2026-10-06 - Mayor and Commission

01:01Good evening everyone. Uh life has found

01:03you at Tuesday, October 6th, 2026 in the

01:07Athens, Clark County City Hall where

01:09mayor and commission gather monthly for

01:11our voting meeting. And so I'm going to

01:14begin by asking clerk Howard to call

01:15roll for us.

01:17>> Davenport

01:18>> here. Lane

01:19>> here.

01:19>> Taylor

01:20>> here. Right

01:21>> present.

01:21>> Fisher

01:22>> here.

01:22>> Johnson

01:23>> here.

01:24>> Co Pepper

01:25>> here.

01:25>> Meyers

01:26>> here.

01:27>> Thornton

01:27>> here.

01:28>> Hamby

01:28>> here.

01:29>> We have a quorum.

01:30>> All right. Thank you, madam clerk. We'll

01:32begin with the civility pledge provided

01:33to us by the Georgia Municipal

01:34Association. This indicates that the way

01:37we govern ourselves is often as

01:38important as the positions we take. That

01:40our collective decisions will be better

01:42when differing views have had the

01:43opportunity to be fully vetted and

01:45considered. that all people have the

01:47right to be treated with respect,

01:48courtesy, and openness, that we value

01:50all input, and that we commit to conduct

01:52ourselves at all times with civility and

01:54courtesy to each other. Uh so, uh first

01:57formal item of business tonight is

01:59approval of the minutes of meetings of

02:01Tuesday, September 1st, Tuesday,

02:03September 15th, and non- voting meetings

02:06of Tuesday, September 8th, Tuesday,

02:08September 15th, and Monday, September

02:1021st. Do I hear a motion for approval?

02:13Yes.

02:13>> Mr. Mayor, before we um approve the

02:15minutes for those past meetings, I would

02:18like to um enter in a motion um to amend

02:22the agenda to add an item under new

02:24business.

02:25>> Yes, ma'am.

02:26>> The East Athens affordable housing

02:28potential options. If I can get a

02:30motion.

02:31>> All right. Do I second?

02:32>> All right. Do I hear a second?

02:33>> Second.

02:34>> All right. Got a motion to second. All

02:35in favor, please say I. I.

02:37>> I.

02:37>> All right. Uh unanimous. All right. So,

02:40we'll hear that at the conclusion of new

02:42business tonight. All right. Perfect.

02:44Thank you. All right. Uh, can I hear a

02:45motion for approval of the minutes as

02:47discussed?

02:48>> So, move.

02:49>> All right. I've got a motion from

02:50Commissioner Taylor and second from

02:52Commissioner Fiser. All in favor, please

02:55say I.

02:56>> All right. Thank you. Uh, Madam Clerk,

02:59are there any written communications

03:00tonight?

03:01>> No, sir.

03:01>> All right. Uh, we're fortunate because

03:03we have a uh pair of recognition, so I'm

03:06going to come down to the floor for

03:07that.

03:18All right. Uh, no surprise people in

03:21public sector that there are a lot of

03:23families among us. Um, probably

03:27unsurprisingly, the police department,

03:29several members are in the building

03:30tonight or family. They do difficult

03:33work every day and uh kind of share time

03:36in their cars and their offices. Um, but

03:39I'm here to let everybody know that

03:41maybe in my mind and view and 20 years

03:44of working here, uh, Titus family in the

03:47unified government is that solid waste.

03:50Uh, they um, [laughter]

03:52uh, they they they ride alongside one

03:54another. Um, you know, deal with good

03:58times and bad. Um, laugh when it's

04:01necessary to laugh. Um, and really

04:04support one another. And so, uh, we we

04:06are fortunate tonight because we have

04:08two awards, uh, to provide to Solid

04:11Waste employees.

04:13And the first one of these is for Bobby

04:16Martin. So, could Bobby Martin and his

04:17family please come on up, [applause]

04:27>> Bobby? And everybody comes up. I'm going

04:29to tell you a little bit more about

04:30this.

04:33Come on. Come on. people's house.

04:42>> Doing all right.

04:43>> Yeah. Thanks for coming down. You're

04:44doing good.

04:45>> Thank you. Good to see you. I'm good.

04:48How are you?

04:49>> Good. Good. What's going on, man? Good

04:51to see you. You doing tonight? Nice.

04:55All right. How are you? Good to see you.

04:57Thanks for coming down. All right. So,

05:00uh, today we're proud to recognize Bobby

05:02of the Athens, Clark County Solid Waste

05:04Department for receiving the Swana

05:07Georgia chapter solid waste worker of

05:10the year award in the landscape

05:12division.

05:13[applause]

05:19Bob grew up visiting the landfill where

05:21his dad was employed for over 20 years.

05:24Talking multigenerational here. Bob

05:26joined the department in 1993 and has

05:29dedicated more than 30 years to serving

05:31our community through exceptional heavy

05:33equipment operation, innovative problem

05:36solving, mechanical expertise and

05:38environmental stewardship. His work has

05:41improved landfill operations,

05:42strengthened regulatory compliance,

05:45extended the life of critical equipment,

05:47and saved Athens clar county hundreds of

05:49thousands of dollars. Beyond his

05:52technical accomplishments, Bobby is a

05:54valued mentor, sharing his knowledge,

05:56and experience with the next generation

05:58of solid waste professionals. His

06:00dedication, craftsmanship, and

06:02commitment to public service exemplify

06:04the very best of our solid waste

06:06department. Congratulations, Bobby, on

06:08this well-deserved recognition.

06:10Everybody give it up for

06:11>> him. [applause]

06:16All

06:30right. [applause]

06:42>> All right. So, uh, gonna get Solid Waste

06:46leadership up for the next award.

06:58>> All right. Uh, you know, you might have

07:00even read recently in the newspaper

07:02that, uh, Solid Waste has had some

07:05interesting experiences with things that

07:07you should not put in your trash can.

07:10friends. Uh somewhat related to this, uh

07:14I am here tonight to present the Athens,

07:16Clark County Solid Waste Department with

07:18the biggest safety improvement award by

07:21the Georgia chapter of the Solid Waste

07:22Association of North America for its

07:25innovative batteries go boom safety

07:28program.

07:30So in 2025, the Solid Waste Department

07:33began experiencing an increase in

07:35landfill and truck fires. You know who

07:38you are.

07:39The cause, improperly disposed

07:42batteries. Lithium ion batteries were

07:45causing approximately one fire each week

07:49>> at either the landfill or in a

07:50collection truck. In response, ACC solid

07:54waste created the batteries go boom

07:57campaign.

07:58The program combined employee safety

08:00procedures, public education, convenient

08:03battery recycling opportunities and

08:05strong community partnerships to reduce

08:07battery induced fires. The department

08:09eliminated battery recycling fees at the

08:12charm, expanded battery and vape

08:14collection locations, partnered with the

08:16ACC fire department, developed

08:18procedures for responding to battery

08:20related fires, and distributed battery

08:22collection buckets at community events.

08:25A broad public awareness campaign,

08:27including truck wraps, social media,

08:29website updates, water bill inserts,

08:31flyers, and community presentations,

08:33helped residents understand the dangers

08:35of improper battery disposal. As a

08:38result of these efforts, the department

08:40achieved a 50% reduction in lithium ion

08:43battery fires in 2026 compared with

08:46previous years. This improvement has

08:48helped protect employees, equipment, and

08:50facilities while reducing service

08:52disruptions and increasing public

08:54awareness of safe battery disposal. All

08:57right, so uh present this award to the

09:00department.

09:01>> All right, all right. Got Luke, we got

09:04Bob Suki Jansen. [applause]

09:11Good work. Good work. Great work. Yes.

09:15>> All right. Safety first.

09:22>> All right.

09:25I do need to ask uh before we proceed uh

09:29would any member of the commission like

09:32to remove any item that is currently on

09:34consent for discussion. And so those are

09:36items one through 12.

09:39>> Number two.

09:40>> All right. Number two. All right. Yes,

09:42Commissioner Johnson.

09:45Right. Any others?

09:49All right. So, with that said, I want to

09:52go ahead and describe the method of

09:54public input tonight, of which there

09:56will be several opportunities. Uh the

09:58first opportunity in just a few moments

10:00will be on the consent agenda, which are

10:02items uh 1 through 12 with the exception

10:05of item number two. Uh there will then

10:08be individual opportunities on the two

10:11planning and zoning items. Uh that will

10:14be followed by a public input

10:16opportunity on old and new business uh

10:19which are items 2 and 15 through 23

10:23including the the item that was added

10:24tonight. And then at the conclusion of

10:26the meeting there will be an opportunity

10:28for public input on any item that was

10:30not on tonight's agenda. We call that

10:32the open mic time. Each opportunity for

10:35public input is a three minute per

10:37individual opportunity. Uh when you step

10:40up to the podium, please state your

10:42name, place of residence, and the item

10:44to which you are speaking. Uh and make

10:46sure you slide your card in the slot

10:47that's right behind Andrew.

10:50Uh when you begin speaking, the light

10:52that's in front of Clerk Howard is going

10:53to turn green. When you have 30 seconds

10:55remaining, the light will turn yellow.

10:58And when your three minutes has

10:59concluded, the light will turn red. and

11:01I will thank you for your time with us

11:02tonight. Everybody got that? All right.

11:05Nice. All right. So, with that said, is

11:08there any member of the public who would

11:09like to speak to any of those consent

11:11agenda items? Again, those are 1 through

11:1312 with the exception number two.

11:19>> All right. Seeing none, these items will

11:21be handled in a single vote uh with this

11:23agenda having been prepared with the

11:24input of the full body at our agenda

11:26setting meeting. All right. So, um, I

11:30believe attorney Drake, we've got some

11:31ordinances associated with the consent

11:32agenda. So, I'll have you read those

11:34first.

11:34>> Agenda items 1, three, and four have,

11:37uh, ordinances associated with them.

11:40Agenda item one, an ordinance to amend

11:41the FY2027

11:43operating capital budget for Athens,

11:44Clark County, Georgia, so as to provide

11:47grant funding if awarded to the housing

11:48community development department from

11:50the US Department of Housing Urban

11:51Development. Lead based lead based paint

11:54lead based based paint hazard control

11:56and healthy homes grant programs to

11:58identify and control lead based paint

12:00hazards and other hazard other housing

12:03hazards and for other purposes.

12:05Ordinance number three, a nor for agenda

12:07item three, an ordinance to amend the

12:09FY2027

12:10operating capital budget for Athens

12:12Clark County, Georgia, so as to provide

12:14grant funding if awarded to the airport

12:15department from the Georgia Department

12:16of Transportation for the development of

12:18a long-term plan for future airport

12:20development and for other purposes.

12:22Agenda item number four, an ordinance to

12:25amend the FY2027 operating capital

12:28budget for Athens Park County, Georgia,

12:29so as provide grant funding if awarded

12:31to the fire department from the Federal

12:33Emergency Management Agency, FEMA

12:34assistance to firefighters grant program

12:36for the purchase of a utility task

12:37[clears throat] vehicle and for other

12:39purposes.

12:39>> Thank you, Attorney Drake. Do I hear a

12:41motion for approval of the consent

12:42agenda, including those ordinances?

12:44>> So moved.

12:45>> Second.

12:46>> All right. I've got a motion from

12:47Commissioner Taylor and a second from

12:48Commissioner Wright. All those in favor,

12:51please say I. I I

12:53>> Any opposing?

12:55None. Motion carries. All right, we're

12:57going to move on to first of our two

12:59planning and zoning items. This is item

13:01number 13, the request from Russell

13:04Edwards regarding [clears throat]

13:06130 Newton Bridge Road. So, is there any

13:08public input regarding this item? If so,

13:10you can line up the podium right now.

13:13Don't be shy.

13:16>> Good evening, Maring Commission. I'm

13:17Russell Edwards at 564 Palaski Street.

13:23I didn't I didn't come here tonight

13:25planning to speak

13:27414 days ago when I first met with Bruce

13:31Lonnie to discuss the West Clocks

13:33project. But here we are

13:35>> after 11 meetings after that first one.

13:39I'm pleased with where [snorts] we are

13:41today with this proposal to remove West

13:46Clocks from the PD and to put it within

13:48a overlay district to help revitalize

13:51this important parcel in our in our

13:53county. In [clears throat] some

13:55basically the the PD has been a failure.

13:58Uh it's now a 19 acre parcel with

14:01230,000 square feet almost 5 acre large

14:04building that has been neglected for

14:06decades. It's unusable without expensive

14:10renovations.

14:14The

14:17overlay does some important things for

14:19us. Once we take it out of the PD, the

14:22base zoning of employment office is not

14:24in alignment with the recently passed

14:26future land use map, but commercial

14:27general is. So, we're asking to place

14:29this parcel in a commercial general

14:31zoning with an overlay that can really

14:34help turn this into the town center that

14:37the future land use map envisions.

14:40This development will uh with the

14:42overlay increase opportunities for local

14:44operators and entrepreneurs but also

14:46impose accountability on the developers

14:50with the residential component only

14:52becoming fully unlocked once the

14:55commercial space has a certificate of

14:57occupancy and is placed in service.

15:00This overlay further will avoid

15:02duplicating the failures of the PD and

15:06also permanently block anti- town center

15:09uses that we see like drive-throughs,

15:13data centers, and distribution centers.

15:16This has been a long time coming. I

15:18appreciate all the support from the

15:21county. Um, you see the the fresh copy

15:24that's been provided today. Um, we've

15:27already had a lot of great success

15:29turning this into a familyfriendly

15:32area. You probably saw we've had the

15:34Indie South craft fair a few times. We

15:36had a back to school slip and slide

15:37party that benefited Gifted Savings.

15:40We had a great Get Out the Vote rally

15:42last weekend. And the UG theater club is

15:45going to be uh hosting an outdoor

15:47production of these shining lives which

15:50actually tells the story of some of the

15:52West Clock's employees October 22nd

15:55through the 25th. So thank you for your

15:57support and we all look forward to

15:59turning in turning this place into

16:01something we can all be proud of. Thank

16:03you.

16:03>> Thank you, Mr. Edwards.

16:06>> Good evening.

16:07>> Good evening. Hi, my name is Ary

16:09Edwards. Um, I live at 564 Palaski

16:12Street. I I purchased the store Agora in

16:152002 and operated it as a vintage co-op.

