'VE MET WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND ANDREA AND A FEW OTHER FOLKS ABOUT THIS, AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW THE STATUS OF IT. THERE WAS QUESTION ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE ZONING, AND I WANT TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ARE THERE OTHERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? MARY KOWALSKI, 119 BERRI STREET. I'M CALLING.

MY COMMENTS REGARDING FIRST THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING THE OTHER NIGHT.

THAT WAS WAS NOT CHAOTIC. THAT'S PERHAPS TOO STRONG OF A WORD, BUT IT WAS CONFUSING.

WE HAD THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR THERE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS AND NOBODY.

THIS WAS REGARDING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND NOBODY SEEMED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON.

WAS IT LIMITED USE, CONDITIONAL USE, SPECIAL USE, A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF USES.

AND SO THE MEETING WENT ON, AND NOBODY KIND OF KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON OR WHY WE WERE THERE.

AT THE VERY END OF THE MEETING, ANGELA GOT UP, ANGELA THREADGILL GOT UP AND PROVIDED SOME CLARITY, BUT NOBODY LEFT THAT MEETING. EVERYBODY LEFT THAT MEETING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS GOING TO COME BEFORE Y'ALL FOR APPROVAL THIS EVENING.

AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S A VERY SUCCESSFUL MEETING.

PUBLIC HEARING WHEN EVERYBODY LEAVES WITH A DIFFERENT IMPRESSION.

I THINK THAT THAT'S A THAT'S PROBLEMATIC. I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT CITY SCHOOLS ARE DECATUR WANTS TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.

THE INSTITUTIONAL ZONING DOES NOT ALLOW FOR DAYCARE, AND THE COMMERCIAL ZONING DOES NOT ALLOW FOR SCHOOL.

SO THEY CALLED ALL THE ATTENDEES OF THE DAYCARE STUDENTS.

BUT THEN THEY BUT THEY ALSO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT EDUCATIONAL, BUT THEY ALSO ARE CALLING IT DAYCARE.

SO AS THIS MOVES FORWARD, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENFORCE THE LAND USE HERE?

[02:20:03]

THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT THE LENGTH OF THE BUILDING.

THE GENERAL BUSINESS, I THINK IT WAS 200 FOOT FOR A LENGTH OF THE BUILDING.

THAT BUILDING IS OVER 300FT LONG. WHERE'S THE BUILDING ENTRANCE? IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON ON THE STREET. IT'S KIND OF ON THE BACK OF THE BUILDING FACING THE HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTY.

THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE TRANSPARENCY, THE AMOUNT OF GLAZING, THAT BUILDING IS VERY SOLID FOR, YOU KNOW, SOME SECURITY REASONS WITH THE SCHOOL, BUT IT KIND OF CONFLICTS WITH WHAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN THE C-2 DISTRICTS.

THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PARKING THAT'S BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THAT PLAN.

AND OUR ZONING ADMINISTRATOR, HER NAME WAS CASEY.

I DON'T REMEMBER HER LAST NAME, BUT SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, STAFF WILL WORK THIS OUT.

AND AS A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE WE TRY TO BE I WORK FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WE TRY TO BE AGNOSTIC.

WE WE'RE NOT THERE TO JUDGE THE MERITS OF WHETHER THIS IS A GOOD PROPOSAL OR A BAD PROPOSAL, BUT DOESN'T MEET THE LAW, YOU KNOW, DOES THIS IS THIS GOING TO MEET THESE ZONING OVERLAY DISTRICTS OR NOT? AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE THE CONDITIONS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WERE NOT REALLY CALLED OUT BECAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO WORD IT, BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO COME TO YOU GUYS.

AND NOW WE FIND OUT HE DOESN'T HAVE TO COME TO YOU GUYS.

SO THAT'S A THAT'S A PROBLEM HERE. AND HOW DO WE HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY? IS OUR ZONING ADMINISTRATOR GOING TO BE AGNOSTIC TO THE PROPOSAL AND DECIDE, DOES THE PLAN MEET OUR ZONING OVERLAYS OR NOT? DOES OUR ZONING ADMINISTRATOR JUST MAKE AN EXCEPTION OR WHERE'S WHERE'S THE ACCOUNTABILITY IF IT DOESN'T? AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE MADE RIGHT THEN? A COUPLE RECENT EXAMPLES WHERE I'VE SEEN A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY IS LIKE THE CHAPEL ON SYCAMORE. THE DEVELOPER SHOWED A PROPOSAL WITH THE TREES THAT WERE IN THE PLAYGROUND REMAINING.

ONE OF THE TREES WAS REMOVED FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON.

THE OTHER TREE UNDER THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE. IT WAS ALL DISTURBED WHEN THEY BUILT A PARKING LOT.

AND IF YOU LOOK UP IN THE CANOPY OF THE EXISTING TREE, NOW YOU SEE DIEBACK.

AT LEAST THIS IS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. AND THE COST FOR REMOVING THAT TREE WILL FALL TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.

IN A CASE LIKE LEGACY PARK, YOU SEE THE THE TREE TREE PROTECTION FENCE IS AROUND THE TREE TRUNKS.

LITTLE SQUARES AROUND THE TREE TRUNKS. NOT AT THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE.

AND IT MAKES THE CONSTRUCTION EASIER, BUT IT ALSO IMPACTS THE TREES.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A PUBLIC COST IF THOSE TREES GO INTO DECLINE PREMATURELY.

I NOTICED WHEN I WAS LEAVING THE POST OFFICE THE OTHER NIGHT THE SAINT THOMAS MORE SCHOOL THEY'RE BUILDING THAT NEW, NEW BUILDING, NEW FACILITY. WHEN I WAS EXITING ONTO WATER STREET SOMEBODY BUILT A WALL RIGHT UP ON THE STREET.

ALMOST. IT'S PROBABLY RIGHT ON THE PROPERTY LINE.

SO IF WE, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IN THE FUTURE, PROBABLY THE POST OFFICE IS GOING TO GO AWAY AND SOMETHING ELSE WILL BE BUILT.

BUT HOW'S THAT WALL GOING TO BE? ACCOMMODATE A SIDEWALK AND STREETSCAPE AND WHATNOT.

AND HOW DID THAT GET APPROVED? I ASSUME WE HAVE SOME SIDE YARD SETBACKS, SOME LANDSCAPE STRIPS.

SO HOW'S ALL THIS HAPPENING? IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A LOT OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND THEN LASTLY, MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH HOW IS THIS DAYCARE CENTER GOING TO BE TAXED? BECAUSE IF IT WAS LIKE A PRIMROSE OR SOME OTHER PRIVATE DAYCARE THAT TOOK FULL TUITION, I ASSUME THEY PAY CITY TAXES.

WELL, THE WAY THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS PROPOSED THIS THAT I'VE READ ABOUT, LIKE IN DECATUR CHANEL, IS THAT SOME OF THESE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE FULL TUITION, I MEAN, FULL SCHOLARSHIP STUDENT.

SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS, AND SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE FULL TUITION, WHICH MEANS THIS IS A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE. SO HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE TAXED OR HAS THAT EVEN BEEN THOUGHT ABOUT? HOW IS IT, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO PAY THEIR TAXES? AND I KNOW TO SOME EXTENT THAT'S TAKEN MONEY OUT OF ONE POCKET AND PUT IT IN ANOTHER.

BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S THE THIS THE SCHOOL. I GUESS I'M A LITTLE SALTY ON IT BECAUSE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DIDN'T SEEM TO DO A GOOD FAITH EFFORT IN TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE BOTH THE DAYCARE AND THE GREEN SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S A VERY SPRAWLING THAT THAT BUILDING THAT THEY PROPOSED SPRAWLS, AND IT LOOKS MUCH MORE LIKE IT'D BE MUCH MORE AT HOME IN ALPHARETTA OR GWINNETT COUNTY THAN IN URBAN. IN THE URBAN. DOWNTOWN DECATUR THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PROMOTING FOR THE LAST

[02:25:09]

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING.

VERY INTERESTING MEETING I DON'T HAVE I'M GLAD I DON'T HAVE TO SIT THROUGH THOSE ANYMORE.

MY NAME IS KATHY GANNON. I LIVE AT 335 WEST PONCE AND I AM HERE REALLY REPRESENTING THE DOWNTOWN DECATUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I KNOW, OF COURSE, THAT YOU REMOVED THIS FROM THE AGENDA, BUT I DON'T THINK IT LESSENS OUR OBJECTIONS TO THE PROJECT AND AND THE PROCESS.

SO I FEEL COMPELLED TO CONTINUE TO VOICE OUR OPINIONS AND CONCERNS WITH YOU AND HAVE THEM FOR THE RECORD ESPECIALLY WITH THIS QUICK CHANGE, HAVING SAT THROUGH THAT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S CORRECT AT THIS POINT ANYMORE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO ASSUME THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF EVALUATION AND REPORT WAS PRESENTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WORKED OUT AND PRESENTED. SO NOW, IS THAT INFORMATION INCORRECT OR IS IT CORRECT? THEY DECIDED THEY HAD A QUORUM. MAYBE THAT WAS THE WRONG DECISION AND THEY REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A QUORUM.

AND THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A REZONING, BUT PERHAPS THAT REALLY IS THE INCORRECT DECISION THERE.

SO SIMPLY WITHDRAWING IT DOES NOT RELIEVE THIS BODY OF OVERSIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND TO OUR COMMUNITY TO GET THIS DECISIONS CORRECT. AS I INDICATED, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH DOWNTOWN DECATUR NEIGHBORS REALLY SINCE ITS INCEPTION, WORKING TO TRY AND CREATE A PARK IN DOWNTOWN.

SINCE 2019, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL, CITY SCHOOLS TOWARDS JOINING FORCES AND WORKING TOWARDS TRANSFORMING THIS PARTICULAR SITE INTO A PASSIVE URBAN PARK. IT IS BIG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE RESIDENTS IN A PARK, STUDENTS, DOWNTOWN WORKERS, SENIORS, VISITORS, AND AN EARLY LEARNING CENTER.

IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE AND WHAT CODES YOU'RE FOLLOWING.

YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE ABOUT THE PROCESS SCHOOLS ARE IN AN INSTITUTIONAL USE.

THIS IS NOT A DAYCARE CENTER, SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE WILL BE 0 TO 4 YEAR OLDS ATTENDING THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL.

I THINK THE THE INFORMATION THAT THE SCHOOL PUTS ON ITS WEBSITES AND ITS MISSION AND ITS EXPLANATIONS TO THE PUBLIC OF THEIR EARLY LEARNING CENTERS IS ONE THAT THEY CAN BE VERY PROUD OF, AND IT INDICATES ALL OF THE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND THE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.

DAYCARE IS NEVER MENTIONED. AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS IF I WERE LOOKING FOR A DEFINITION OF A NEW TERM, WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINITION OF PRE-K OR EARLY LEARNING CENTERS.

MANY CODES DO NOT. IT'S A RELATIVELY NEW TERM.

PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER AN INDICATION THAT OUR CODES NEED TO BE UPDATED PERIODICALLY.

BUT IN LOOKING AT A DEFINITION FOR IT, PERHAPS IT WOULD BE A DEFINITION THAT CLOSER RESEMBLES THE SCHOOL FUNCTIONS THAT THE SCHOOL TALKS ABOUT IN THEIR WEBSITES AND IN VARIOUS CODES.

LOOKING AT OTHER CODES LIKE GEORGIA'S, WHERE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE MANAGED AND CONTROLLED BY A BOARD OF EDUCATION.

DAYCARE CENTERS ARE NOT MANAGED OR CONTROLLED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

SO I THINK A REASONABLE PERSON WOULD DEFINE EARLY LEARNING CENTER IN A MORE SCHOOL ORIENTED KIND OF DEFINITION THEN ONE THAT SIMPLY TALKS ABOUT DAYCARE. EITHER WAY, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT REVIEWED THE APPLICATION FOR THE CERTIFICATE FOR DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY MENTION A CODE THAT THEY FOLLOW. AND THERE'S ABOUT SIX ISSUES THAT THEY LOOK AT IN DECIDING IF IT'S APPROPRIATE, EVEN WITH REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE LAND CLASSIFICATION IS THAT IT SITS ON.

ONE OF IT TALKS ABOUT BUILDING AS OPPOSED, AND BUILDING ON A GREEN SPACE IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING OPPOSED TO RATHER THAN BUILDING ON PAVED PROPERTY, WHICH IS WHAT THIS COMMISSION AND THIS CITY IS ENCOURAGING FOR DEVELOPMENT.

[02:30:02]

SCHOOL'S NOT, OF COURSE, CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.

AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IS PART OF THIS EVALUATION UNDER THE UDO.

THE THIRD ISSUE, THERE WAS NO IMPACT. THERE ARE SEVERAL DEALING WITH CARS.

CAR ORIENTATION. THIS DEVELOPMENT IS ADDING EXCESSIVE AND BURDENSOME USE TO OUR STREETS OVER THERE AND ENDANGERING SURROUNDING PEDESTRIAN USES. IT'S A VERY HEAVILY PEDESTRIAN SPOT OVER THERE ON ELECTRIC AVENUE.

IT'S ALREADY OVERBURDENED WITH TRAFFIC. PARKING THAT ENDANGERS THE YOUTH AND THE ELDERLY WHO ARE GOING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THAT STREET NONSTOP ALL DAY. THERE'S ALSO A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND INGRESS AND EGRESS OF ELECTRIC AVENUE.

ITS VOLUME IS EXCESSIVE. IT'S GOTTEN HIGHER AND HIGHER AS OUR REC CENTER PUTS ON MORE PROGRAMS AND THE AMOUNT OF STAFF THAT GO IN AND OUT OF THE SCHOOL PROPERTY OVER THERE. TOO MANY CARS. AND NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER CAR ORIENTED USE BEING ADDED TO THAT.

AND SO THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT COMES OUT ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE FOR THIS FACILITY WITH THE X, THERE'S AN EXCESS OF PARKING SPACES AS WELL ON THE SITE AND SURROUNDING THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.

VERY FEW STUDENTS OR STAFF WILL BE WITHIN DECATUR'S TEN MINUTE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO THE URBAN DESIGN YOUR UDL WOULD ACTUALLY SUPPORT DENIAL OF THIS PROPOSED USE.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT BECAUSE YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING SURE THAT YOUR CODES ARE ENFORCED.

THIS EVALUATION IS MEANT TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF LAND DEVELOPMENT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S THE WRONG BUILDING IN THE WRONG PLACE. THERE'S ALSO SOME RELEVANCY TO YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS THE OVERARCHING ELEMENT OF CLIMATE ACTION. AND SO YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL CLIMATE ACTION ELEMENTS OF YOUR PLAN THAT ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED NEGATIVELY BY THIS PROPOSAL.

ONE BEING THE COST TO CONDUCT URBAN HEAT ISLAND ASSESSMENTS, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

THIS PARTICULAR AREA IS THE ONE PLACE IN YOUR CITY WHERE YOUR HEAT ISLAND IS.

THE IS IN THE BEST CONDITION OF ANY AREA OF ANY OTHER AREAS IN THE CITY.

AND OF COURSE, IT IS RIGHT NEAR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

THERE'S OTHER KINDS OF THINGS IN HERE. ONE BEING IMPROVING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLANNING PROCESS.