16:19I could provide lowcost rent and

16:21flexible small spaces that incubated

16:23numerous businesses and entrepreneurs

16:25that are still active today. Community

16:28Starlight showroom, Vixs Vintage, Indie

16:31South, Loyo Records, and all began

16:33inside Agora. I invested in Westclocks

16:36with the same idea. If we incrementally

16:38and affordably activate small spaces for

16:41entrepreneurs, West Clocks can be a

16:43great can be great for Athens. Low

16:46development cost and low rent helps

16:49locals first. Development conditions

16:52like what doomed the planned development

16:55increase costs that are then passed to

16:58tenants and block opportunities.

17:00Please abolish the PD and allow me to

17:04unlock opportunities for local

17:05entrepreneurs. just like I've done for

17:08the past 24 years in downtown Athens.

17:11This building deserves a second chance.

17:14It would be wasteful to knock down the

17:16walls and fill up our regional

17:17landfills. Revitalizing Westclocks will

17:20benefit the community and provide low

17:23opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

17:25Thank you.

17:26>> Thank you, Miss Edwards.

17:29>> Good evening.

17:31Good evening. My name is Julius. I live

17:34at 180 Fairwood Circle, Athens, Georgia.

17:37Um, I'm a native of Clark County. I have

17:41known the owners that just purchased

17:43Westot building for a while. Um, I've

17:46worked several events with the owners,

17:50the current new owners, and I fully

17:53support the redevelopment of the West

17:56Clock building. And I'm asking that the

17:58mayor and the commissioners also please

18:00consider

18:02the um redevelopment because we do need

18:05somewhere that's affordable for the

18:07average citizens to be able to utilize a

18:10event center whatever is going to be. So

18:13I'm asking please consider redevelopment

18:17of the Westclock building. Thank you for

18:20your support.

18:20>> Thank you Mr. Richie.

18:27Good evening.

18:28>> Hello. My name is Kristen Bach and I

18:32live at 140 Kendine Street in Athens.

18:35Um, thank you guys all for being here

18:37today. Um, I am a small business owner,

18:42working artist, educator, and community

18:45arts act activist. For more than 20

18:48years, I've been teaching artists,

18:50working with artists, and being a voice

18:52for artists.

18:54I chose Athens because of its

18:56creativity, its artists, musicians,

18:59independent businesses,

19:01and people who aren't afraid to dream

19:03dream differently.

19:05I want to see us protect that, and I

19:08want to see it grow and nurture it. Um,

19:12artists should be able to afford to live

19:13here and work here, raise families, and

19:16build sustainable lives.

19:19Um, we need spaces where artists can

19:22create, where they can live affordably

19:25and sell their work. And we also need to

19:27make it easier for residents and

19:28visitors to find them and support them.

19:32We already know how to rally around

19:34things just it's our nature as

19:37Athenians.

19:39Um, Athens is a destination or I want us

19:42to make Athens a destination for color,

19:45creativity, art, music, independent

19:47businesses and community.

19:51Westox is one of the visions of that

19:53future. A place where artists, makers,

19:55independent businesses, and neighbors

19:57can all grow together. This community is

20:00Athens.

20:02We have the vision, creativity, people.

20:05Now, we need our city, our planning and

20:07zoning commissioners, our mayor to dream

20:10with us and turn these dreams into

20:12reality. So, I hope you guys will be on

20:14board. Thank you.

20:15>> Thank you, Miss Boach.

20:18>> All right. Uh, item 13 is in District 9.

20:21Commissioner Thornton, would you like to

20:22make a motion?

20:23>> I make a motion um to see Russell again

20:29um to approve this project.

20:31>> I'll second.

20:32>> All right. So, I've got a motion for the

20:34PD amendment approval with the

20:36conditions from planning commission.

20:38Second from Commissioner Link. Any any

20:40further remarks, Commissioner?

20:41>> No, I think this is going to be a

20:42fantastic um program.

20:44>> All right. Uh any any further remarks,

20:46Commissioner Link?

20:47>> Super excited about this project and I

20:49can't wait to see what they do.

20:51>> All right. I've got a motion and a

20:53second. We'll take two votes. Uh first

20:55on the PD amendment and then on the

20:56reason, but I'll have Attorney Drake

20:58read the um PD amendment ordinance. An

21:01ordinance to amend the code of Athens,

21:02Clark County, Georgia with respect to

21:03amending a plan development comprising

21:05approximately 35.12 acres and located

21:08100 Newton Bridge Road in the EOPD

21:10employment office plan development

21:11district and for other purposes.

21:13>> Thank you, Attorney Drake. All in favor,

21:14please say I. I.

21:16>> Are there any opposed? Hearing none,

21:18motion carries. I need another motion

21:20for the reszone itself.

21:22>> So move.

21:23>> Second.

21:24>> All right. Got a motion from

21:25Commissioner Link, second from

21:26Commissioner Thornon. Any further

21:28remarks, y'all?

21:29>> No. Let's do it.

21:30>> All right. All in favor, please say I.

21:32I'd rather have you read the ordinance

21:33and then we'll do that.

21:34>> Ordinance to amend the code of Athens,

21:36Clark County, Georgia with respect to

21:38the creation of the West Clark special

21:40district overlay and reszoning two

21:41parcels of land comprising approximately

21:4319.48 acres located 13 Newton Bridge

21:46Road from EOPD employment office plan

21:48development to CG WCX Commercial General

21:52West Cox [snorts] Overlay District and

21:54for other purposes.

21:55>> Thanks, Attorney Drake. All in favor,

21:57please say I. I.

21:58>> Any opposed? hearing none. Motion

22:00carries. Thanks y'all. All right, we're

22:02going to move on to item 14. Item 14

22:04regards 4.169 acres at 1295 US Highway

22:0829. Is there any member of the public

22:10here to speak to this tonight?

22:19>> Good evening. Good evening. My name is

22:22Jesse West. I'm with Carter Engineering

22:24Consultants, 1010 Commerce Drive,

22:26Bogart, Georgia. Um, I'm here tonight on

22:29behalf of the ownership group for

22:30Pinewood Estates and Country Corners.

22:33Now, some of you may remember this from

22:35the agenda setting. It's really the the

22:37third piece of a um of a I'm sorry, it's

22:42really the third piece of the same

22:44effort you all supported last month with

22:46Country Corners and Pinewood Estate

22:47special use permits. Now, we've always

22:50thought of this as we've always thought

22:52of these three projects as one big

22:54project, but honestly, they all mean and

22:56um are just as important as the other

22:58two. [clears throat]

22:59And so, if you've driven out that way,

23:01you know that there isn't really much

23:02within walking distance for the for the

23:04two communities. This reszone gives them

23:07a real opportunity for some relief. Now,

23:09what we're talking about everyday retail

23:12and services, something like a small

23:13grocery store or a medical clinic,

23:15right? right there where people can walk

23:18to it. Now, we're also putting sidewalks

23:20along the street so that they can get

23:22there safely and with the bus stop being

23:24right there, it's just a good spot for

23:26something of this kind of development.

23:28And to add to that, this reszone matters

23:30a great deal to the owners as well. Um,

23:32as you're aware, they've uh put in

23:35nearly a million and a half dollars just

23:37by um improving the infrastructure for

23:40the two communities. And right now the

23:43uh the new water lines for Pinewood

23:45Estates are actually going in and this

23:48commercial piece helps carry that

23:50investment and gives them some financial

23:51relief so that they can see those

23:53improvements all the way through. Now on

23:55the details, we're all in agreement with

23:57staff and the planning commission and we

23:59accept all the four conditions. That's

24:01adding the sidewalks, doing the final

24:04plaque to uh clean up the split zoning

24:06which we've already submitted. And it's

24:09also keeping the commercial traffic to

24:10the first 210 ft of Trail Creek Drive.

24:13So there's no new curb cut on 29. And uh

24:17and it's also sticking to commercial

24:19rural uses until the sewer actually gets

24:22there. Um and on that last one, the

24:24sewer extension plans have already been

24:25reviewed and approved. So really it's

24:27just a matter of building it. Um, so

24:30with the planning commission's

24:31recommendation and staff's support, we'd

24:33really respectfully ask for your

24:35approval tonight as well. Now, Mike

24:37Warren with the ownership group is here

24:39with me and we're both happy to answer

24:41any kind of questions y'all might have.

24:42>> Thank you, Mr. West.

24:44>> Thank you. Is there anyone else here to

24:45speak to item 14?

24:49>> Good evening.

24:50>> Good evening, uh, mayor, commissioners,

24:53thank you. Um,

24:56I'm Mike Warren, 3311 Ivanho Drive,

24:5830327.

25:00Uh, I on behalf of the ownership group,

25:04I'm here to address any questions, uh,

25:07concerns that you may have with regard

25:08to the reasonzoning request.

25:11Um, we're excited about the opportunity

25:13to do something with this property. Uh,

25:15we purchased the property about four

25:17months ago in anticipation of getting to

25:19this point. Tonight we felt like it was

25:23a likely reszone because it is zoned

25:26agricultural at the moment and the

25:30ability to bring sewer to the property

25:32is a is a big uh game changer we feel

25:35like and we like the idea of being able

25:37to bring some support retail to uh our

25:40residents to provide walking uh access

25:43to to those things. We don't have any

25:46current uh

25:49tenants or buyers lined up for the

25:51property. It's very difficult to do that

25:53before you own it or before you have it

25:55zone. But we will start on that process

25:58immediately. So, if you have any other

26:00questions or anything, I'm happy to

26:01answer that. While I'm here, I want to

26:04take the opportunity to thank the uh

26:06commission and the mayor Bruce Lonnie

26:08and his staff uh for the uh positive

26:11vote we got on the on the special use

26:13permits last month. Uh it was very

26:16important. We are under construction. As

26:19as um Jesse said, we have a we got a lot

26:22of lot of people out there moving around

26:25uh working on these water lines and it's

26:28a slow rough sled, but we will get

26:30there. if you're ever interested in

26:32coming out and taking a look, I'm happy

26:33to meet you out there and show you what

26:36we're doing. Thank you.

26:37>> Thank you, Mr. Warren.

26:39All right. Uh this is also in District

26:429. Commissioner Thornton, would you like

26:43to lay a motion on the table?

26:44>> I make a motion to um adopt this

26:47proposal.

26:48>> All right. So, uh motion for the future

26:50land use approval with conditions. Is

26:52there a second?

26:52>> Second.

26:53>> All right. I've got a motion from

26:55Commissioner Thornton, second from

26:57Commissioner Fiser. Any further remarks,

26:59Commissioner Thornton? No, I um this is

27:01a long time coming and um I'm glad that

27:05u Mike and his team stuck with it and

27:06I'm glad that the commission um has um

27:11supported this program.

27:13>> Anything, Commissioner Fischer? All

27:14right. Any others from the body? All

27:16right. We'll go ahead and have attorney

27:18Drake read the future land use approval

27:19ordinance. As with the prior one, we'll

27:21take a second vote on the reszone. An

27:23ordinance amend the code of Athens,

27:24Clark County, Georgia with respect to

27:26amending the future land use map of

27:27Athens, clar county by changing the

27:29designation of one par of land

27:31comprising approximately 4.169 acres

27:33located 1295 US 20 US 29 highway north

27:37of neighborhood center of major quarter

27:39and for other purposes.

27:41Thanks attorney Drake. All right. Uh

27:43we've got a motion a second. All in

27:44favor, please say I.

27:46>> I.

27:46>> Any oppose? All right. Hearing none.

27:48Motion carries. All right. Uh we'll go

27:51ahead and have you, Attorney Drake, uh

27:52read the resoning ordinance.

27:54>> Ordinance to the code of Athens, Clark

27:56County, Georgia, Georgia with respect to

27:57reszoning one parcel of land comprising

27:59approximately 4.169 acres located at

28:021295 US 29 highway north from AR

28:04Agricultural Residential to CG

28:07Commercial General and for other

28:08purposes.

28:09>> All right. Do I hear a motion for the

28:10reszone?

28:13>> So move.

28:15>> I'm sorry.

28:16>> All right. Got a motion from

28:17Commissioner Fischer. I got a second

28:18from Commissioner Davenport. All right.

28:20Any further remarks?

28:23>> All right. All in favor, please say I.

28:24I.

28:25>> Any opposed? All right. Hearing none.

28:27Motion carries. All right. Thanks

28:28everyone. All right. We are moving on

28:30now to old and new business. Again,

28:32those are items number two and then 15

28:35through 23. 2 and 15 through 23. So, is

28:39there any member of the public who would

28:40like to speak to any of those items at

28:42this time? You go ahead and line up the

28:43podium.

28:45uh as per prior discussed protocol, just

28:48provide your name, place of residence,

28:50and let us know the items to which

28:51you're speaking.

28:54>> Good evening. Hey, good evening. Hello,

28:56Mayor Commission. My name is David

28:58Bradley, and I live at uh 316 Ashbrook

29:01Lane and I'm also president of the

29:03Athens Area Chamber of Commerce. So, on

29:05behalf of the board of the Athens Area

29:07Chamber of Commerce, many of whom are

29:09here tonight and our more than 950

29:11members that employ 12,000 people

29:14locally, we respectfully urge the mayor

29:17and commission to take meaningful action

29:19to address homelessness in Athens, clar

29:22county. Y'all, homelessness is

29:24humanitarian concern that requires

29:26compassion, dignity, and practical

29:29solutions. At the same time, it's an

29:32increasingly serious public safety and

29:34economic issue for our community. Y'all,

29:37every person deserves the opportunity to

29:40live in a safe community and to access

29:42services that can help them achieve

29:44stability, treatment, employment, and

29:47housing. It's equally imperative though

29:50that citizens, employees, employers,

29:52visitors, students, and businesses are

29:55able to enjoy public spaces and

29:57commercial districts that are welcoming,

30:00accessible, and secure. Downtown Athens

30:02and other com commercial corridors are

30:05central to the vitality of our

30:07community. They're where residents work,

30:10visitors stay, students gather, and

30:13businesses invest their resources and

30:15employ our neighbors. So in a recent

30:17chamber survey, we had 135 BIS member

30:20businesses identify homelessness as the

30:23num as the second most important issue

30:25facing the Athens business community.

30:28The business community is concerned

30:30about the increasing impact of

30:31homelessness on public safety,

30:33cleanliness, employee well-being,

30:36customer confidence, and the overall

30:37experience of visiting and doing

30:39business in Athens. But please, y'all

30:42know that we think public safety and

30:45humane treatment are not competing

30:48goals. Both are necessary to a healthy

30:51and functioning community. So, we

30:54strongly encourage the mayor and

30:55commission to adopt and implement clear

30:57public policies and enforceable

30:59ordinances that place equal emphasis on

31:02compassion, accountability, public

31:04safety, and measurable results. You

31:07know, the Athens Area Chamber of

31:08Commerce stands ready to help partner in

31:11this work. That we ask that you treat

31:13this issue with urgency it requires and

31:15to take concrete action that protects

31:18the safety, economic vitality, and

31:21quality of life of our entire community

31:25while providing humane, responsible

31:27support for all of those experiencing

31:30homelessness. Thank you.