WE NEED TO MAYBE WORK ON THAT ONE DOESN'T APPLY TO THIS PROCESS ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.

AND ALSO TO SHOW HOW COMPROMISES ARE MADE. SO PART OF OUR ADVOCACY HAS BEEN TO PROMOTE COMPROMISE.

LIKE I INDICATED, THIS PROPERTY IS BIG. BIG ENOUGH FOR A 50 OVER 50.

IF THEY HAD A BUILDING THAT MET ALL THE CODES, ELIMINATED ALL THE EXCESSIVE PARKING ELIMINATED, FOLLOWED THE CODES IN TERMS OF THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING.

THOSE KINDS OF THINGS COULD EASILY REDUCE THE SIZE OF THIS PROJECT.

PUTTING ADMINISTRATIVE SCHOOL OFFICES IN THERE WITH THE ADDITIONAL PARKING COULD ALSO IMPROVE ON THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING.

IF COMPROMISE AND NEGOTIATION WERE SOMETHING THAT WERE ANYONE WAS AMENABLE TO THESE DAYS THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF CONDITIONS THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO THIS PROJECT TO MAKE IT AT LEAST MORE AMENABLE, BUT YOU STILL HAVE YOUR PROCESS ISSUE TO TAKE CARE OF.

I'VE SUBMITTED TO YOU ALREADY IN WRITING A LIST OF THOSE CONDITIONS AND THESE COMMENTS FOR THE RECORD.

AND WE APPRECIATE YOU STAYING AWAKE AND STAYING UP FOR OUR COMMENTS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS PROCESS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT.

ARE THERE OTHERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE A COMMENT? SEE IF THERE IS ANYONE JOINING US ONLINE THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED AND BRING FORWARD SOMETHING UNDER REQUEST AND PETITIONS.

[02:35:06]

[IX. Reports and Other Business.]

OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS KARA SHEARER.

I SERVE AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, PUBLIC WORKS.

I HAVE A FEW UPDATES FOR YOU THIS EVENING. ONE REGARDING THE MCCOY PARK POOL.

WE LAST MET ABOUT THIS JUNE 2ND WITH AN AGENDA ITEM TO REPAIR THE SANITARY SEWER LINE.

THE UPDATE IS THE SANITARY SEWER LINE WAS CLEARED LATE FRIDAY, JUNE 6TH AND WORK TO PREPARE.

THE POOL FOR OPENING BEGAN IMMEDIATELY THE NEXT DAY.

WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING TO SCHEDULE THE HEALTH INSPECTION WITH DEKALB COUNTY TO OPEN.

THE PATH TO OPEN HAS BEEN PRIORITIZED. WE WILL STILL NEED TO PIPE BURST AND UPSIZE THE PIPE FOR INCREASED CAPACITY AND INSTALL THE DOGHOUSE MANHOLE FOR MAINTENANCE. THOSE ITEMS ARE OUTSTANDING AND ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IN THE TIME FRAME OF PERHAPS AUGUST WHEN THE POOL IS CLOSED DURING THE WEEKDAY.

DO WE HAVE ANY SPECIFIC TIMING FROM THE COUNTY AS TO WHEN THE COUNTY? I'M UNSURE OF A SPECIFIC TIMELINE FROM THE COUNTY FOR THE HEALTH INSPECTION, THOUGH THAT HAS BEEN OUR PRIORITY IS TRYING TO NAIL THAT DOWN. THAT'S THE LAST INSPECTION. AND THEN YOU CAN OPEN.

YEP. SHIFTING TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF WORK AROUND THE POTENTIAL UNMARKED BURIALS ENCOUNTERED WHILE CONSTRUCTING THE SOUTH COLUMBIA MULTI-USE PATH.

IN THE PREVIOUS UPDATE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, WE CONFIRMED THAT CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA WAS STOPPED IN COORDINATION WITH THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, OR SHIPPO HAD STARTED.

AT THAT TIME, A GROUND PENETRATING RADAR OR GPR SURVEY WAS PERFORMED, BUT THE FINAL RESULTS HAD NOT BEEN RECEIVED.

AT THIS TIME, WORK REMAINS STOPPED AND THE GPR RESULTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

IT INDICATES CONDITIONS THAT MAY CORRESPOND WITH 32 ADDITIONAL BURIALS, FOR A POTENTIAL TOTAL OF 33 BURIALS.

CHANGES IN SOIL CONSISTENCY WERE USED TO ESTABLISH THE PROBABLE SIZE OF EACH BURIAL.

BASED ON THE SIZE, THE BURIALS MAY INCLUDE ONE ADULT, 22 CHILDREN, EIGHT INFANTS, AND TWO CREMATIONS.

THE SPACING APPEARS TO INDICATE SEPARATE BURIALS, THOUGH STILL TIGHTLY GROUPED, APPROXIMATELY 30FT FROM THE ROAD.

THE GDPR SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED BEYOND THE GROUPING IN AREAS OF POTENTIAL DISTURBANCE TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY FOR REROUTING THE PATH.

CURRENTLY, THE DESIGN TEAM IS USING THIS DATA TO CONSIDER AN ALIGNMENT CLOSER TO THE ROAD.

ONGOING COORDINATION WITH SHIPPO AND FUTURE UPDATES ARE EXPECTED, AS ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATE DESIGN PLANS ARE GENERATED AS A SEPARATE EFFORT. THE CITY CEMETERY SPECIALIST, HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNER, AND DIRECTOR OF LEGACY PARK ARE LEADING THE EFFORT TO MEMORIALIZE THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED TO REST HERE.

AND SPEAKING OF LEGACY, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BID ON A PIECE OF DECATUR HISTORY.

DO THEY COME IN COLORS? MANY LOVE THEM OR HATE THEM.

THE DECATUR PLANTERS HAVE BECOME A MEMORABLE PART OF OUR CITY'S LANDSCAPE.

AND NOW ONE COULD BE YOURS. AS THE REIMAGINED WEST HOWARD PROJECT GETS UNDERWAY.

THESE ICONIC PLANTERS WILL BE REMOVED TO MAKE WAY FOR PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS.

THE CITY OF DECATUR IS HOSTING A ONE TIME ONLY I PLANTER DECATUR AUCTION, GIVING YOU THE CHANCE TO TAKE HOME ONE OF THESE FAMOUSLY INFAMOUS ICONS OF DECATUR. PROCEEDS FROM THE AUCTION WILL SUPPORT COMMEMORATIVE SIGNAGE HONORING BEACON HILL COMMUNITY AS WEST HOWARD

[02:40:09]

THE ONLINE AUCTION WILL BE HELD JULY 22ND TO 25TH VIA EBAY.

YOU SAID EBAY. WHAT WAS THIS, 1990? THERE ARE LIMITED WAYS IN WHICH THE CITY CAN LEGALLY DIVEST ITS RESOURCES. EBAY OR AUCTION HAPPENED TO BE ONE OF THEM.

WHO WROTE THAT? THAT WAS SO GOOD. THAT WAS SO GOOD.

I FEEL LIKE I'M KIND OF ON AN EPISODE OF SNL OR THE OFFICE, BUT THIS IS SO GOOD.

PARKS AND REC. YOU SHOULD SEND THIS IN. OH MY GOODNESS, I HOPE WE'RE VIDEOING.

I PLANTER DECATUR. AND I LOVE THE USE OF THE FUNDS.

RIGHT. YES. YES. TO RAISE MONEY. SO OH YEAH. SURE.

AND I DID SPEAK WITH OUR RESIDENT ON CLAREMONT AVENUE IN THE HALLWAY.

SO THERE IS A SPEED SPEED CAMERA LOCATED ON CLAREMONT AVENUE IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, CITED AS THE RESIDENT'S FRONT YARD. SO THE ENGINEERING TRAFFIC INVESTIGATION IS THE NEXT STEP FOR EVALUATING EXTENDING THE SCHOOL ZONE, AND THEREFORE RELOCATING THE CAMERA.

THE CAMERA HAS BEEN. THE CAMERA POLE HAS BEEN SHIFTED ONCE TO BE INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW WITHOUT ANYTHING SURROUNDING IT TO BE BEHIND A TREE AND AND MOVING IT FURTHER TAKES CHECKLIST WITH GDOT AND WORKING WITH GDOT FOR THE STATE ROUTE FOR THE SCHOOL ZONE CAMERA.

SO WE HAVE REQUESTED PROPOSAL FOR THE ENGINEERING TRAFFIC INVESTIGATION FOR THAT EFFORT.

AND ONCE WE HAVE THAT, THEN GDOT STILL HAS TO APPROVE THE NEW LOCATION.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. IN THE NEW SCHOOL ZONE.

CORRECT. IT WOULD BE CONCURRENT WITH THE NEW SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S VERY LIMITED WHERE WE CAN PLACE SUCH ITEMS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY ON A STATE ROUTE. I LIKE THAT. THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION. SO WE HAVE REQUESTED A PROPOSAL FOR THE ENGINEER.

THE ETI REPORT, THE ENGINEERING TRAFFIC INVESTIGATION.

SO THEN WE'LL KNOW HOW MUCH IT WILL COST. AND THEN WE WILL WORK WITH GDOT TO EXTEND THE SCHOOL ZONE.

AND THAT I DO NOT KNOW. IT DID TAKE ONE YEAR TO GET THE SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS PERMITTED WITH GDOT.

SO IT IS A LONG PROCESS. I WOULD SAY THE CHECKLIST ITSELF HAS EIGHT ITEMS ON IT THAT I'VE SEEN. SO WE'RE WORKING ON IT. I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC TIMELINE.

PLACING THE CAMERA IN THE RIGHT OF WAY IS A PROCESS TO.

72. TRAFFIC ISLAND. 100% IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.

OR IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THE TRAFFIC? OUT OF THE RIVALRY THAT. WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MOVE THE CAMERA OUTSIDE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? CORRECT. IT HAS TO BE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY OF THE STATE ROUTE, WHICH IS NOBODY'S PERSONAL PROPERTY. THAT PROPERTY STATE OWNS THE RIGHT OF WAY.

IT HAS TO BE IN A STATE. HAS TO BE IN A STATEMENT.

YES. RIGHT AWAY. NOW. CORRECT.

ON ANOTHER LOCATION. I'M UNAWARE OF WHERE WE'VE EXTENDED THE SCHOOL ZONE IN ANOTHER LOCATION, AND I'M TIRED. I BUT WE EXTENDED IT DOWN SOUTH.

CANDLER. SOUTH CANDLER. I THINK THAT THAT GOT EXTENDED.

I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THAT WOULD BE MY REFERENCE POINT FOR HOW LONG IT TAKES.

[02:45:03]

TRY TO AVOID COMING UP HERE AND TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT IT IS WHAT CARA SAID IS ABSOLUTELY 100% CORRECT.

MOVING THE CAMERA REQUIRES A LOT OF COORDINATION WITH GDOT.

MOVING THE SCHOOL ZONE, EXTENDING THE SCHOOL ZONE IS GOING TO REQUIRE COLLABORATION AND WORK WITH DEKALB COUNTY AS WELL TO BECAUSE THAT SCHOOL ZONE IS MARKED WITH FLASHING SIGNALS. THOSE SIGNALS, THE CONTROLLER FOR THOSE SIGNALS WOULD HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED AND MOVED.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE A TWO PART PROCESS TO GET GDOT TO APPROVE NOT ONLY THE RELOCATION OF THE CAMERA, BUT AS PART OF THAT, THEY HAVE TO APPROVE EXTENDING THAT SCHOOL ZONE OUT BECAUSE THERE'S A CERTAIN DISTANCE THAT THE CAMERA HAS TO BE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THAT SCHOOL.

AND THAT'S WHERE IT HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET TO THIS POINT, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

OBVIOUSLY, WITH GETTING THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM PERMITTED THROUGH GDOT WAS TOUGH.

AND THEN THE STATE LEGISLATION LAST YEAR, THE UNCERTAINTY THROUGH MARCH OF THIS, THIS SPRING YOU KNOW, WE HELD OFF ON TRYING TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO IT BECAUSE THEY THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THEY WERE GOING TO GO AWAY.

AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S BEEN REENGAGED FOR THE ETI REPORT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. THE ONLY OTHER THING JUST FOR ME TO ANNOUNCE IS THAT THERE WILL BE A DECATUR DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES MEETING AT 8 A.M.

ON JULY 11TH. THAT IS THEIR NEXT MEETING IS THEIR JULY MEETING.

THOSE ARE HELD ON FRIDAY ON AT 8 A.M. ON JULY 11TH AT CITY HALL.

SO AND I WILL ASK THE CITY MANAGER IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE QUESTIONS WE HAD ABOUT REMOVING THE AGENDA ITEM AND THE PROCESS AS IT WENT TO PLANNING, BUT THEN WAS PULLED FROM OUR CITY COMMISSION AGENDA. I WAS LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY STAFF UPDATES.

LOOKS LIKE MEREDITH. OKAY. SORRY ABOUT THE CIVIC LOTTERY.

UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CIVIC LOTTERY. YOUR NOTES.

BUT OKAY. THE. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION BY WAY OF THE CIVIC LOTTERY, THE DEADLINE TO GO THROUGH THE SURVEY, WHICH WE HOPE EVERYONE WILL JUST DO THE SURVEY.

IT'S COLLECTING A LOT OF GOOD DATA, BUT TO SIGN UP TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN THE CIVIC LOTTERY IS THE 27TH OF JUNE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. I'LL RESPOND TO THE THE MAYOR'S REQUEST AND JUST SORT OF THE QUESTION THAT CAME UP, REALLY IN TERMS OF TIMING. I'LL START BY SAYING I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.

MAYBE THE, YOU KNOW, THE DISMAY AND DISAPPOINTMENT OF OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE WANTED WELL, ONE WANTED TO, TO SPEAK HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING TO PROVIDE A COMMENT ON THE COMPREHENSIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN. CERTAINLY ANY REASONABLE PERSON WOULD BELIEVE THAT, SINCE THAT WAS PART OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA. AND THEN UP UNTIL REALLY A FEW HOURS AGO, IT WAS PART OF THE CITY COMMISSION AGENDA.

AND THEY THAT IT WAS NOT UNTIL REALLY LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON WHERE YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS AROSE ABOUT THE ABOUT THE SPECIFIC UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE CODE THAT WAS BEING USED AS PART OF THE THE REVIEW PROCESS. AND SO WE'RE USING A CODE SECTION THEREFORE I'LL USE PERMIT THAT WOULD COME INTO PLAY IF THIS WAS INSTITUTIONAL ZONING. AND SO AGAIN, ONCE IT BECAME CLEAR TO STAFF THAT THE WRONG CODE SECTION HAD BEEN USED BACK IN.

[02:50:04]

ALLOWABLE USE TABLE THAT SHOWS WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THE C2 ZONING DISTRICT PROPERTY THAT IS OWNED BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR THIS PROJECT.

THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IS ZONING IN A DAYCARE.

FACILITIES ARE ARE ALLOWED WITH WHAT'S CALLED LIMITED USE.

IN THIS CASE, THE LIMITED USE WOULD GO ON TO ANOTHER CODE SECTION THAT TELLS YOU THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND AREA. AND THIS PROJECT MEETS THOSE THOSE THOSE STATES.

SO AT THAT POINT IF WE CAN. STAFF. YOU KNOW.

AND NEEDED TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY THIS MORNING SPOKE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY FIRST THING THIS MORNING.