31:32>> Thank you, Mr. Bradley.

31:35Good evening.

31:37>> Good evening.

31:38>> My name is John While. Um I reside at U

31:42330 Westlake Drive and I'm here to speak

31:45about the uh judicial center. I spoke

31:48previously at a a previous meeting and

31:51uh I was given an opportunity following

31:53that to to meet with your project

31:55manager for the new justice center and

31:58uh there was also a a video link with

32:02the with the U architect involved. It

32:05was very cordial meeting. He explained

32:08why the design was the way it was. I

32:10explained what my comments had been and

32:14uh while he appreciated my thoughts, he

32:19was not interested. I'm not the client.

32:21So, you know, that's something the only

32:23way those changes are going to be made

32:25if they come from the commission. So, uh

32:29he [snorts] works for you and uh you

32:31know, if you see fit to make any

32:33changes, then so be it. Uh, since that

32:36meeting, I have had some additional

32:38thoughts about the Justice Center, and I

32:40have since learned that GSA has placed

32:43the the Stevens Federal Building on a

32:47list of GSA properties that are to be

32:51liquidated at some point. And I know

32:54that uh I previously uh was involved in

32:58looking at that. Uh my friend Smith

33:00Wilson had asked me as a an architect

33:03that had done justice facilities in the

33:05past uh what I thought about that

33:08building being used for the justice

33:10center. I studied it and concluded it

33:13was well suited uh for the purpose for

33:15the program that you you had and uh

33:19there are some other benefits too. That

33:21property uh is 4.45 four or five acres

33:25in size, which is more than twice the

33:28size of the Dardy Street site. Um, so,

33:32uh, you know, if there's any possibility

33:34that that property could be acquired, it

33:37would have many benefits. Uh, there's a

33:40very excess property that could would

33:43make a fabulous downtown central park

33:46for the city of Athens. And that's what,

33:48you know, I would I would personally

33:50love to see. Plus, the building would

33:52would make an absolutely perfect um

33:55justice center and I believe for less

33:57money than is budgeted for the for the

34:00new project. Um so, if there's any

34:03opportunity to delay moving forward on

34:05that, I would strongly recommend that

34:08that be the case and I think it would be

34:10a win for the city of Athens big time.

34:14So, thank you very much.

34:15>> Thank you, Mr. W.

34:19>> Good evening. Good evening. Could I have

34:21these?

34:28>> Um, my name is Smith Wilson and I reside

34:30at 580 Morton Road here in Athens. For

34:34over eight years, myself and four Athens

34:38Clark County residents have been meeting

34:40to discuss the Stevens Federal Federal

34:43property in hopes that we could include

34:45a downtown green space in whatever event

34:50eventually would happen to that

34:52building. Um the 4.4 4 acres site lends

34:56itself to a flexible program and um our

35:00citizens group was looked at numerous

35:03scenarios but we always seem to circle

35:06back to the one scenario that the ACC

35:09government should secure the ownership

35:12of the federal building. Now this brings

35:14me to the immediate issue of the

35:16proposed judicial center. I am here to

35:20uh also ask that the commission give the

35:22federal building another chance as the

35:26proposed site. The Stevens Federal

35:28Building we believe has previously

35:30stated remains on the GSA surplus list

35:34and I believe that you might have a

35:36significant chance to secure ownership

35:40possibly after this election cycle.

35:44If that happens and you choose the

35:46federal building as a judicial center,

35:49um most likely it would save significant

35:52funds given the ability to use an

35:55existing building. One would have site

35:58flexibility that the Darty Street does

36:01not allow. This offers the citizens the

36:04possibility of a green

36:07uh 2acre central city park and still

36:10have all that is needed for the program

36:13for the judicial center.

36:16Small packet that I passed out are some

36:18of the thoughts and examples of the

36:20possibilities of the federal building

36:23adaptive reuse. So, I ask that you delay

36:27the vote on the proposed judicial center

36:29location and design and see once more if

36:33we could secure secure the federal

36:36property. Thank you.

36:38>> Thank you, Mr. Wilson.

36:45>> Good evening.

36:46>> Evening, mayor, commission. Tim Densen,

36:49483 Quailwood Drive, in here to speak to

36:52item 21 on the uh

36:56the report for the right-of-way

36:57committee. Um,

37:00as I've shared with some of y'all, uh,

37:03this version is, I'm not going to say

37:06better, but it's not as bad as the one

37:09that get voted down. Um, but I believe

37:12that this is still the the wrong

37:15solution for I think a problem that all

37:17of us definitely agree on, which is

37:19homelessness here in our community. One

37:22of uh I would urge you all to table this

37:25tonight uh for two reasons. One being

37:29that uh I do appreciate the million

37:31dollars tied to this to be invested into

37:34uh the affordable housing fund to help

37:35for homelessness.

37:37The re the the the reason I asked for

37:39table though is those funds will just be

37:41released tonight. It will be months at

37:44best before any actual changes come

37:46about because of those funds. We all

37:48know this. Yet this ordinance will take

37:51effect as soon as the mayor signs it.

37:54[cough]

37:54Two very different timelines there. If

37:57we're trying to tie these two things

37:58together, then we should be waiting to

38:00have this law enacted at the time that

38:02those funds are actually being utilized

38:05to help this solution. And one of the

38:07reasons I think that's important is

38:08because and it's not because of any kind

38:10of ill will here on the mayor

38:12commission. I I know this very much so.

38:13Y'all are busy. New things come

38:15constantly coming. And I remember I

38:17actually came and spoke here at the

38:18podium whenever y'all were voting on the

38:20storage storage containers. The first

38:21thing the rightway brought through. And

38:23I said, "Please table this until y'all

38:26actually figure out what the storage

38:28solution is going to be." Um I was told

38:32it's being worked on. That solution

38:34still is not in place. Again, that was

38:36months ago. This is how things go. And I

38:39understand y'all have to start working

38:40on new things. It gets forgotten. It

38:41gets put on the back burner. But that is

38:43dangerous for those folks who are

38:45homeless who would be actually possibly

38:46at the other end of this law. The uh

38:50other reason that I believe this needs

38:51to be tabled is because uh this exact

38:54same month, the homeless day service

38:56center, as we all know, is closing. And

38:59I want to read an item, a part of the

39:02Savannah Chadam County's uh ordinance.

39:04whenever they voted on this, which I

39:06know that this some of this legislation

39:07was based around, and I quote here,

39:09"City and community leaders emphasized

39:12that implementing outdoor sleeping

39:13prohibitions required establishing

39:16adequate daytime alternatives,

39:19ensuring unhoused individuals have a

39:21safe indoor place to go during daytime

39:24hours rather than being displaced

39:26without options. We don't have that

39:28right now. This is arguably the worst

39:31time that we could be passing this

39:32ordinance." Um, again, I understand the

39:34problem that's going on and also the

39:36co-responder. That's a great idea, but

39:37instead we should have funding more

39:39street outreach to our downtown to be

39:41working with those folks rather than

39:42having people coming with punitive

39:44solutions to work with them instead.

39:46Please, again, thank you for working on

39:47this. This is not the solution. Please

39:49table this tonight. Thank you.

39:50>> Thank you, Mr. Densen.

39:52>> Good evening.

39:54>> Hi, I'm Richard Miller, 1995

39:58Winterville Road. I'm a landlord and

40:00most people know me by Papa Bug. Um, you

40:03guys all know RM, right? Every one of us

40:05know RM and know their contribution to

40:07this town and hundreds of thousands of

40:10people have traveled through this town

40:12because of them. In fact, most of the

40:14income of a lot of businesses come from

40:16tourism and people's, you know, thriving

40:19here as artists. And one of the quotes

40:21that Michael Stipes said, the reason why

40:23they stayed here and made Athens an

40:26indie rock hub of the South was the fact

40:29that they could afford to live here.

40:31But with everything that's being built

40:33up, you know, all the student housing

40:35and, you know, really nice luxury

40:37apartments nobody can really afford,

40:39it's pushing people out, which is

40:41creating a homeless problem. And one,

40:44I'm a landlord and I see this daily with

40:46people coming to me trying to find

40:48affordable housing. And I try to keep my

40:50housing low. I'm not even over $800 a

40:52month, but my it's a trailer park, so

40:55the trailers are, you know, they're not

40:56the best. But, you know, we try to keep

40:58it low, but it gets hard because not

41:01only is housing prices going up, the

41:03taxes are going up. And with, you know,

41:06and it's wonderful that a million

41:08dollars is being allocated to the

41:10homeless, but the city put $7 million,

41:13almost $7 million in seating downtown,

41:16which kind of shows that the city is

41:18caring more for

41:20the students and the money that's coming

41:21in versus the people that are here, the

41:23people that are about to be considered

41:25outlawed downtown. So, it's I'm just

41:28here to speak out against that because

41:30I'm not the only one seeing this. I'm

41:32not the only one seeing that my tax

41:33money is going to things that should be

41:35helping people, but it's going to help

41:38people sit and eat and not really housed

41:41and everything. And being that I'm a

41:43landlord, I actually do have property

41:45that I've actually come talk to you

41:46about getting grants to help improve it

41:48to because I'm not making a lot of

41:50money, but to help improve it and

41:52provide more housing, but as it goes,

41:55the money from the city is going to

41:57things like seating. So, thank you.

41:59That's all I got to say about that.

42:00>> Thank you, Mr. Miller.

42:03Good evening.

42:04>> Good evening. I'm Chad Brown and I live

42:08at 280 Lonear Road in Athens. I'm here

42:11to speak on behalf of the Rideaway

42:14ordinance and homeless support. Um,

42:18I don't know if this ordinance and plan

42:21is going to work or not. I believe you

42:24don't either, nor does anybody in this

42:26audience. Until we try something and

42:30until we start putting this plan to

42:34work, I don't think we're going to

42:35understand its strengths and weaknesses.

42:38Um, I'm in favor of this. I've ran

42:42businesses and own businesses for 25

42:44years. You can put all of the plan you

42:47want on paper and until you start

42:51putting it to work, we don't know the

42:54strengths and the weaknesses of what

42:56needs to be changed. Um, starting to do

42:59this now and voting for this ordinance,

43:04I believe, puts that into motion allows

43:07all of you and all of us to evaluate the

43:10strengths and weaknesses and changes

43:12that need to be made along the way. Um,

43:15I've learned the more you table, the

43:17more you revise, the more you try to get

43:19perfection on paper, the problem just

43:22keeps getting worse, which takes more

43:26money and is harder to solve in the

43:28future.

43:30All of you are are challenged with

43:33making some courageous decisions tonight

43:37and I would encourage you to lean into

43:39that and have the courage to pass this

43:42ordinance knowing it's not perfect and

43:45that we've got to put something in place

43:48to try to solve this problem and get the

43:50solution started. And for everybody else

43:53in the audience, I would encourage you

43:55all to support progress

43:59and stop criticizing perfection

44:02because this isn't going to be perfect.

44:06But the longer we wait and the more time

44:08we waste revising and changing things on

44:11paper, I think the more challenging and

44:13more expensive this is going to get. So

44:16appreciate what all of you do and I

44:19support this ordinance and would love to

44:22see it pass tonight and us start making

44:25progress in this solution for Athens and

44:28everybody involved. Thank you all.

44:30>> Thank you, Mr. Brown.

44:33>> Good evening.

44:34>> Hi, sir. I'm Brian Box, 321 College

44:38Circle. Uh Mr. Mayor and uh

44:40commissioners. Uh so I'm a forest

44:42ecologist with 10 years of experience in

44:45uh forest health and forestry. Uh with

44:47regard to the uh construction of the

44:49judicial center, um I would highly

44:51recommend that you take that GSA option

44:54if it does come available.

44:56Uh with regard to the rest of my

44:58comment, it's uh if we do end up going

45:00with the new judicial center at the

45:02planning building, um I request you

45:05consider the options which render proper

45:08respect to the first amme as well as the

45:11moon tree or defer action until such

45:14designs are procured. As you heard in

45:17the previous meeting, uh the available

45:19and presented designs are flawed and

45:22were eloquently dissected by a local

45:24architect. uh I think it was of one of

45:27the previous gentlemen, but uh there is

45:30no reason to rush this project

45:32particularly given the importance of the

45:34building itself in the community as well

45:36as the two historical assets in

45:39proximity. Uh contrary to some of the uh

45:42uninformed statements made last month,

45:44the lobaly pine is a long live species.

45:48I have personally dated trees in this

45:50area to the antibbellum period. I have

45:53felled lobaly pines in timber operations

45:56that are over 200 years old. It's

45:58possible that they can grow up to 400.

46:00We just wiped out all the old growth.

46:03I would uh after personally assessing

46:06the moon tree expect it to live another

46:09century if properly tended by an ISA

46:12certified arborist. Soil type should be

46:15pretty decent for that. to dispel

46:17another uninformed statement regarding

46:21operational viability around the moon

46:23tree.

46:25We routinely operate in forestry with

46:28far more sensitive species in far more

46:31complex environments such as fuels

46:33treatments and giant sequoia stands.

46:38All it requires is a good contract, good

46:41contract administration, and suitable

46:44performance bond, which for this project

46:46I would set at $100,000.

46:49Let me be clear. If we're not willing to

46:52hold the contractor accountable to the

46:54provisions of their contract with such a

46:56standard instrument, then we probably

46:59shouldn't do that project.

47:02Uh

47:04lastly, uh these plans will overshadow

47:06and visually overpower the historic

47:08church.

47:10Uh there's a lot of history to that

47:12building. Uh there's a lot of history to

47:14the south. Uh need I say more? A

47:18judicial center built on two injustices

47:20bodess ill for the future of this

47:22community. Remarks complete. Y'all have

47:24a good night.

47:25>> Thank you, Mr. Box.

47:30>> Good evening.

47:31>> [clears throat]

47:33>> Good. Good evening everybody. Um, my

47:35name is Evan Mills and I reside at 517

47:37Ashbrook Court in Athens. Um, first I

47:40want to thank the mayor and commission

47:42manager's office and our community

47:43partners for the time and energy

47:45invested in addressing the

47:46extraordinarily complicated issue

47:48associated with item number 21 and the

47:50rightway ordinance. Um, I am not here

47:54tonight to speak in support of or

47:56opposition to the proposed ordinance.

47:58Instead, I want to briefly share what

48:00our provider community is doing to

48:02ensure that individuals experiencing

48:03homelessness downtown have meaningful

48:05alternatives and opportunities to move

48:08towards stability and housing.

48:10We also recognize and empathize with the

48:13concerns of the downtown businesses,

48:14residents, employees, and visitors. But

48:17at the same time, simply moving someone

48:18from one public space to another does

48:20not resolve the circumstances that

48:22brought that person into homelessness.

48:24Over the past several weeks, a group of

48:26representatives from local law

48:27enforcement, street outreach, support

48:29service organizations, local shelters,

48:31community and behavioral health

48:32services, coordinated entry, recovery

48:35and residential services, and housing

48:36providers have been developing a more

48:38purposeful, coordinated response

48:40specifically focused on downtown Athens.

48:43That focus is intentional. Our resources

48:47are limited. Our shelters are full. Our

48:50programs have waiting lists. Our case

48:52loads are maxed. However, we are working

48:54to prioritize what we currently have for

48:57a defined population through a more

48:58coordinated, collaborative, and

49:00transparent process. This response is

49:03also being developed within our existing

49:05programs and resources without assuming

49:08additional county funding.

49:11The concept is straightforward. Engage,

49:13assess, stabilize, coordinate, and

49:15ultimately house. Depending on the

49:18individual, that can mean crisis or

49:19recovery services, emergency shelter, a

49:21short-term hotel placement, residential

49:23services, or a pathway toward permanent

49:26housing. We should also recognize that

49:28true inter agency collaboration is

49:30difficult. Different eligibility

49:33requirements, confidentiality

49:34obligations, and operating procedures

49:37can create barriers. Our goal is to

49:39strengthen communication and referrals,

49:41and most importantly, close the loop.

49:44Was the person accepted? Did they

49:46arrive? Who owns the next step? And if

49:49the referral failed, what barrier do we

49:52need to solve together?

49:55Better coordination will not create beds

49:57or affordable housing that do not exist.

49:59But it can help us use existing

50:01resources more effectively and better

50:03identify where additional capacity is

50:05needed. Ultimately, this is about

50:07creating alternatives and opportunities,

50:08helping people move from public spaces

50:10to safe spaces, and ultimately toward

50:12independence and permanent housing. And

50:14regardless of how tonight's vote plays

50:15out, the providers involved are

50:17committed to moving this work forward,

50:18improving how we communicate,

50:20coordinate, and support one another to

50:22provide a more effective response for

50:23individuals experiencing homelessness

50:25and for our broader community. Thank

50:26you.

50:27>> Thank you, Mr. Mills.

50:36>> Good evening.

50:37>> Good evening, Tana Mattis, Pitter Road.

50:41Um I want to speak um briefly on item

50:4415, the bridge renaming. We've

50:46exhausted, you [laughter] know, we and

50:48we appreciate your, you know, your work

50:50in in this. Um and Jesse Walter Barnett,

50:54you know, my cousin who often said, "I'm

50:56Jesse Barnett." She's about this tall

50:58and she said, "I speak for the poor."

51:00So, what's more important to us at this

51:02point is what we're talking about

51:03tonight with homelessness, making sure

51:06that all people are treated are treated

51:09fairly. And, you know, you may, you

51:11know, I see the commission define option

51:13with the um plaque being in her name.

51:16And we would like to work with the staff

51:18to, you know, if if that would be

51:19possible, Barbara and I with that. Um,

51:22but I just want to say thank you, you

51:25know, for um going through the process.

51:27We've learned a lot. Next number 18. Um

51:32the um ordinance I want about the um the

51:36street ordinance sales ordinance. Um

51:38that's more about to me than hot dogs or

51:41street vendors. Um it's about who gets

51:43to participate in the economic life of

51:46downtown Athens and who gets to use and

51:49enjoy our public spaces. Athens has had

51:52a formal street vending program for more

51:55than 30 years. Mr. Lynn King has

51:58operated Dirty Dogs at College and

52:00Clayton since 2003 and his experience

52:04matters. I appreciate Commissioner

52:06Stephanie Johnson's remarks last week

52:09last meeting and pushing back on who

52:12leads the process, the consideration of

52:15the vendors who've been out there and

52:17making sure that we keep the thing the

52:19main thing the main thing. I also

52:22appreciate um Commissioner Link stating

52:24that eliminating it all together is not

52:26appropriate. We want diverse activity in

52:28our community and in our gathering

52:30spaces. The staff report, you know,

52:33identified legitimate concerns with the

52:35grease and other things, but it was

52:37found that it was unfounded that it was

52:40caused by the street vendors. So I find

52:42it very inappropriate that this type of

52:46ordinance would come up, you know, in

52:48the justification that we want to more

52:50clean Athens. Well, we want more clean

52:52Athens. That means that there mean needs

52:54to be more work done to ensure that

52:57people are hiring additional people to

52:59keep Athens clean. But it has nothing to

53:02do with Mr. King, the other street

53:04vendors. And I I really um feel that

53:07that was inappropriate.

53:09So, I'm asking that um that you all do

53:12not uh pass this ordinance and that you

53:16deal with whatever needs to be dealt

53:18with because it definitely from what you

53:20all stated and what I've read, it has

53:22nothing to do with street vendors. And

53:25last, just do the right things by the

53:27homeless. Just do the right thing by

53:29them. There are providers who want to do

53:31things, but I believe that the ordinance

53:33and solutions need to go hand in hand.

53:36Thank you.

53:37>> Thank you, Dr. Maddox.

53:44My name is Lyn King. I'm the hot dog

53:47owner down on College in Clayton. I'm

53:49here again to talk about the street

53:52sales on uh Gender 18. No. Yeah, Gender

53:5618. I've been down here 23 years, which

53:59I already spoke on to y'all about. Let

54:00me give you a little story about

54:02something about Athens, how big we are,

54:04how big I put it, too. SEC

54:07championships. Um I was uh in New Jersey

54:12in 20 with a COVID and I had to go to

54:16the hospital cuz I was allergic to um a

54:19peanut.

54:20I get there the doctor there, she was UG

54:24head of the emergency ward. They want to

54:28put a tra in me. She said, "No, no." She

54:30asked, "Where you from?" I said, "Uh

54:32Athens." She says, "A I did my

54:33undergrads in Athens. SEC runs all over.

54:38I've been with a lot of alumni, their

54:41children and everything from Shockley to

54:45Stafford. This not just the football

54:47players, it's the people, the residents.

54:49They saying, "Where are you at?" They

54:51moved me. I just like to go back to

54:53taking care of my family and do what I

54:56do and taking care of myself. Where

54:59y'all move me at, it's no good. I just

55:01like to go back. That's all I want to

55:03say. I just like to go back. I didn't

55:05did what I did. I did nothing wrong.

55:08Nothing at all. All I want is to go

55:09back. I'm not tearing up uh new square.

55:13I'm I'm right there with the new square.

55:16All I'm asking, can I go back to the new

55:18square commissioners? And thank you,

55:19Mayor. Thank you.

55:20>> Thank you, Mr. King.

55:24>> Good evening.

55:25>> My name is Dexter Weaver. I'm the owner

55:27of Weaver's Fine Foods. 40 years of

55:29service to the community. I would like

55:32to thank the mayor, the commissioners,

55:34and everybody that helped um you know,

55:37voted or whatever and those that filled

55:39petitions out and those tourists that

55:42came from afar to visit that place. I

55:44would like to thank y'all for that

55:46renaming of the bridge. Weaver D is

55:49automatic for the people. [applause]

55:54>> Automatic.

55:56[laughter] Good evening.

55:57>> Good evening. That's a hard act to

55:59follow. Um I'm Melanie Ford. Um I live

56:02at 176 Wendy Lane and I'm speaking on

56:05behalf of the Judicial Center project.

56:07Um I want to second what Smith Wilson

56:10set up here about the GSA federal

56:12building being an ideal location for the

56:14new judicial center if that is something

56:16that um Athens Clark County would be

56:18willing to consider. Um, I do want to

56:21say I came to one of the first um,

56:23design sessions for the judicial center

56:26and there was only one potential site

56:28plan and I was very vocal about trying

56:31to save the moon tree and I really

56:33appreciate that Athens clar county

56:35considered that idea and came up with a

56:37second option that has the pocket park.

56:40Um, so if the project does move forward

56:42in its current location, um, that's the

56:44one that I would really appreciate if

56:46you guys would consider. Um the the

56:48issues with the current site um aside

56:51from the fact that it's really small,

56:53there is for the building that's going

56:54to be on it, there is no opportunity for

56:56growth on that same site. And it also

57:00destroys a couple of historic resources.

57:02If you don't vote for the pocket park

57:04option, and that is the building itself,

57:06which was designed by George Hury, who

57:08is considered the um father of

57:10construction management. Um and then

57:12also the potentially the moon tree if

57:14you don't pick the pocket park option.

57:16and that it does not really do good

57:18service to the historic amme church if

57:21that non-pocket park option is selected.

57:24So for those reasons I think it's really

57:26important um because obviously um if we

57:29don't select that option we would be

57:31displacing a member of our community who

57:34has national significance which is the

57:36moon tree um that it's been recognized

57:39by NASA on their moonree website uh the

57:42astronaut's daughter um who the

57:44astronaut was um Stuart Russo that went

57:46to the moon with the seeds and his

57:48daughter has been perpetuating um

57:50knowledge about the moon trees and the

57:52fact that ours kind of laid dorm

57:53government for a long time and not a lot

57:55of people knew about it and now it's

57:56been resurrected and people are aware of

57:59it. I think it's something that's really

58:01important that we honor it as um a

58:03significant member of our local

58:04community. Thank you.

58:06>> Thank you, Miss Ford. [clears throat]

58:08>> Good evening.

58:12>> I'm Julie Smith, 150 Highland Terrace.

58:16Mr. Mayor and commissioners, um, like

58:19the previous speaker, I'm here tonight

58:21to urge you to support the site

58:24selection for the judicial center that

58:27is different from the Doherty Street

58:28address, and at the very least to choose

58:32a design plan that protects and saves

58:34the Moon Tree, which is an irreplaceable

58:37part of Athens natural and cultural

58:39heritage. The Moon Tree is not simply

58:43another tree. It is a living piece of

58:45American history, a rare link to our

58:48country's space program, and a symbol of

58:51exploration, resilience, and pride. This

58:55year marks the 50th anniversary of its

58:57planting, coinciding with our nation's

59:00celebration of the 250th [clears throat]

59:03anniversary of its founding. There is no

59:06more fitting moment to reaffirm our

59:08commitment to safeguarding the stories

59:11and places that make Athens, our state,

59:14and our country unique. I respectfully

59:17ask you to choose a site or adopt a plan

59:21that preserves the moon tree and honors

59:23the natural and historical legacy

59:26entrusted to us. Future generations will

59:29not judge us by what we build, but by

59:32what we choose to protect. Thank you.

59:35>> Thank you, Miss Smith.

59:38>> Good evening.

59:39>> Good evening. Um, I'm Mayor Estella

59:41Tuisen. I live at 385 River Road, and

59:45I'd like to speak on agenda item number

59:4721, the right-of-way ordinance. Um,

59:50specifically the line that says, "No

59:52person shall camp in a transportation

59:55corridor within or adjacent to a parcel

59:57in a commercial zone." Um, you know, I

1:00:00agree with a comment made earlier that,

1:00:02you know, we need to start actually

1:00:04implementing solutions immediately, but

1:00:07this ordinance is not a real solution to

1:00:09the problem at hand. There are nearly a

1:00:13fourth of the Athens population that is

1:00:16living below poverty level. Shelters are

1:00:19overcrowded and lack resources. Um, and

1:00:21the people of Athens want affordable

1:00:23housing. But this ordinance criminalizes

1:00:26the homeless, does nothing to help

1:00:28people, and it addresses none of the

1:00:31core issues that are driving

1:00:32homelessness in the first place. It is

1:00:34codifying hostility towards the homeless

1:00:37into law. Choosing to expand camping

1:00:40bans um when we need more funding for

1:00:44shelters and affordable housing. We

1:00:46cannot solve homelessness by making the

1:00:50visible consequ consequences illegal.

1:00:53The appropriate response is housing not

1:00:57punishment or humiliation. Housing

1:00:59insecurity is not an individual moral

1:01:02failing. It is a structural failing.

1:01:05Under capitalism, housing is not

1:01:07developed to house people. It is built

1:01:10to maximize profit. Um and that's why

1:01:13there are, you know, hundreds of vacant

1:01:15vacant housing units in Athens, clar

1:01:17county while, you know, we have people

1:01:19forced to live on the streets. If it

1:01:21were you and your family, you would

1:01:24never want police to come in and sweep

1:01:27away whatever little belongings you

1:01:29have. You would never want them to force

1:01:32you and your family out of public spaces

1:01:34and further burden you with more fines

1:01:37when you're already struggling

1:01:38economically. You would never want that

1:01:40to happen to you. So why would you do it

1:01:43to other people and other families?

1:01:45Shelter is a human, right? It is not, it

1:01:49should not be a commodity to be profited

1:01:52from and our ordinances should not come

1:01:55at the cost of people's lives. We need a

1:01:59future in Athens where everyone is

1:02:01entitled to safe, healthy, reliable, and

1:02:04dignified housing. Thank you. I'm a

1:02:06community organizer with the Party for

1:02:08Socialism and Liberation. And I again

1:02:11want this commission to rethink this

1:02:13ordinance so that we can do right to the

1:02:16people who are homeless in our city and

1:02:18county. Thank you so much.

1:02:19>> Thank you, Miss Solo.

1:02:22[applause]

1:02:23>> Good evening.

1:02:25>> Hey, uh my name is Katherine Hampton and

1:02:28uh I work at Heresies 195 College

1:02:31Avenue. Um and I want to tell you that I

1:02:35disagree with what the lady said just

1:02:37now because I'm not a socialist. I am so

1:02:40happy I live in the United States where

1:02:42we have a republic and a great

1:02:44government. And I appreciate you guys

1:02:46being able to be there so we can make

1:02:48sure things are done right and in order.

1:02:51I pray that you would listen for my

1:02:54story just for a second. I was homeless.