OUR FINDINGS. AND THEN ONCE THAT. AGAIN AS STUDENTS TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT ABOUT THE. THE AGENDA. AND.

I HAD READ EARLIER TO JUST SAY THAT AND WE'VE MADE A MISTAKE YOU KNOW, THAT TO THE THE PUBLIC AND. THAT, YOU KNOW, WE AS STAFF HAVE, ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT OUR ORDINANCES ARE FOLLOWED APPROPRIATELY.

AND I GUESS I'D SAY DISAPPOINTMENT, PROBABLY SOME DISTRUST YOU KNOW, WITH THE PROCESS.

BUT AGAIN, I DO BELIEVE.

WE'RE LOOKING TO TO MAKE IT RIGHT. AND. THAT IS THAT IS WHERE WE ARE NOW.

AGAIN, IT'S THAT THE THE USE AND THE ZONING. BODY.

MAY NOT. THAT'S WHERE. THAT'S WHERE WE STAND. AND AS THIS, AS THIS PROJECT PROCEEDS ALL INFORMED. PROJECT IS ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IF IT ADVOCATE COMPLIES WITH OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE, OR IF THERE ARE ANY EXCEPTIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY.

THAT REVIEW PROCESS FOLLOWS THE. UNDERSTANDING OF THIS BODY AND ALSO. BEGRUDGINGLY UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT UNDERMINES THE TRUST WE BUILT UP WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

AND. THANK YOU.

OVER TO COMMISSIONER MEYER. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. ARNOLD. THIS THOSE REMARKS I THINK WILL HELP PEOPLE TO HAVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF AT LEAST OUR SIDE OF THE PROCESS.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TRANSPARENCY WITH OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT THE SCOPE OF OUR ROLE IN THIS IS AND HAS BEEN AND HOW IT'S RELATED TO THAT AGENDA ITEM BEING REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA

[02:55:05]

I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT BECAUSE MY SOLE FOCUS REALLY MY PRIMARY FOCUS, NOT SOLE FOCUS, BUT MY PRIMARY FOCUS AS A CITY COMMISSIONER IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TRYING TO PRESERVE AFFORDABILITY IN THIS CITY AND TRYING TO PRESERVE THE DIVERSITY OF THE CITY. AND THAT BECOMES INCREASINGLY MORE CHALLENGING AS THINGS GET TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE, AS COSTS, YOU KNOW, EXCEED WHAT WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER AS WE CONTINUE TO WANT TO PROVIDE A LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND VISIT CITY OF DECATUR HAVE COME TO EXPECT FROM US.

AND AS WE KNOW THAT MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH JOB LOSS AND UNCERTAINTY AND REALLY SCARY TIMES PERSONALLY. SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT CONVERSATIONS THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE HAVING ABOUT THE A POTENTIAL NEW DAYCARE, WE'LL USE THAT TERM BEING ESTABLISHED BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

I THINK OF A TERM GREATER GOOD. I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO DEEPLY AND PASSIONATELY BELIEVE THAT THE GREATEST GOOD THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AS EDUCATION TO OUR YOUNG CHILDREN, AND THAT THE COST TO OTHERS TO PROVIDE THAT IS WORTH IT.

THERE ARE SOME WHO TRULY AND DEEPLY BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES, NO MATTER HOW DESPERATELY THEY WANT TO, IS PRIORITY, AND THAT IS A GREATER GOOD THAT SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED OVER COSTS OF BUILDING, MAINTAINING NEW BUILDINGS AND EXPENSES THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PAY FOR LONG TERM.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO, WHEN THEY THINK OF GREATER GOOD, THEY THINK OF ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS THAT WILL EXTEND LONG BEYOND OUR LIFETIMES IF WE MANAGE THEM CORRECTLY. AND IN THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS, THE ABILITY FOR SOME OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL YET MARGINALIZED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVING ACCESS TO AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S GREEN AND LUSH AND WITH TREES INSTEAD OF JUST CONCRETE AND BUILDING. IS ALSO A GREATER GOOD THAT SHOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED.

AND AND THEN ANOTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT AND CONSIDER IS INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE DISPLACED FROM THAT AREA, WHO REALLY WANT NOTHING MORE THAN A PLACE TO GATHER ANNUALLY TO HAVE KIND OF A CATHARTIC HOMECOMING, WHICH IS TRULY AN UNOFFICIAL ACT OF REPARATIONS AND REDRESS FOR THE LOSS THAT WE HAVE ADMITTED THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED AT THE HANDS OF OUR CITY.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE ALL 4 OR 5 OF THOSE THINGS.

AND IT PAINS ME BECAUSE TO ME, I THINK THE PRIORITIZATION SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE BASIC HUMAN NEEDS FIRST HOUSING, THE ABILITY TO BREATHE, THE ABILITY TO BE FREE.

AND WITH THAT, I WOULD NOT WANT TO. I WOULD NEVER WANT TO MINIMIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A SAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN. I THINK THAT THE CITY OF DECATUR HAS DONE A DAMN GOOD JOB OF PROVIDING CHILDREN A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN OVER ALL THESE YEARS WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE BEST PATH FORWARD SHOULD BE, AND ULTIMATELY, I RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS NEITHER THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY'S DECISION, NOR IS IT TECHNICALLY OUR DECISION. BUT I WANT TO ALWAYS EXPRESS THAT EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE IN THIS CITY DURING BUDGET SEASON OR NOT DURING BUDGET SEASON, IS ONE THAT WILL ULTIMATELY IMPACT WHETHER OR NOT ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO REMAIN IN THE HOME THAT THEY LOVE.

AND IF WE CANNOT RALLY TOGETHER TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE NOW, WE WILL ULTIMATELY BECOME A CITY THAT IS NOTHING MORE THAN WEALTHY PEOPLE AND POOR PEOPLE.

AND THAT IS NOT THE CITY OF DECATUR THAT WE KNOW, LOVE, OR WANT TO LIVE IN.

SO I WILL LEAVE THAT STATEMENT WHERE IT IS, WITH THE HOPES THAT SOMEONE'S EARS WILL HEAR THEM AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE GREATER GOOD

[03:00:09]

THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY.

FIRST THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THE DDA IS COMING UP.

THAT WAS. A LOT OF GOOD WORK, AND IT'S GOOD. I'M SECOND.

I WANT TO GO A LITTLE OFF SCRIPT. WE HAD WE ACQUIRED 600 COMMERCE DRIVE A WHILE AGO, AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO SOME, SOME VISION, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

AND I EXPRESSED MY OPINION AT THE BEGINNING OF.

I FEEL I DIDN'T EXPRESS MY OPINION. I'D LIKE TO JUST KIND OF PROVIDE A BIGGER OPINION AS WE DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THAT SPACE.

WHEN I LOOK AT IT, GIVEN THAT IT'S ON COMMERCE DRIVE, GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE LOT GIVEN THE EVEN THE IMPACT OF WHAT DEVELOPMENTS WOULD HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY BEHIND IT, ON PLACE, COURT PLACE, THOSE WOULD BE MAYOR PRO TEM, AS I THINK THAT'S WRONG.

I THINK WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF. AND I THINK WE GET MORE AFFORDABLE UNITS IF WE WERE TO BUILD LOW SLUNG HOUSES OUT THERE.

I THINK IT WOULD PROVIDE ACTUALLY NOISE BARRIERS TO THE FOLKS LIVING ON POTTS COURT.

I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE. I THINK IT WOULD BE A NICER, SAFER STREET ENVIRONMENT.

I KNOW AT THE POINT NOW KIND OF TURN THIS OVER AND PERHAPS I'M LATE IN THE GAME.

MAKE SURE NEVER TOO LATE UNTIL THE BULLDOZERS SHOW UP.

BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO BE OPEN TO PERHAPS REVISITING THAT DECISION AND LOOKING AT THE CONTEXT OF WHAT MAKES MORE SENSE, BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MORE CHEAPLY, WITH ACTUALLY MORE OF A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE FOLKS LIVING ON POTTS COURT.

IF WE WERE TO DO THAT, AS OPPOSED TO MOVING FORWARD TO THE ADA MY OPINION.

JUST I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE AGENDA ITEM.

THAT'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM. SO I WOULD DESCRIBE MYSELF AS FRUSTRATED.

I GOT INVITED INTO THIS ONE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ASKED ME TO BE PART OF THE DESIGN COMMITTEE.

AND THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS, I RECOGNIZED THAT I'M NOT IN THE SCHOOL BOARD. I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON EDUCATION.

I WAS ASKED TO DO THAT BECAUSE I DO HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC SPACES.

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE DOWNTOWN DECATUR NEIGHBORS.

AND THIS BODY'S EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SEEING SOME GREEN SPACE FOR THAT SITE.

AND THIS BODY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WAS HOPING TO SEE UPWARDS OF 50% OF THAT SPACE, SPACE THAT THE NEIGHBORS THERE. AND SO, AFTER THOSE MEETINGS, I DID COMMUNICATE THAT.

I REPORTED SPOTTING A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT I ADVOCATE, AND I MADE OUR VOICE HEARD.

AND IT'S NOT REFLECTED IN THIS, THIS PLAN. I WISH THAT IT WAS SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AFTER COMMUNICATING THAT THEN THE SCHOOL BOARD, I WAS INFORMED BY A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT THERE WOULD BE AN OFFICIAL REQUEST FOR SOMEBODY ON THIS COMMISSION TO KIND OF BE AN ADVISOR FOR HOW THIS ECLC MOVES FORWARD.

AND THE MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEM WERE APPROACHED AND ASKED TO SERVE ON THAT AS OPPOSED TO.

I JUST SHARE THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF TRANSPARENCY.

I HAD EXPRESSED TO THE MAYOR EARLIER THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I'D LIKE TO DO THAT. AND MAYOR PRO TEM GRACIOUSLY RECOMMENDED THAT I SERVE IN THAT ROLE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK FROM THAT, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THAT IN TERMS OF MY WORK.

THE TIME THAT I PUT INTO THIS, IN TERMS OF REPRESENTING IT AND TRYING TO FIND THAT COMPROMISE FOR THE SPACE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO IT.

WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION. I WANT TO COMMEND THE PLANNING COMMISSION BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION. I THINK THEY WERE VERY ACCURATE IN IDENTIFYING THE CONCERNS OF THE DESIGN FOR THE FOURTH. I THINK THEY WERE VERY GOOD IN SAYING WE HAVE THIS SPECIAL PEDESTRIAN ORDINANCE IN DECATUR BECAUSE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE PEDESTRIAN. WE JUST DID A SAFE STREETS FOR ALL ELECTRIC AVENUE CAME UP AS ONE OF THOSE SITES THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED IN OUR STATES, ALL BECAUSE OF SAFETY ISSUES THERE.

IT'S ACTUALLY ON THE SAFE SCHOOL. AND DURING THE PRESENTATION, ACTUALLY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE CONSULTANT FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CALLED ELECTRIC AVENUE HEROINE IN TERMS OF PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE THERE.

[03:05:08]

WIDEN THAT CAN HELP ADDRESS THAT. BUT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THERE'S CONDITIONS IN WHAT WE HAVE IN A SPECIAL PEDESTRIAN ZONE ARE MEANT FOR THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OF DECATUR, AND THAT THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT CONDITIONS.

AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT AS THIS PROJECT MOVES FORWARD, THAT THEY WILL BE APPROPRIATELY ADDRESSED.

SPEAKING OF THE ZONING COMMISSION SO THEY ACTUALLY PUT, I THINK, FIVE CONDITIONS ON THIS.

AND I WAS THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF A ZONING COMMISSION, SORRY, PLANNING COMMISSION, PLANNING COMMISSION, ZONING COMMISSION IS DOING SOMETHING AND THEY'RE PUTTING FIVE CONDITIONS ON A PROJECT I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE MAYBE IT SHOULD BE DEFERRED.

IF YOU GOT FIVE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED, PERHAPS YOU NEED TO DO MORE WORK ON THE DRAWING BOARD.

SO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT OBSERVATION ON THAT.

AGAIN, KUDOS TO THAT CONVERSATION. THAT WAS ALSO THE DDA MEETING.

BUT THE DDA WAS RIGHTFULLY, AS COMMISSIONER MAYER FRANK SAID, RECOGNIZING THAT HIS ROLE WAS NOT TO LOOK AT THE DESIGN.

IT WAS LIKE TOTALLY OPPOSITE. ULTIMATELY, IT IS A WORSE DECISION AS TO WHETHER THIS MOVES FORWARD IN WHAT WAY IT DOES HOW THEY'RE GOING TO FUND IT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO THEIR SCHOOLS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE REACHED OUT TO US AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO ELECTED BODY THAT EVERYBODY VOTES FOR THAT HAS THEIR OWN EMAIL ADDRESSES, THAT HAS THEIR OWN MEETINGS. AND IF YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THIS, YOU SHOULD BE THERE AND YOU SHOULD BE SPEAKING UP.

WE HAVE SOME FEELINGS HERE ON THE COMMISSION, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE NOT PUT IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD.

WE WERE PUT IN CHARGE OF OUR LITTLE JURISDICTION RESPONSIBILITIES HERE.

SO IF YOU DO HAVE SOME STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THAT, PLEASE DO REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE STARING AT US, AND WE HAVE OUR PARAMETERS. WE HAVE OUR SPECIAL PEDESTRIAN ZONE THAT THAT MAY INFLUENCE IT, BUT IT'S NOT OUR DECISION. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

YEAH. AND. I JUST FEEL GUILTY SITTING HERE.

EVERY TIME I WALK BY YOUR HOUSE. I JUST, I, I PAY ATTENTION.

THANK YOU. MR. WALSH. THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO CITY MANAGER AND HER STAFF ON ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL BUDGET SEASON. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US ALL THE WAY THROUGH, LIKE YOU ALWAYS DO IN 2.5 HOURS OF THE WORK SESSION IN PARTICULAR WOULD BE FOUR, AND I ALWAYS LEARN A LOT. I THINK THERE'S A LOT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE AWAY FROM THAT DOCUMENT.

AND I DO HOPE THAT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ENGAGE WITH IT, EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOW PAST.

THERE'S A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT JUST WHAT THE CITY IS UP TO, GENERALLY SPEAKING.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, JUST THE BEGINNING. YOU'VE LEARNED A LOT AND YOU KNOW MORE THAN LOTS OF YOUR NEIGHBORS.

AND YOU CAN ALSO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE HEADED AS A CITY, WHAT WE'LL SPEND MONEY ON AND WHAT WE WHAT WE WANT.

I DON'T WANT TO PILE ON, AS THEY SAY, UNNECESSARILY ON THIS, OTHER THAN I DO HAVE SOME THOUGHTS, AND I AM ALSO DISAPPOINTED AND FRUSTRATED. BUT IT BRINGS ME BACK TO 2018.

WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED, THE VERY FIRST VOTE I WAS PART OF REALLY WAS A LAND USE DECISION.

AND LAND USE DECISIONS, IN MY EXPERIENCE NOW ARE REALLY THE MOST CHALLENGING, DIFFICULT, SOMETIMES PAINFUL FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.

BUT THEY'RE TYPICALLY IN MY ALSO EXPERIENCE, BEYOND THE BUDGET, THE MOST IMPACTFUL AND MEANINGFUL GENERATIONAL, CHANGING, CITYWIDE CHANGING DECISIONS THAT WE GET TO MAKE.

WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THEM. WE GET TO MAKE THEM.

TYPICALLY, I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT WE DON'T GET TO BE PART OF THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ANOTHER VENUE WHERE PEOPLE, DIFFERENT PEOPLE COME TO TALK TO US THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY GOING TO A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OR EVEN PLANNING.

BUT THEY DO COME HERE, SO THERE IS AN AUDIENCE FOR MISSING.

I'M DISAPPOINTED FOR THAT. I TRIED TO SPEAK TO SOME DEGREE AT OUR LAST MEETING, BUT I FELT LIKE WERE CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS ON BEHALF OF THAT AUDIENCE THAT I HADN'T BEEN SEEING TURNING OUT JUST YET. AND I THINK THEY WERE JUST STARTING TO TURN OUT OVER THESE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR A HOST OF REASONS.

SO I VERY MUCH VALUE OUR DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORS ALSO LEADING THE CHARGE WITH REALLY INSIGHTFUL SPECIFIC AND

[03:10:03]

I HOPE THEY TAKE IT TO THE SCHOOL SITE AS WELL.

I WILL ENCOURAGE THAT. I HAVE NOT BEEN APPROACHED WITH ANY ROBUST OR HEARTY VOICES OF SUPPORT FOR THIS, SO I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THAT. THAT MIGHT HAVE COME TONIGHT, I DON'T KNOW.

I'VE MOSTLY HEARD QUESTIONS LISTS OF CONCERNS AND A LOT OF UNKNOWNS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M.

I HOPE WHATEVER PROCESS REMAINS ALLOWS FOR HEALTHY DIALOG, AND PARTICULARLY IF THERE ARE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS AND WAYS THAT WE CAN BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO MARRY UP WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS, OUR PEDESTRIAN. PRIORITIES. I REALLY HOPE THERE'S A TRANSPARENT AND LEGAL AND PROCESS ORIENTED WAY WHERE WE GET TO BE PART OF SOMETHING RELATED TO THIS, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT IS HARD TO BE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN.

AND I IN FACT, HAD A PARENT SAY PLAINTIVELY, I KNOW THIS ISN'T REALISTIC, BUT THE QUESTION RESONATED WITH ME.

WHAT IF WE DID TAKE $20 MILLION IN AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM AND PUT IT ACROSS THE SYSTEM TO MAKE A HOLISTIC CHANGES ACROSS MULTIPLE AREAS, WHICH I GUESS WOULD INCLUDE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, EVERYTHING AROUND ATHLETICS AND ENRICHMENT, THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING, ETC.. SO I APPRECIATED THAT QUESTION.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT'S HOW THIS WOULD GO, BUT THAT IS HOW SOME PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THIS AND ASKING, WHAT ELSE COULD WE DO WITH WITH A SIZABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY? SO WHEN IT COMES TO LAND USE, ALTHOUGH IT'S DAUNTING TO MAKE ME A LITTLE QUEASY, I DO GET EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE I KNOW WE ALL HAVE A LOT TO LEND TO THE PROCESS, PARTICULARLY ON THE CITY COMMISSION SIDE. SO THANKS AGAIN TO MISS KOWALSKI AND KATHY GANNON.

I BELIEVE THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE TO BE IN CONVERSATION ON THIS FROM THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, WHICH INCLUDES REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SLTS, THE PTA, THE DHS, AND MORE. AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE AS INVOLVED AS YOU CAN IN THE COMING DECISION MAKING JUNCTURES.

THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. SO THANKS FOR LISTENING. APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING AROUND THE TABLE TONIGHT.

AND THANKS FOR MEETING. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

MAYOR PRO TEM. OKAY. LET ME SEE IF I CAN PULL ALL THIS INTO A LITTLE CIRCLE OR THE DONUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY, AS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE SAID LAST WEEK, THE ONE THING THAT'S HARDER TO ACQUIRE AND FASTER TO LOSE THAN CASH IS TRUST. AND IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO GET IT.

BUT YOU CAN LOSE IT AT THE BLINK OF AN EYE. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF LEARNING UNDER ONE OF THE BEST LAND USE ATTORNEYS IN THIS CITY, THE LATE JACK RHODES, WHEN I SERVED ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. SO I GUESS I HAVE A UNIQUE WINDOW INTO THIS PROCESS.

AND IT REALLY IS ALL ABOUT PUBLIC TRUST AND MAKING A DETERMINATION BASED ON JUST THE LEGAL.

DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S BLUE, PURPLE, YELLOW OR GREEN, IT'S HOW DOES IT FIT? DOES IT FIT WITHIN THE UDO? IS IT IN THE YOU KNOW, DOES IT MATCH AND MEET ALL THE CRITERIA.

AND SO PART OF THAT. TRANSFERS TO THIS BODY. WE'RE NOT THE STYLE POLICE.

WE'RE NOT THE. IS IT APPROPRIATE BECAUSE OF BUDGETARY CONCERNS? THAT'S NOT OUR QUESTION. OUR QUESTION IS, DOES IT FIT WITHIN OUR SPECIAL PEDESTRIAN AREA? DOES IT FIT IN THE UDO. HOW DO ALL THOSE THINGS PLAY IN? THERE IS A REASON WHY THERE ARE TWO ELECTED BODIES.

WE DEAL WITH PUBLIC POLICY AND LAND USE. THEY EDUCATE CHILDREN AND THEY DO IT DOGGONE WELL.

AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL SAY, AND I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS, THE GROUP THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM IS PROBABLY THE MOST MARGINALIZED GROUP IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND THOSE ARE THE YOUNG KIDS THAT WOULD PROBABLY BENEFIT MOST FROM THIS.

AND WHY AREN'T WE HEARING FROM THEM? BECAUSE IN MANY CASES, THEIR PARENTS ARE JUST STRUGGLING TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES.

[03:15:01]

I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THE BABIES AND WHAT THE STATISTICS TELL US IS THAT IF THOSE KIDS AREN'T AT GRADE LEVEL OR AREN'T CAUGHT UP BY A CERTAIN AGE, THEY ARE LOST. AND SO.

AGAIN, THAT'S THEIR POSITION TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

OURS IS AN ADVOCATE ROLE IN TERMS OF THAT SECONDARY, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN FOLLOW WHAT THAT OVERARCHING POLICY THAT WE'VE SET IS.

AND SO WHILE I AM REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE COULDN'T HAVE THE CONVERSATION.

I HOPE WE USE THIS AS A LEARNING. EXPERIENCE THAT THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT TRUST THAT WE LOST TODAY IS GOING TO TAKE US A WHILE TO REGAIN AND KNOW THAT THERE WAS NO NEFARIOUS NATURE.

NO. NO CONSPIRACY, NO. YOU KNOW, WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS.

IT WAS A IT WAS A MISTAKE, AND IT WAS A MISTAKE THAT WE ALL SIT HERE AND EAT AND OWN AND FEEL PRETTY CRAPPY ABOUT.

AND SO JUST TO TIE IT ALL BACK UP. WE WERE NEVER GOING TO BE CHARGED WITH HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.

OR, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY STUDENTS THEY WERE GOING TO HOLD OR WHETHER THE DAYCARE OR, YOU KNOW, NONE OF THAT WAS OUR OUR CALL. OUR CALL WAS BASED SPECIFICALLY ON POLICY.

AND SO I THINK PEOPLE SOMETIMES DON'T REALIZE THAT OUR ROLE IS A POLICY ROLE.

AND SO THAT MAKES IT HARD BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHERE THIS MEETING IS.

AND THEY KNOW WE MEET TWO TIMES A MONTH. AND I WISH IN THE FUTURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THIS MAGNITUDE ARE GIVEN THE LIKE SPACE. I KNOW OFTENTIMES WE WILL PUT OFF IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE CAPTURE ALL THE VOICES THAT NEED TO BE CAPTURED, I.E.