1:02:57My husband was ill. I lost my house. The

1:03:00Bank of America collected it. It was

1:03:02terrible. I had to move in with some

1:03:04relatives who were not nice relatives. I

1:03:06did not want to be with my relatives,

1:03:08but I did not live on the street. I told

1:03:10myself that I if I worked hard and I did

1:03:14what I was supposed to do that the Lord

1:03:16would reward me. And God has been very

1:03:19gracious to me. He led me to some

1:03:22wonderful people that were business

1:03:24people that um gave me a job and helped

1:03:28me to succeed. And um I came and I

1:03:32worked downtown and I saw these homeless

1:03:34people here and I was so burdened for

1:03:36them. I was so sad that they were living

1:03:39on the street and they had nothing and

1:03:41they were begging me for money and Lord

1:03:43knows I did not have much money but I

1:03:46would give them money. I gave them

1:03:47money. I bought them shoes. I got them

1:03:50clothes and I would one there's a person

1:03:52that's on the street even now that's

1:03:55been here as long as I've been working

1:03:5610 years and I gave him clothes and I

1:03:59gave him some warm a warm jacket. He was

1:04:01wearing something nasty. I the next day

1:04:04or the day after I said what happened?

1:04:06You're not wearing them. Oh, you know

1:04:08what happened? Those people they're I

1:04:11hate that they're in the position

1:04:13they're in. Uh but they're they're a

1:04:16slave to drugs. A lot of them are, some

1:04:19of them are ill and they need help. They

1:04:22don't need to be um living on the street

1:04:25in the rain. I've seen them sitting out

1:04:26there in the rain, just sitting there

1:04:29with rain pouring on them and that is

1:04:31not good. They don't need to be outside.

1:04:33They don't need to be um using the

1:04:36bathroom on the building that I work in

1:04:39where we have to go out and wash off the

1:04:42walls because it smells like a urinal.

1:04:46um shouldn't have to mop in front of the

1:04:49door where I go in to work. Thank you,

1:04:51Jesus. I have a job and I'm paying my

1:04:53bills and I have a home. I I was able to

1:04:55buy a new house, $96,000

1:04:58mortgage. I had It's just a blessing.

1:05:01But I've had to start over. And I pray

1:05:05that you would understand that letting

1:05:07them live the way they are is not good.

1:05:09They need to do something else. you need

1:05:11to find something else for them to do

1:05:13besides letting them sleep in the

1:05:16street. It is not good for them. It's

1:05:19not good for us. It's not good for the

1:05:20customers that come in and do things at

1:05:23the store that I work at because if I

1:05:25lose my job, I I might be there. Thank

1:05:28you.

1:05:28>> Thank you, Miss Hampton.

1:05:30[applause]

1:05:33>> Good evening.

1:05:34>> Hi, I'm Kendra Klein. I live at 230

1:05:36Maple Forge Drive.

1:05:38The committee tasked by Mayor Girtz to

1:05:40update the county's right-of-way

1:05:41ordinance has managed to create what

1:05:43feels like a personalized Groundhog's

1:05:45Dayes hell for anyone with even a

1:05:47modicum of knowledge about the

1:05:48historical realities of criminalizing

1:05:50homelessness. So-called camping bands

1:05:53are flourishing across the country at

1:05:54the behest of groups like the Goldwater

1:05:56and Cicero Institutes. And in order to

1:05:59comply with President Trump's draconian

1:06:00policy agenda, Athens, Clark County is

1:06:03the latest local government to debase

1:06:04itself by giving consideration to this

1:06:07policy. Unfortunately, it increasingly

1:06:09appears that policymaking in Athens

1:06:11caters to the interests of only a small

1:06:13subset of people who live here. You can

1:06:15follow the timeline between the meetings

1:06:17of the Athens Downtown Development

1:06:18Authority and the Right-of-way Ad Hoc

1:06:20Committee to discover who is steering

1:06:22this ship. Indeed, we are only here now

1:06:24because the first version of the

1:06:26right-of-way ordinance did not lead to

1:06:28the desired outcomes of its progenitors.

1:06:30The complete removal of anyone they deem

1:06:32unsightly or to be a hindrance to their

1:06:34bottom line. This embrace of banishment,

1:06:36whether physical or metaphorical, is not

1:06:38new. It is an extension of this

1:06:40country's prior strategy of racist

1:06:42control through vagrancy laws. with

1:06:44those laws deemed unconstitutional

1:06:46decades ago. The same racist in classes

1:06:49impulses must now be achieved through

1:06:50more creative means that avoid the prior

1:06:52laws legal flaws. For your proposed

1:06:54ordinance to make any sense,

1:06:56homelessness has to be understood as an

1:06:58individual act of deviance and disorder

1:07:00rather than the result of suffocating

1:07:02structural forces that severely restrict

1:07:04the ability of people to live fulfilling

1:07:06and meaningful lives. Afforded all the

1:07:08rights and dignities each person

1:07:09possesses simply as the result of being

1:07:11alive. As a volunteer court watcher in

1:07:14state court, I watch week after week as

1:07:16people, mostly black men, in arm and leg

1:07:19shackles, are paraded before judges to

1:07:21be punished for their supposed

1:07:22misdoings. Those without shelter are

1:07:24disproportionately represented in our

1:07:26local jail population and often for

1:07:28so-called crimes that boil down to being

1:07:30poor. I witness over and over again,

1:07:33specifically as it relates to those

1:07:34defendants who are without shelter and

1:07:36being charged for minor property crimes

1:07:38like trespassing, them being told that

1:07:40they can get out of jail if they agree

1:07:42to be banished from the county. Where

1:07:44are they to go and how are they to get

1:07:46there? One day about a year ago, I sat

1:07:49in court and I watched a man my own age

1:07:51who could barely stand on his own answer

1:07:53a judge who asked him how he was going

1:07:56to comply with the banishment by saying

1:07:58that he would simply walk along the

1:07:59highway until he passed the county line.

1:08:02The real world outcome of this proposed

1:08:04ordinance is a net widening effect,

1:08:06continually expanding the range of

1:08:08people who will be disappeared from our

1:08:09community, either by physical removal or

1:08:12confinement to our hellhole of a jail

1:08:14that has killed at least 13 people under

1:08:16their care in the last six years, many

1:08:18of whom were housing, insecure, or

1:08:20homeless, and were in pre-trial

1:08:21detention. I ask you to vote no on this

1:08:24ordinance. Thank you.

1:08:25>> Thank you, Miss Klein.

1:08:29>> I'm sorry.

1:08:31Good evening.

1:08:32>> Good evening.

1:08:34Don't start my clock yet. Okay. I'm

1:08:36Susan with Safety Athens and I'm going

1:08:38to be brief as I can. I've timed it at

1:08:392:40. Um, we will be brief. We think the

1:08:43sidewalk ordinance is probably going to

1:08:44pass. We have no position on the actual

1:08:47ordinance itself for a lot of reasons,

1:08:48but we have some questions and concerns

1:08:50before you on it regarding language in

1:08:52the attached manager report. Attorney

1:08:54Drake, does the language in this report

1:08:56quote allocate up to one million from

1:08:58the affordable housing fund to be used

1:09:00towards development of temporary

1:09:03emergency housing legally commit Athens

1:09:05clar county to spend or transfer this

1:09:07money? Does it encumber, dedicate, or

1:09:10otherwise restrict those funds in in any

1:09:12way before the commission approves a

1:09:15specific project or expenditure? Manager

1:09:17Cowell, what specifically is

1:09:19contemplated by this 1 million? Is there

1:09:22currently a proposal, project, property,

1:09:24organization, or development to which

1:09:26these funds are expected to be directed?

1:09:28And is the intent for these funds

1:09:30ultimately to be made available to the

1:09:32Athens Clark County Land Bank Authority

1:09:34for acquisition or development of

1:09:36property specifically for temporary

1:09:38emergency housing, including a potential

1:09:40project for big revision? If there is no

1:09:43specific pro proposal today, when does

1:09:45staff anticipate bringing a detailed

1:09:47plan to the commission, including the

1:09:49proposed use of the funds, location,

1:09:51operating model, responsible entity,

1:09:53estimated costs, and expected outcomes,

1:09:56we think we need to be very careful

1:09:58about approving language. That sounds

1:10:01like a funding commitment

1:10:03when we do not yet have a plan for how

1:10:05those funds will be used. My

1:10:07understanding is that there is not

1:10:09currently any plan before this

1:10:10commission for the expenditure of this

1:10:12money and that the new administration

1:10:14beginning in January would have an

1:10:15opportunity to evaluate the need,

1:10:17develop options, bring forward a

1:10:19specific proposal. If that is correct, I

1:10:21don't think we should prejudge this

1:10:23process tonight. We can acknowledge the

1:10:26importance of addressing homelessness

1:10:27and housing while preserving the

1:10:29commission's ability to evaluate the

1:10:31best use of these funds. Once we have a

1:10:33complete proposal, we propose a motion

1:10:35to amend the language in the report from

1:10:39allocate up to a million dollars from

1:10:40the affordable housing fund to be used

1:10:42towards development of temporary

1:10:44emergency housing with the following.

1:10:46Allocate up to 1 million from the

1:10:48affordable housing fund to assist with

1:10:50any homeless housing's needs to be

1:10:53determined under a new administration

1:10:55beginning in January. This amendment

1:10:58does not eliminate money or prevent it

1:11:00from being used for temporary emergency

1:11:02housing. It simply makes it clear that

1:11:04this money is to assist with homeless

1:11:06housing needs, not committed to a

1:11:08specific project or expenditure before

1:11:10the commission has a plan before it. I

1:11:13believe this is the more sensible

1:11:14approach particularly with an ad

1:11:16administration is about to change and we

1:11:19have an opportunity to develop a

1:11:21comprehensive

1:11:22strategy which we're working on rather

1:11:25than committing funds peace meal. We ask

1:11:28the commission to lead and support with

1:11:30this motion and I ask manager cow to

1:11:33hand out what the language change would

1:11:35be. Thank you, Merie.

1:11:42>> Good evening.

1:11:44>> Good evening, mayor and commission. Uh

1:11:46Danielle Gilmer, 725 Pine Forest Drive,

1:11:48Athens, Georgia. I'm here to speak on

1:11:51item 21 of the agenda. Um I do not have

1:11:55an issue with the ordinance. I think

1:11:58what I am concerned about is what our

1:12:00previous speaker mentioned and several

1:12:01others. Um, I think we're putting the

1:12:03cart before the horse and without a plan

1:12:06in place for that million dollars or any

1:12:09other means to help the folks that would

1:12:12be deterred from downtown to get to any

1:12:14place of safety, any place with a roof

1:12:17over their head. Um, I think we're doing

1:12:19a real disservice to our community. I

1:12:21would ask that the mayor and commission

1:12:23consider tableabling this ordinance

1:12:25until there is a actual plan in place to

1:12:28utilize that funding to have an idea of

1:12:30when that funding is going to be made

1:12:31available and how that funding can be

1:12:34used to help our homeless neighbors. Um

1:12:38that's my thought. Thank you'all.

1:12:39>> Thank you, Miss Gilma.

1:12:43>> Good evening.

1:12:44>> Good evening.

1:12:49>> Hello. My name is Tim. Um I'm a resident

1:12:52of um District 1. I live at 210 Shadow

1:12:56Moss Drive over on the east side, which

1:12:58is pretty far removed from the climate

1:13:00downtown, but I do work on one of the

1:13:02major corners, so I do tend to see and

1:13:05interact with a lot of the folks this

1:13:06ordinance would affect. I also don't

1:13:09make a habit of showing up at these

1:13:10things, but after I felt like the city

1:13:12lost the plot several weeks ago,

1:13:15I decided I wouldn't miss the chance to

1:13:17make my voice heard.

1:13:20In short, a ban on camping and

1:13:22commercial pathways sounds a lot more

1:13:23lenient than the previous proposed ban,

1:13:27but in practice,

1:13:29it's the same with a different

1:13:30name.

1:13:33This ordinance is explicitly a reaction

1:13:35to the heightened visibility of the

1:13:37unhoused on the city streets and

1:13:39sidewalks of Athens.

1:13:41And I echo a lot of the sentiment to

1:13:43table the measure. I don't mind spending

1:13:46money for emergency housing or whatever

1:13:50we need.

1:13:55But as much as I would love to see this

1:13:56new ordinance improve the well-being of

1:13:58the unhoused, this proposal is not about

1:14:00betterment. It is about criminalizing

1:14:02homelessness.

1:14:04What I'll say might ruffle some

1:14:06feathers, especially to some on the

1:14:08commission, but we just had a candidate

1:14:11for mayor run on addressing homelessness

1:14:13by expanding access to temporary housing

1:14:16and mental health care. The voters did

1:14:18not elect that candidate, and now the

1:14:20city is poised to address this

1:14:22long-standing issue the easiest way it

1:14:24knows how, with a lot of cash and a ban,

1:14:27which does not fill me with much

1:14:29optimism in the direction of the city

1:14:30for the next two years. I don't have any

1:14:33reasonable expectation that I'll

1:14:35convince anyone here that the

1:14:36[clears throat] proposed ordinance is

1:14:38quite possibly a bad idea,

1:14:41but I'm still here doing a civic duty

1:14:44and speaking truth to power.

1:14:48You can ban public camping bit by bit

1:14:50until the problem isn't apparent

1:14:51anymore, but it won't really go away.

1:14:55To solve problems like these, you will

1:14:57need bolder efforts and a bigger vision.

1:15:01Thank you. Thank you, Ken.

1:15:06>> Good evening.

1:15:07>> Good evening. Um, hello. My name is

1:15:09Gabriella Martinez. I live on 524

1:15:12Cherokee Ridge, 30606 Athens, Georgia.

1:15:15Um, I didn't come up here with a really

1:15:18well thoughtout answer or nothing even

1:15:20researched. Um, I'm a social work

1:15:22student and my passion is advocacy. Um,

1:15:25the ban on camps, I'm speaking on

1:15:27ordinance 21.

1:15:29Where will these people go? What will be

1:15:33of them? I have a background in ER work,

1:15:38in addiction recovery, in hospice, and I

1:15:42served people who were homeless in all

1:15:44of these positions. I've served people

1:15:45who were affluent in all of these

1:15:47positions. And there is not one person

1:15:49in this room, not one person on this

1:15:51earth that isn't one major tragedy or

1:15:53two major tragedies away from being on

1:15:55the streets as well. There is no

1:15:57exception. It is all of us.

1:16:04That's really it. I don't think there's

1:16:06much else to say. I think kindness I

1:16:09think love is something that takes a lot

1:16:12of hard work and it's a choice and it's

1:16:14dedication and it's not convenient.

1:16:19It's not convenient to love your

1:16:20community. It's not convenient to stand

1:16:21up for them either. So, I would say if

1:16:24you could table this, if you could think

1:16:25it out, not because I have anything

1:16:27smart to say, but just because I care.

1:16:29Thank you.

1:16:30>> Thank you, Miss Martinez.

1:16:33>> Good evening. [snorts]

1:16:35>> Hello. I'm Ed Tant. I live at 79 Gillan

1:16:39Drive here in Athens. Gillan Drive was

1:16:42named after the inventor of the

1:16:44doublebarreled cannon out front. But I'm

1:16:47here to speak for uh an Athenian that is

1:16:52historic as well and not very far from

1:16:55here. I'm talking about the moon tree uh

1:16:58where the judicial center is proposed.

1:17:01Let's save the moon tree. Um

1:17:05there are only about 66 moon trees left

1:17:08in the world. I know there are not many

1:17:11parkkins places, but there there's only

1:17:1366 of those moon trees left in the

1:17:15world. Um, I like what the poet

1:17:20um,

1:17:22Ella Wheeler Wilcox wrote in 1918,

1:17:26long before people first went to the

1:17:28moon in 1968. She wrote, "God, what a

1:17:31joy it it is to plant a tree. Nature has

1:17:36many marvels, but a tree seems more than

1:17:39marvelous. It is divine." And that goes

1:17:43double for a for a moon tree. Uh we are

1:17:46lucky to have such a historic living

1:17:49thing right here in Athens. The seeds

1:17:52for that tree were taken to the moon by

1:17:54astronaut Steuart Rousa in 1971 on the

1:17:58Apollo 14 lunar mission. Stuart Rusa is

1:18:02a true American hero. He went from being

1:18:05a military test pilot to a being a smoke

1:18:08jumper and then he became an astronaut.

1:18:11He now rests in the sacred ground of

1:18:14Arlington National Cemetery. Let's let

1:18:17his legacy live on here in Athens. Don't

1:18:20forget, right a couple of blocks up the

1:18:23street by the classic center, there's a

1:18:25statue of Athena, the goddess of wisdom.

1:18:28And on that statue, it has the Athenian

1:18:31oath. One of the things it says on the

1:18:34Athenian oath is we will fight for the

1:18:37ideals and sacred things of the city

1:18:41both alone and with many.

1:18:45The athenian oath also vows to make

1:18:49Athens greater and more beautiful than

1:18:52it was. They knew that in ancient

1:18:55Athens. Let's figure that out in the

1:18:57present day Athens. The Athenian oath

1:19:01that the ancient Greeks took also spoke

1:19:04of civic duty. I think it's our civic

1:19:07duty to save the moon tree for future

1:19:10generations. I think it's our civic duty

1:19:13to remember that that tree does not need

1:19:16to be cut down in the light of day or in

1:19:19the dark of night. Uh we need to realize

1:19:23that do the right thing is not just the

1:19:26title of a movie. Save the moon tree.

1:19:29Save the legacy of astronaut Steuart

1:19:32Rousa. Save a historic living part of

1:19:36Athens and America. Thank you.

1:19:39>> Thank you, Mr. Tant.

1:19:44>> Good evening.

1:19:45>> Good evening. Um, please forgive me. I'm

1:19:48I had a speech prepared, but I'm going

1:19:51to throw caution to the wind now. Um,

1:19:54so, um, this is about the homelessness.

1:19:57Um,

1:19:58I think it's outright cruel to

1:20:00criminalize it. I mean, these people

1:20:02have different situations that they've

1:20:05ended up on the streets like this. Um,

1:20:08oh, I forgot to say where I live. Um,

1:20:11106 Center Park Lane, Andy Hicklin is my

1:20:13name. Anyway, um, I just think

1:20:17criminalizing it is just cruel. Um, like

1:20:20a young lady said before me, we're all

1:20:23like this close to homelessness.

1:20:27So, I'm getting emotional, so I'm

1:20:29getting kind of awkward. But anyway, I

1:20:32um when I first moved to Athens, I

1:20:34worked at Dollar Tree because it was the

1:20:36first job I could get and um homeless

1:20:38people would be outside and this one

1:20:41elderly homeless lady came in and she

1:20:45was upset because

1:20:48somebody ripped down her tent. She lost

1:20:50her cats and all that. And just to to

1:20:54see an elderly person homeless and being

1:20:58worried about, you know, the police is

1:21:00just very upsetting to me. As you can

1:21:02tell, I'm I'm having a hard time keeping

1:21:05it together.

1:21:07But there are so many it it is there's

1:21:10so many places where we can house them.

1:21:13Like the Georgia Square Mall, I mean,

1:21:15that that's dying. I mean, it's there's

1:21:18nothing there. There's a lens crafters.

1:21:20That's about it. You can renovate that.

1:21:23The food court could be, you know, one

1:21:25big soup kitchen. That way they can have

1:21:28access to food. The different stores

1:21:30could be converted into like a mental

1:21:32health u clinic. Um a clinic for

1:21:37basic first aid. You can have medical

1:21:40students there practicing because they

1:21:42usually practice on each other. They can

1:21:44practice on the homeless people under

1:21:45the supervision of the professor

1:21:48professors.

1:21:50things like that. I mean, it's right

1:21:52there and it's

1:21:56you don't have I don't know. I'm getting

1:21:57upset. I have to go. I want you all to

1:21:59have a good evening.

1:22:00>> Thank you, Miss Hakeman.

1:22:03>> Hey, good evening everybody. Um, want to

1:22:06first address uh the Mayor Kelly Gers,

1:22:08the commission uh elected mayor coming

1:22:10in. I'm grateful to be um uh a part of

1:22:14this discussion and in the work that I

1:22:16do. My name is Jamie Scott and I'm the

1:22:18director at the Sparrow's Nest. Um, and

1:22:21on the way up to the podium, one lady

1:22:23said, "Okay, I'll let you and such and

1:22:25such fight over the million or something

1:22:27like that," which was totally shocking

1:22:30to me. I'm not here for any money, and

1:22:32if you follow us or whatever else, we

1:22:33just had a very profitable uh, by the

1:22:36grace of God fundraiser yesterday, golf

1:22:38tournament. We fundraised so on and so

1:22:39forth. Our overhead budget is almost a

1:22:43meal a year, 880. Um, and we get some

1:22:47support from the government that doesn't

1:22:49cover a quarter of that. Not to talk

1:22:50about the government or anything, but

1:22:52I'm in it for, you know, because that's

1:22:54what I'm called to. Um, uh, I feel like

1:22:58through Christ, but in this um, area

1:23:02that we're in, I believe in the

1:23:03community, it isn't just a government

1:23:06problem. It isn't just um, a business

1:23:10uh, uh, person's problem. It's a

1:23:12community problem. It takes all of us.

1:23:14And what kind of gets me when I look at

1:23:16these on YouTube or from time to time or

1:23:18whatever else, a lot of experts come up

1:23:20during this time or I've been hearing

1:23:22experts on this, experts on that. You

1:23:24got doubt or you got but we I I ain't

1:23:26seen yet the fires now the volunteer one

1:23:29time. But who I have seen I've seen

1:23:33Commissioner Taylor. I've seen uh

1:23:35Commissioner Johnson. I've seen

1:23:37Commissioner Ovita Thornton. I've seen

1:23:40Kelly Girtz come through at times. So on

1:23:42and so forth. And that's not to throw

1:23:43and uh uh uh Dexter Fiser, that's not to

1:23:46throw anyone else up under the belt, up

1:23:48under the bus or anything, right? But

1:23:51this is more than just a government

1:23:54problem. And the lady said something

1:23:56about a million. Man, a million is a

1:23:58drop in a bucket when we talking about

1:24:00uh eradicating homelessness. First and

1:24:03foremost, you know, I just had a we uh I

1:24:05just got a call today from Chuck um

1:24:07about his mom, Lizzie, saying, "Look,

1:24:09man, we're getting ready to get put out.

1:24:10We're on disability. we've been at the

1:24:11bulldog in this and that there. Can you

1:24:13give me some assistance? I don't have

1:24:15that in the pot right now. A couple

1:24:17weeks back, I sent something to the

1:24:18commissioner uh the commission, me and

1:24:21uh Commissioner Johnson was able to take

1:24:23uh this young lady to uh to the hospital

1:24:26who had been shot in the stomach, had a

1:24:28hernia, uh leg swoll up. We had to give

1:24:30her a walker to get into uh to the

1:24:32hospital or to get hospitalized that

1:24:34they 2013 her um without her own

1:24:38consent. But the thing is, you know, and

1:24:40I'm hearing, you know, table this, table

1:24:42that. People are dying in the homeless

1:24:45community, whether it's from fentanyl,

1:24:47whether it's from medical, whatever

1:24:48else. So, I don't know how long we going

1:24:50to table it for the next 3 months, 6

1:24:53months, or whatever else. We need over

1:24:55at the Sparrow's Nest, immediate action

1:24:57to be able to house some people

1:24:59immediately. So, um, thank you again for

1:25:01letting me come up, uh, and speak to you

1:25:03today. God bless.

1:25:04>> Thank you, Mr. Scott.

1:25:07>> Good evening.

1:25:09Um, my name is Lillian Presley and I

1:25:11reside at 524 Cherokee Ridge here in

1:25:14Athens, Georgia. Um, I'm here mainly for

1:25:17item 21, the right of way ordinance. Um,

1:25:19and I'm speaking to you today as a

1:25:21general community member. I'm an intern

1:25:23through UG at the homeless day service

1:25:24center, which is closed now. And as

1:25:27someone who's also experienced

1:25:28homelessness in Athens, Clark County,

1:25:31um, when I became aware of this item on

1:25:32the agenda tonight, again, I was really

1:25:35disheartened. Um, and there have been

1:25:37sentiments uh shared here tonight that

1:25:39were uh about this item that I resonate

1:25:41with. Um, and as has been shared before,

1:25:43I think that um the a million dollars

1:25:45that would be allocated in the community

1:25:47sounds like a wonderful idea on paper.

1:25:50Um, but I think there needs to be a more

1:25:52concrete idea of how to mobilize these

1:25:54funds and uh get it through the

1:25:56community if it were to pass at all. Um,

1:25:59but generally I think that this

1:26:00ordinance is just not the way to move

1:26:02forward in our community. And I think

1:26:04that moving in this direction without

1:26:06trying to address this problem without a

1:26:08concrete solution is going to do more

1:26:10harm than good. Um and that the solution

1:26:13should be more involving community

1:26:15support and uh unification instead of

1:26:18being punitive. Um there are over 850

1:26:21individuals seeking housing from

1:26:23homelessness within the last 6 months in

1:26:24Athens clar county and there are about

1:26:27120 shelter beds available in Athens

1:26:29clar county. Uh, having shared that, I

1:26:32don't think that um, you can arrest your

1:26:33way out of homelessness. So, um, thank

1:26:35you for letting me share.

1:26:36>> Thank you, Mr. Presley.

1:26:39>> Good evening.

1:26:40>> Afternoon, y'all. Uh, my name is

1:26:42Hampton. I live at 255 to Preserve Lane.

1:26:45And, um, I am also here to talk about

1:26:47the rightway ordinance.

1:26:49>> [clears throat]

1:26:49>> I was hard to see that originally that

1:26:51we did decide as a community that we

1:26:52stood for values that we are in fact

1:26:56closer to being homeless at any given

1:26:58point than to be a millionaire,

1:27:00billionaire nowadays a trillionaire.

1:27:03And yet while I recognize that we are

1:27:05going in the right direction with much

1:27:07of this new ordinance that this is a

1:27:11meeting in the middle if you will and

1:27:13the extra funding is very useful.

1:27:14Ultimately, the core essence of it, that

1:27:16being the fact that we are attempting to

1:27:18in some ways criminalize where you can

1:27:21exist here in Athens, I would argue it's

1:27:24ultimately cruel. It doesn't reflect the

1:27:26values of our community at large. And I

1:27:30want to talk a little bit more about,

1:27:32you know, why we're keep on having this

1:27:33continuous issue. I want to be very

1:27:35clear. I mean, I find myself often

1:27:37uncomfortable seeing uh the ways in

1:27:39which many of our homeless people are,

1:27:41you know, existing here in Athens. I've

1:27:43done a lot of volunteering. Uh there's

1:27:44one group called Lemonade that I've

1:27:46spent many many Sundays with in

1:27:47particular and we we are in all

1:27:51agreement that this is a huge issue on

1:27:52our community and that we do not want to

1:27:54see it. But by having the police force

1:27:58be the people that we are

1:28:02more or less um resorting to

1:28:04[clears throat] as our final

1:28:07as our final answer to how we should

1:28:09deal with them and does putting on legal

1:28:11bills,

1:28:13putting on um records onto these folks

1:28:15who already have it so hard. It is going

1:28:18to worsen the problems for so many

1:28:20individuals. And even if this is kinder

1:28:23than the original ordinance,

1:28:25I want to just acknowledge the fact

1:28:28that, you know, even if this is a

1:28:30meeting in the middle, that this is not

1:28:31a good thing, that this is in some way,

1:28:34you know, a compromise on something that

1:28:35is still fundamentally doing harm. So

1:28:37that's all I has to say. Uh, thank you

1:28:39very much. Go Braves.

1:28:40>> Thank you, Hampton. [clears throat]

1:28:44>> Good evening.

1:28:45>> Good evening. Uh, Brian Brick. I'm a

1:28:47downtown business owner at 295 West

1:28:49Clayton.

1:28:51Uh for 20 years, my partners and I have

1:28:54chosen to keep our business in downtown

1:28:55Athens. We've been at the started in

1:28:57with one person at the Hodgson Oil

1:28:59Building. We then moved to the Bottle

1:29:01Works where we grew to a team of five.

1:29:04We moved to the city-owned downtown

1:29:06parking deck where we grew to a team of

1:29:0812. And just recently, we relocated to

1:29:11295 West Clayton Street. And um we've

1:29:14chosen downtown for more than 20 years.

1:29:17And I think downtown is Athens greatest

1:29:19asset.