NOT DOING IT OVER SPRING BREAK OR WINTER BREAK OR WHATEVER THAT IS, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC TRUST. AND TO ME, THAT'S WHAT THIS REALLY IS ABOUT TONIGHT.

IT'S, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE LOST SOME OF THE PUBLIC TRUST, AND I KNOW THAT WE'LL WORK HARD TO REGAIN IT.

AND WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD, AND WE'LL TAKE A PIECE OF THIS DECISION OR NO DECISION WITH US IN OUR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS.

SO THANKS TO ALL THAT COMMENTED. THANKS TO ALL THAT CAME.

I WISH THAT WE COULD MAKE GDOT MOVE FASTER THAN THEY MOVE BECAUSE HONESTLY, GOVERNMENT DOES MOVE TOO SLOW SOMETIMES.

AND SOMETIMES THE PUBLIC GOOD IS THE LAST THING ON THE AGENDA THAT REALLY IT'S LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE GOT PROCESSES TO GO THROUGH, BUT IF WE'RE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, I'D PROBABLY FEEL THE SAME WAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT COMMENTS ON CAMERAS AND COMMUNITY POLICING.

YOU KNOW, WE NEVER WANT TO THINK THAT WE LIVE IN A POLICE STATE.

BUT MY GOD, WITH SOME OF THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON IN OUR WORLD TODAY, WE CAN NEVER NOT BE SURE.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ASK ALL THE RIGHT QUESTIONS SO WE CAN PUT ALL THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACES SO THAT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN, WE WOULD HAVE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE. AND THAT'S A CRAZY THING TO THINK THAT WE STILL HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS DAY AND AGE, WHEN THE ONLY THING WE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT WAS TORNADO DRILLS AND FIRE DRILLS.

SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THE SROS COME BACK, AND I'M GLAD FOR ALL THE UPDATES.

I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE TAKING OUR TIME OVER AT LEGACY TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE SOULS, THAT THAT IS THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACE, WE DON'T DISTURB IT. I'M GLAD WE TOOK THE EFFORT, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HONOR THAT FINAL RESTING PLACE.

COST BE DAMNED. THOSE ARE ALL THE. I HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT FROM MISS KARA.

KARA, I HAVE A RESIDENT OR SEVERAL RESIDENTS.

THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH BAMBOO OR OVERGROWTH AT SCOTT AND WOODLAWN THAT IS CREATING DANGEROUS CONDITIONS FOR BOTH DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS. I WILL TRY TO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THE RESIDENT, BUT I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ABOUT IT, SO. EVERYBODY HAVE A WONDERFUL FOURTH. THE PIED PIPER PARADE WILL BE ON FRIDAY, JULY 4TH.

[03:20:06]

SO THIS IS THE ILLUSTRIOUS FIVE MONDAY MONTH.

AND WE ENJOY GETTING THOSE FIVE MONDAYS STAFF, TAKE A BREAK.

YOU'VE EARNED IT. THANK YOU FOR LOTS OF WORK.

WE GOT THE BUDGET DONE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. AND I MAY HAVE MADE SOME DATES UP, SO FACT CHECK ME LATER.

YOU TOOK SOME OF MY COMMENTS AWAY, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

SO I AND WE'LL REMIND EVERYONE AGAIN THAT IF YOU HAVE THURSDAY TRASH AND RECYCLE PICKUP LIKE I DO THIS WEEK, PUT IT OUT ON WEDNESDAY, SO OR YOU WILL BE SKIPPED THIS WEEK BECAUSE THERE IS, I BELIEVE THE THURSDAY PICKUP IS WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK, SO I DO HOPE WE'LL HAVE A GOOD CROWD FOR THE 4TH OF JULY PARADE.

I ALSO WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO JACKIE MOORE FOR A VERY SUCCESSFUL BEACH PARTY.

SHE WAS DEFINITELY ALL SMILES. I THINK NOW THAT WE BROUGHT IT BACK IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO HAVE EVERY YEAR WITH GREAT CROWDS, A LOT OF FUN. AND THE WEATHER COOPERATED MIRACULOUSLY.

SHE MADE THE COMMENT TO ME THAT SOMEONE SHE KNEW LEFT AND DROVE THROUGH AVONDALE, AND IT WAS POURING RAIN IN AVONDALE, AND IT WAS NOT RAINING IN DECATUR. SO WE HAD THE RIGHT PLACE, THE RIGHT TIME.

AND IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL PARTY. I DO WANT TO MENTION, TOO, WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT VOTE COMING UP TOMORROW.

THE VOTE FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER.

TOMORROW IS THE DAY TO VOTE, AND I READ THIS MORNING THAT IN EARLY VOTING WE HAD, I BELIEVE, ACROSS THE STATE, 1% OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS. SO WE HAVE A LITTLE WORK TO DO.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET 99% MORE TOMORROW, BUT I DO HOPE WE WILL HAVE MORE PEOPLE COME OUT AND YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING. AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT VOTE FOR EACH OF US TO CAST.

SO, AND JUST TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT OUR MEETING TONIGHT, I THINK WE APPROVED A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND MOVE OUR AGENDA FORWARD, MOVE THE COMMUNITIES AGENDA FORWARD.

I THINK I HAVE HAD OTHER COMMISSION MEETINGS WHERE WE HAVE REMOVED AGENDA ITEMS. I WILL SAY NOT ONE QUITE SO SIMILAR AS THIS, BUT I APPRECIATE THE ATTENTION TO MAKING SURE WE DID THE RIGHT THING.

AND EVEN IF WE SIT UP HERE, AS THE MAYOR PRO TEM SAID, FEELING A LITTLE EMBARRASSED ABOUT THE TIMING AND THE FACT THAT THAT THAT IT WENT THROUGH PLANNING AND WAS TO BE TO COME BEFORE THIS BODY.

I THINK THERE IS NO BETTER TIME THAN TO PRESENT, TO EVER CORRECT A MISTAKE.

AND SO APPRECIATE THE WILLINGNESS OF STAFF TO BRING IT FORWARD AND SAY WE THIS REALLY SHOULD NOT BE ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AND THAT WE HAVE A LEGAL STATEMENT THAT BACKS UP THAT DECISION.

AND WE WANT TO HONOR THAT. I DO ALSO THINK BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT WERE SAID, I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER MAYER FRANK, WE ARE IT IS CORRECT.

THERE ARE COMPETING PRIORITIES. AND I THINK IT MAKES FOR COMPROMISE A LOT OF TIMES.

AND HOW DO WE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO COMMISSIONER DUSENBURY POINT, HE DID REPRESENT THE CITY COMMISSION. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD TO US AS BEING CONCERNS WERE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HE ALSO EXPRESSED. BUT AGAIN IT IS NOT UP TO THIS BODY TO MAKE THAT ULTIMATE DECISION.

I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT COMMISSIONER WALSH LAST TIME ALSO BROUGHT FORWARD SOME OF THESE.

I DO HOPE THAT THAT WE WILL MAINTAIN AND REGAIN TRUST FROM THE COMMUNITY. I ALSO HOPE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD, I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE THOSE EMAIL ADDRESSES AS FREELY AS THEY USE OURS, AND TO LET PEOPLE LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY STILL HAVE CONCERNS AND HOW THOSE CONCERNS AND VOICES CAN BE HEARD. SO AN IMPORTANT MEETING.

I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS. I HOPE EVERYONE HAS.

[03:25:02]

AND I BET IT'S GOING TO HAVE SOME IMPORTANT AGENDA ITEMS ON IT AFTER TAKING THIS TIME OFF.

SO AGAIN, THANKS EVERYONE. AND WITH THAT, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 10:15.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.