1:29:22And I think your job as the

1:29:24commissioners of Athens is to protect

1:29:25that asset. It's a precious asset. I'm

1:29:29also a downtown churchgoer. I've been a

1:29:31member of Athens First Methodist Church

1:29:32for more than 20 years. We live in Okone

1:29:35County, but we choose to worship. We

1:29:38choose to do business. My wife and I

1:29:40both work in downtown Athens. I've never

1:29:43regretted our investment in downtown

1:29:44Athens um until the past year and um but

1:29:49the situation down there has just gotten

1:29:50out of control and I don't know what's

1:29:52changed. But I would ask you guys to

1:29:54take your responsibility seriously to

1:29:56protect downtown Athens and the people

1:29:58who are using it. The ordinance that you

1:30:01have I think is much better than the

1:30:02other one that you had. It has uh and I

1:30:05do want to applaud all of you. I don't

1:30:06think anybody's mentioned since I've

1:30:08been here the steps you've taken

1:30:09previously to address homelessness and

1:30:11to work with the homeless community, the

1:30:12investments that this uh commission has

1:30:14made. You know, that's significant. Uh

1:30:16it's incredible. This is not a community

1:30:18without a heart. And I think we've

1:30:19demonstrated that. But I think you do

1:30:22have to take a look at it and say, what

1:30:23can we do after we to protect downtown

1:30:26to choose downtown, to choose to respect

1:30:29the investments that the business

1:30:30owners,

1:30:32the restaurant owners, the retailers,

1:30:34and to give us a fighting chance. uh for

1:30:36our customers to choose us and for

1:30:39people to feel safe going for a walk

1:30:40when they want to shop, for our visitors

1:30:43to have a wonderful first impression of

1:30:44this amazing community. I think your

1:30:47ordinance mixes compassion, solutions,

1:30:49and creates an opportunity for the

1:30:51public and businesses and customers to

1:30:54thrive and an opportunity to create

1:30:56solutions for those who need it most.

1:30:59So, I would just ask you to not choose

1:31:01paralysis. Sometimes striving for per

1:31:03perfection creates paralysis. I'd ask

1:31:06you to choose progress over paralysis

1:31:08and make progress on this issue tonight

1:31:10and vote in favor of item number 21.

1:31:13Thank you all.

1:31:13>> Thank you, Mr. Brick.

1:31:16>> Good evening.

1:31:18>> Good evening. My name is Amy Paul. I am

1:31:21a homeless person and I could tell you

1:31:24where my camp is, but I'm not going to.

1:31:26It's already been threatened once today,

1:31:29but I might have to leave where I'm at.

1:31:33That's uh that's just one of the

1:31:35problems of being homeless about pushing

1:31:38people or arresting people. It costs

1:31:40less to house a person than it is to

1:31:42jail them. Why can't we we do that

1:31:46instead of arresting people? Um

1:31:50it comes to affordable housing. We make

1:31:52affordable housing for UG students, but

1:31:55we don't have affordable housing for the

1:31:57people who support and serve those

1:31:58students. The people who have been here.

1:32:00I've been here 30 years. A lot of people

1:32:03in here have been here most their life

1:32:05and invest in this town. And I I just

1:32:08think it it it's wrong to criminalize

1:32:12being homeless. Plus, you arrest

1:32:14somebody or you make them move, it's

1:32:16whack-a-ole because they're going to

1:32:18show up someplace else. These people, we

1:32:20don't disappear because you kick us out

1:32:22or arrest us. It just made things more

1:32:25difficult for us.

1:32:27Um, I do want to say that, um, we have a

1:32:31lot of homeless people who have severe

1:32:33medical issues. Some of them that I've

1:32:35seen that are easily visible, cerebral

1:32:38pausy, autism, developmental

1:32:40disabilities, Down syndrome, traumatic

1:32:43brain injuries. You can see these on on

1:32:46people. People in wheelchairs, electric

1:32:49wheelchairs.

1:32:50It's they have we have to go someplace.

1:32:54Please don't make us go to jail and

1:32:57spend that money wasted instead of

1:33:00putting it towards housing somebody who

1:33:02needs housing. I work full-time. I

1:33:05cannot afford housing.

1:33:08Thank you.

1:33:09>> Thank you, Miss Paul.

1:33:14>> Good evening.

1:33:15>> Good evening, mayor and commission.

1:33:16Thank y'all uh for what you do. I

1:33:18appreciate it. My name is Charlie

1:33:20Upurch. I live at 145 Tilman Lane. I've

1:33:23lived in Athens all my life. I've worked

1:33:24here all my life. Um, I love Athens.

1:33:28I've seen a lot of changes in Athens

1:33:30over the years and I'm not really

1:33:31surprised that we're here tonight and

1:33:33we're talking about this issue as hard

1:33:36and as fast as we are. Um,

1:33:39I stood up here two and a half years,

1:33:42maybe three years ago, sharing my

1:33:44concerns about making Athens a sanctuary

1:33:46city. uh inviting whoever is homeless or

1:33:50whoever can come to Athens. That's

1:33:53great. I'm a Christian person and I and

1:33:55I sympathize with homeless people. But

1:33:58uh common sense tells me that Athens,

1:34:01Georgia cannot support homeless people

1:34:03from California, from Atlanta, from

1:34:05Savannah. They all send them here

1:34:07because we are a sanctuary city. I sat

1:34:10in on a meeting that Clark count Clark

1:34:13Clark County had over here at the

1:34:14Presbyterian Church and

1:34:18I don't know if the mayor said it but

1:34:19somebody said that we are a sanctuary

1:34:21city and then later on they backed that

1:34:23up and said no we're not a sanctuary

1:34:24city. We have we have got the reputation

1:34:27of being a sanctuary city and we can't

1:34:29we can't get rid of it. So Athens has a

1:34:32population of about 130,000 people.

1:34:36130,000 people and their tax base cannot

1:34:39afford to house all the people that we

1:34:42have coming in here. If we had the

1:34:45homeless people that are in the Athens,

1:34:47Clark County, and the surrounding

1:34:49counties, we could do something. Our

1:34:51facilities could help. We could make a

1:34:53difference in people's lives. But we've

1:34:55got so many people coming here. We can't

1:34:57make a difference in all these lives. We

1:34:59can't be responsible for all the

1:35:00homeless people we have here. I hate it,

1:35:04but we can't. We've got to face facts.

1:35:06We cannot afford to

1:35:09help every homeless person that we've

1:35:11invited to Athens, Clark County. Um, let

1:35:14me see. And I believe that's all I've

1:35:16got to say. But I mean, it's just it's a

1:35:18common sense issue. And another thing on

1:35:19the courthouse, just since everybody's

1:35:21brought that up, that's a horrible I've

1:35:23been in real estate for 46 years now, 45

1:35:26years. Long time. Long time. the place

1:35:30that we've chosen for that. That's not a

1:35:32good place to put the courthouse because

1:35:33you're gonna have to put parking on the

1:35:35other side of an apartment building. You

1:35:36got to walk all the way around. It just

1:35:38doesn't make sense to go right there.

1:35:39But that's my two cents on that as well.

1:35:41Thank you.

1:35:42>> Thank you, Mr. Repurch.

1:35:44>> Good evening.

1:35:45>> Good evening. Good evening. Tvara Smith,

1:35:47820 Sunset Drive. Listen, guys, I got a

1:35:49lot of mixed emotions about what's going

1:35:51on here today, but I'm glad to see it's

1:35:54standing room only. We cannot

1:35:56criminalize homelessness. This is a

1:36:00classed uh

1:36:03conflict. The halves versus the have

1:36:05nots. Uh I could be homeless next month,

1:36:08month after that because I am part of

1:36:10the underclass. We've got to do what's

1:36:13in the best interest of the people.

1:36:15Although business has made large

1:36:17investments, you've got to take into

1:36:19account that we the people are the

1:36:23state, the city, the county. God bless

1:36:26you. God bless our United States of

1:36:28America. God bless. Great state of

1:36:29Georgia. Thank you guys.

1:36:30>> Thank you, Mr. Smith.

1:36:33>> Good evening.

1:36:34>> Good evening. I'm [clears throat]

1:36:36Michael Bean. I live in District 5 in

1:36:38Athens, Georgia. I'm the executive

1:36:40director of the Athens Homeless

1:36:41Coalition.

1:36:44First, I want to thank this body for all

1:36:46of the work that you do to address

1:36:47homelessness in our community. Um, and I

1:36:50say that completely sincerely and for

1:36:52supporting our service providers. Uh, we

1:36:54could not do the work that we do without

1:36:56you all. So, this is a sincere thank

1:36:57you. Uh, I also want to thank you and

1:37:00this committee for your efforts to

1:37:02balance this legislation to benefit both

1:37:05your housed and unhoused constituents.

1:37:08Um, I know this is challenging work.

1:37:10Trust me, I know firsthand and uh I

1:37:12thank you and I thank everyone who's

1:37:14here to help address this issue. It's

1:37:17complicated. Our work we do is not easy.

1:37:19It's complicated.

1:37:21Um, there are some thoughtful additions

1:37:23to improve downtown resources that have

1:37:26been associated with this ordinance and

1:37:27I'd like to acknowledge those.

1:37:29Increasing the behavioral health units

1:37:31downtown, increasing the presence of

1:37:34street outreach professionals and

1:37:36commitment of increased financial

1:37:38resources. Um, I do hope that those

1:37:41resources are committed and will be

1:37:43guaranteed. We're going to hold you to

1:37:45that. Um, and we don't want them. I

1:37:48heard another comment about fighting

1:37:49over over finances. We want that to go

1:37:52straight to housing. That's what we

1:37:53need. Uh and that's what I'm hoping that

1:37:57these additional financial resources

1:37:58will be committed to.

1:38:02Now,

1:38:04also in terms of this ordinance, um some

1:38:07things have not changed and that's

1:38:08continuing a law enforcement approach to

1:38:11address poverty. Um some things have not

1:38:13changed. People still currently have

1:38:15nowhere to go and people have nowhere to

1:38:16keep their things. These are still

1:38:19issues. These are still issues and

1:38:21shortcomings. Now, I know we hear a lot

1:38:23of debates uh about people witnessing

1:38:25things downtown, behaviors that we don't

1:38:27like to see, urinating in public,

1:38:29shoplifting, aggressive panhandling,

1:38:32things like that. Well, laws against

1:38:34these behaviors already exist. And

1:38:36ironically, this ordinance doesn't

1:38:38address any of those things.

1:38:41So, what are some solutions to

1:38:42homelessness? Invest in additional

1:38:45eviction prevention funds, homeless

1:38:47prevention. Develop adequate emergency,

1:38:50transitional, and supportive housing to

1:38:53serve the entire community. Invest in

1:38:55adequate mental health emergency

1:38:57responders. Uh, in 100 cities across the

1:39:00United States, there are alternative

1:39:02emergency response programs where if

1:39:04someone calls 911 to report a mental

1:39:07health crisis, a team um of mental

1:39:10health clinicians and peer responders

1:39:13respond to that, not law enforcement.

1:39:15Um, this is something that could work in

1:39:16Athens. And finally, reestablish

1:39:19adequate day services.

1:39:22So, I do not support this ordinance in

1:39:23the current state it's in. I suggest

1:39:25delaying passage until the resources are

1:39:28committed in writing and operational.

1:39:30Thank you.

1:39:30>> Thank you, Mr. Bean.

1:39:34>> Good evening.

1:39:39>> How you doing, Mel Girtz? Charles Hardy,

1:39:4215 Herald Drive.

1:39:47I get tired of hearing stats.

1:39:50You know, I hear people get up here with

1:39:52these stats saying, "We got this

1:39:54situation going on, this situation going

1:39:56on." But ain't none of the individual

1:39:59actually had their boots on the ground.

1:40:01They haven't sat in Walmart parking lot

1:40:04with crying babies in the back seat.

1:40:06They haven't been in the woods and seen

1:40:08little babies sleep in the ground on the

1:40:09ground. They haven't seen none of that

1:40:11stuff. This ordinance is no good. It's

1:40:14no good at all. We got a committee

1:40:17that's been formed in Athens. They

1:40:19already gonna do the work to help. I

1:40:21sympathize with the business owner. They

1:40:23got to run their business. We can't

1:40:24disrespect them. But this ordinance,

1:40:29that ain't the right move. That ain't

1:40:31the right move. The million dollar, take

1:40:32it and keep it because if you're a man

1:40:35of God, a person of God, you would do it

1:40:37from your heart anyway. I ain't heard

1:40:39now individual from a business come up

1:40:42here and say, "Get them from downtown."

1:40:45These are individuals in the community

1:40:47that feel some type of way about

1:40:49homeless people that want to get them

1:40:51off from downtown. But downtown belong

1:40:54to us. All of us. Not just business

1:40:57owners. It belong to all of us. If you

1:40:59look at this ordinance, right? And I

1:41:02don't even know if they even paid

1:41:03attention to this, but the ordinance the

1:41:06ordinance do not restrict homeless

1:41:08people from being downtown. The only

1:41:11thing this ordinance is doing, and I

1:41:13don't even see the purpose for the

1:41:14ordinance really, because the only thing

1:41:16this ordinance is doing is telling them

1:41:18don't fall asleep. They can still keep

1:41:20all their property. They can still be

1:41:22downtown. So, what's the purpose of the

1:41:24ordinance? Like, it it don't even serve

1:41:27a purpose. All you f to do is get the

1:41:28police more work to do. You f to fill up

1:41:31the jail

1:41:33and they going to be back out. Ain't

1:41:34nobody even thought to sit down. talk

1:41:36with somebody in magistrate court

1:41:38because when they do get to the point

1:41:39when they even get a ticket, if this

1:41:41passes, if they get a ticket, what

1:41:44happens if I'm homeless and paying two?

1:41:47Well, just say I'm paying $2,000 a month

1:41:49on one bedroom. I'm not able to pay no

1:41:51ticket, whether it's $10, 15, 20, 100.

1:41:55So that mean I goes to jail.

1:41:59What if I'm living behind a grocery

1:42:00store and I got a court somewhere? I got

1:42:02to be court tomorrow. I ain't got no way

1:42:05there

1:42:07and I ain't got the money to pay the

1:42:08fines. So guess what? I got to do jail

1:42:10time. This ordinance is no good. I

1:42:12recommend and then you people talk about

1:42:16Greenville doing it. Savannah doing it.

1:42:18But did they tell you how you if any one

1:42:21of y'all ever been to Savannah? If you

1:42:22go down to Tybee Island, this great

1:42:25pretty place on the left hand side going

1:42:28into Ty Island, you see thousands of

1:42:31tents. Yeah. Yeah, they ain't sleeping

1:42:32downtown no more. They on the outskirt

1:42:35right outside the city limit.

1:42:38>> Thank you.

1:42:38>> Thank you, Mr. Hardy.

1:42:54>> Good afternoon everyone.

1:42:55>> Good afternoon.

1:42:56>> My name is Barbara Daniel. I live at 47

1:42:59April Lane Stadium, Georgia.

1:43:01I've been to Athens all my life.

1:43:05All my life.

1:43:08And just like a lot of people came up

1:43:09and talked about homeless. Y'all need to

1:43:12cut that out. I'm asking y'all don't

1:43:15even play with that. Don't even do it

1:43:19because

1:43:21these some of these people most of the

1:43:23people are from Athens.

1:43:27They had hard time. So did I.

1:43:30We stay in apartments and stuff. We got

1:43:33put out too.

1:43:35But I'm asking you, we are just a short

1:43:39distance. Each and one of us

1:43:44can feel the same problem that homeless

1:43:46feel.

1:43:48They're not bad people.

1:43:51They ran to a hard luck just like some

1:43:54of us did.

1:43:56So, this audience that y'all got, I've

1:43:58been talking to y'all for four years now

1:44:01about homeless people, lowincome people,

1:44:05poor people,

1:44:08rich people, but you seems like it's not

1:44:12clicking in y'all heads that God said,

1:44:17"Don't mess with my poor people."

1:44:19>> [clears throat]

1:44:19>> You seeing all the different stuff that

1:44:21going on out here, but you taking it for

1:44:24a joke. It's not a joke.

1:44:29We all our days are shortened. You

1:44:31seeing all this going on, all this death

1:44:34from one person to another person. Four,

1:44:37five, six people in one day. And you

1:44:40know why?

1:44:42These people don't have nowhere to stay.

1:44:45Kids don't have anywhere to stay. They

1:44:48sleeping out there in the back of the

1:44:50school. They go to the bathroom in the

1:44:53school to take a bath.

1:44:56We got these people here. Where is y'all

1:44:59heart?

1:45:00Where is y'all heart?

1:45:04Do you understand that? It's not no good

1:45:08to sat here and put these people in jail

1:45:11when they can't even buy them a can of

1:45:13buys.

1:45:15And you want to put them in jail because

1:45:17they downtown?

1:45:19Be for real. Be serious.

1:45:23This is ridiculous.

1:45:27I'm asking y'all to smash this. That's

1:45:30all I'm asking y'all. Let it go because

1:45:33if you don't, y'all, we we headed for

1:45:36hard time. And when I say hard time,

1:45:39baby, it's going to be hard. So end it.

1:45:43Cut it out. step on it. Like the devil

1:45:46say, walk on the devil's feet and keep

1:45:48moving cuz God is coming if y'all don't

1:45:51do the right thing about his people.

1:45:54Y'all have a blessed night.

1:45:55>> Thank you, M. Daniel.

1:46:01>> Good evening.

1:46:02>> Good evening. Good evening, Mayor Girtz.

1:46:05Good evening, commissioners. Good

1:46:06evening, Mr. Cow. It's always a pleasure

1:46:08here to be here. My name is TJ Bint. I

1:46:11work at 110 Bray Street. I'm the

1:46:14district court administrator for the

1:46:1510th judicial district, which includes

1:46:17Athens, but I cover a number of counties

1:46:19on behalf of the superior courts of

1:46:20Georgia. I've been asked on on behalf of

1:46:22our judges to just kind of share a

1:46:24little bit of background on the judicial

1:46:26uh center uh proposal that's before you

1:46:28for schematic design. Um for us, this

1:46:31project is really about public value and

1:46:34making sure that the the county is

1:46:36getting the most value for the proposal

1:46:38that is before you at this time. And we

1:46:40want a proposal that that encourages

1:46:42that we have a building that's safe,

1:46:44secure, and is in efficient and treats

1:46:47our our citizens of our community uh

1:46:49with dignity and respect as they enter

1:46:51that. But I want to give you a very

1:46:52quick background. Um I started out here

1:46:55when I came to to Athens almost 20 years

1:46:57ago this January and I was the the first

1:46:59court administrator locally here for

1:47:00Athens. And one of the first things that

1:47:02was asked of me by the then manager and

1:47:04all the judges is when are we going to

1:47:05get a new courthouse? That was 2007. For

1:47:09the next several years, we talked about

1:47:10planning for a new courthouse. We did

1:47:13the conversations with the planners and

1:47:16the site developers to figure out how

1:47:18much space we need. Fast forward, and

1:47:20you can look in your agenda report. We

1:47:21did a space allocation study in 2010

1:47:24that we were a part of. Fast forward a

1:47:26number of years, we did did another

1:47:27space allocation study in 2018. We did

1:47:30additional programming. We looked at the

1:47:32growth of our judiciary and the needs

1:47:34that we were going to h have happen. We

1:47:36during that first intervening period

1:47:38tried to get on the the splast previous

1:47:40to the one that's f currently funding a

1:47:43portion of this project. We were then

1:47:45placed on that next splast. It's now

1:47:48near the end of that splast and we still

1:47:49have these funds available and we're

1:47:51ready to to move forward. Part of what

1:47:53the the background there is that we have

1:47:57had years if not decades of conversation

1:48:00about what is the needs of this

1:48:02courthouse. And I know I'll be joined

1:48:03here by a number of our judges. the vast

1:48:05majority of which are in this room

1:48:06tonight. But I want to tell you what

1:48:08brought us to this point. We've been

1:48:10meeting with the design team and I know

1:48:12a number of them are here in this room

1:48:14together representing both the planners

1:48:16as well as the architect firms that you

1:48:18have contracted within this project. We

1:48:20have been meeting with them more than

1:48:22about square footage, but meeting them

1:48:24with about the needs of our courthouse

1:48:26so that it can serve this community

1:48:28because gosh knows we didn't get

1:48:29everything we wanted when we went

1:48:31through that conversation. Lots of cuts

1:48:33were made. Lots of realities were

1:48:35checked because we acknowledge that we

1:48:38have to live in a community that's

1:48:39limited by the space and the dollars

1:48:40that are available. We went through a

1:48:43very lengthy exhaustive process that

1:48:45involve conversations with all of our

1:48:46justice partners, members of the

1:48:48community, getting input from our staff,

1:48:51getting input from the visitors that

1:48:52come through our doors each and every

1:48:54day in the courthouse, and getting the

1:48:56feedback that we needed to inform those

1:48:58architects and those planners about the

1:49:00space that we need. focusing on the

1:49:02issues of safety, security, access to

1:49:06the public, and a position and a and a

1:49:09building that will be welcoming to our

1:49:10community.

1:49:11>> Thank you, Mr. B.

1:49:16>> Good evening.

1:49:17>> Good evening, honorable mayor, honorable

1:49:19commissioners. Charles Osander, resident

1:49:21of district 5, work in downtown Athens

1:49:25at 325 East Washington Street, the

1:49:27courthouse. To follow up on what TJ Bint

1:49:31said, there was many things that went

1:49:32into the planning process, but there are

1:49:34two main priorities I'm here to speak

1:49:36about tonight. Number one is space. For

1:49:41over 25 years, we have not had

1:49:43sufficient space in the courthouse.

1:49:45Number two [clears throat] is security.

1:49:48Our courthouse is not a secure design.

1:49:51Our sheriff's office does an amazing job

1:49:54of making it as secure as possible. And

1:49:57I'm not talking about just for the

1:49:59judges or the employees. I'm talking

1:50:01about for any person that does business

1:50:03in the courthouse. So, we've reviewed

1:50:06the designs. The architects assure us

1:50:09that both designs meet our two number

1:50:11one, our two top priorities, space and

1:50:14security. I don't have a preference

1:50:17between the designs. [clears throat] My

1:50:19request to you is approve approve a

1:50:22design. Do not delay this. Let us get

1:50:25the proper space to serve the community

1:50:27and please give us a secure space so we

1:50:29can safely serve them. Thank you.

1:50:32>> Thank you, Judge Alander.

1:50:36>> Good evening.

1:50:37>> Good evening.

1:50:38>> Good evening, commission, Mr. Mayor. I'm

1:50:40Lisa Lot and I am the chief [snorts]

1:50:42judge of the Western Circuit, which is

1:50:44of course Clark and Okone counties and I

1:50:47live in Athens, clar county. I

1:50:48appreciate your time tonight. I will be

1:50:50brief. I want to thank you all again for

1:50:54your continued support of the people who

1:50:57work at the courthouse, for your

1:50:59continued support of the system of

1:51:02justice in our community, and for your

1:51:05consistent support of our overwhelming

1:51:08need for a safe, secure, and modern

1:51:11courthouse.

1:51:13I understand this moment tonight to be

1:51:15one where you are voting on the

1:51:17schematic design proposal, but I'd like

1:51:20to briefly comment

1:51:23and respond to some of the concerns

1:51:26about other properties, particularly the

1:51:29property about the Robert G. Stevens

1:51:32federal building site. I know that you

1:51:35have all considered alternative sites

1:51:38for our courthouse, our new courthouse,

1:51:40and you have all already voted on the

1:51:43current site.

1:51:44But I also know that waiting for the

1:51:47possibility that the federal building

1:51:49site might become available will delay

1:51:52this project for years.

1:51:55I'm not going to comment on what site is

1:51:58best for the courthouse as that is your

1:52:00area of expertise. I simply want to

1:52:03reinforce the fact that justice in this

1:52:06community is threatened when we do not

1:52:09have a courthouse that is safe. Our

1:52:12current courthouse is a beautiful

1:52:14antique structure. But it is no longer a

1:52:18safe place for people who seek

1:52:20protection within its walls. It is no

1:52:23longer safe for the employees who work

1:52:26hard every day to serve justice for

1:52:29those who seek it. And it is not safe

1:52:32for the public who enter the building

1:52:33every day in support of protection,

1:52:36support, and justice. The building is

1:52:38not safe for criminal defendants whose

1:52:41constitutional rights depend on the

1:52:44effectiveness of the building that

1:52:46beckons them. The building is not safe

1:52:48for the dozens of law enforcement who

1:52:51come to work every day and try to

1:52:53protect all of us. It would be a

1:52:56travesty of justice to wait five more

1:52:59years even before we get started on

1:53:02plans for a new courthouse if we start

1:53:05to consider alternative sites after you

1:53:08have already voted on the current one.

1:53:10The building is designed right now has

1:53:12been meticulously drafted and there is

1:53:14not a single wasted cubic foot. It is

1:53:16designed with the attention to detail

1:53:18that is necessary for the safety of

1:53:20everyone and it and every detail of the

1:53:23design has been carefully thought

1:53:25through with regards to the needs of the

1:53:26public, litigants, criminal defendants,

1:53:29employees, law enforcement, and I

1:53:31respectfully ask you to consider the

1:53:33plans for the building in whatever

1:53:35architectural form you all feel is

1:53:38appropriate. Thank you very much for

1:53:39your time.

1:53:40>> Thank you, Judge Lot.

1:53:46Good evening.

1:53:48>> Good evening. Um, I'm Elise Stangle. I

1:53:51live in District 7 and I will be short

1:53:54and sweet. I'm here to ask you all not

1:53:56to pass this ordinance that would

1:53:58basically criminalize homelessness in

1:54:00downtown. I think we all agree that we

1:54:03have a problem. Um, but this is not a

1:54:07solution to that problem. This is a

1:54:10solution to uh

1:54:13This this making it a law enforcement

1:54:17problem is not a solution. As I think

1:54:18Michael Bean said, this is a law

1:54:20enforcement option to deal with poverty.

1:54:23It's not an appropriate solution. It's

1:54:26not a humane way to deal with our

1:54:27neighbors when it's not possible to live

1:54:30in Clark County with on social security

1:54:33on SSI without already owning a place,

1:54:36having family and other supports. You

1:54:38cannot rent an apartment in Athens on

1:54:41Social Security these days. There are no

1:54:43options for people. Um, I'm asking that

1:54:45you not pass this tonight and that if it

1:54:49comes up in the future that there are we

1:54:51wait until there are options to actually

1:54:53address the underlying problems, not

1:54:55just make it less visible to people who

1:54:57are uncomfortable. Thank you.

1:54:59>> Thank you, Mr. Stangle.

1:55:05>> Good evening.

1:55:08Good evening, John Q. Williams. Uh, also

1:55:11sheriff of this fine county. Uh, I've

1:55:14been sitting here listening to a lot of

1:55:16emotional pleas, a lot of statistics,

1:55:19and it just kind of moved me to say a

1:55:22few things. I want to first actually say

1:55:24uh thank you to Judge Lad and and TJ for

1:55:27their comments about the judicial

1:55:29center. I think it's very important. Uh,

1:55:31we cannot continue to kick the can down

1:55:34the road. Uh, the cost is just going to

1:55:36go up. That's why a big reason why we're

1:55:38at the point but we are needing

1:55:40additional funding. But I do want to

1:55:43directly address uh this concept about

1:55:46uh the homelessness.

1:55:48I'm in full agreement we can't arrest

1:55:50our way out of this problem.

1:55:53So I'm just going to go instead of

1:55:55emotional, I'm going to go common sense

1:55:57approach. The jail currently has 563

1:56:02residents.

1:56:04Anytime we're over 450, we're

1:56:07hemorrhaging. We have to open additional

1:56:09spaces. For that, we need more staffing.

1:56:12We're still 30 slots down. All of those

1:56:1430 slots are for people to work in our

1:56:17jail.

1:56:18It's not fair to the people who work for

1:56:21the sheriff's office. It's not fair for

1:56:24the people who are sent to jail. It's

1:56:27not fair for the family members to have

1:56:29those situations continue.

1:56:32So, I'm not here to speak out against

1:56:36anything or speak for anything. I want

1:56:37y'all to be armed with the facts when

1:56:40you make these decisions.

1:56:44First thing we should do, I know we're

1:56:46not in the medical profession, but that

1:56:47whole first do no harm can go towards a

1:56:51lot of different professions. And I

1:56:54think this is one of those situations.

1:56:56We have to consider the long-term

1:56:58effects. If people are going to be sent

1:57:00to jail as a result for this, then the

1:57:03numbers are going to go up. So

1:57:06ultimately, you're going to pay whether

1:57:08you're paying to house

1:57:10people who are unhoused or whether

1:57:13you're paying for them to be taken care

1:57:15of in jail.

1:57:17Average cost right now

1:57:20to take care of somebody each day in

1:57:22jail is $65. Might not sound like a

1:57:24whole lot, but this young lady said

1:57:27there's over 800 people who are unhoused

1:57:30in Athens.

1:57:3265. I'm not even going to go for let's

1:57:35just go simple math. Times the 100. And

1:57:38what number does that get you? Is that

1:57:41going to be added to the sheriff's

1:57:42office budget so we can take care of

1:57:44that? I think not. Medical bills.

1:57:48If somebody gets sent to the hospital,

1:57:50the costs of our medical providers are

1:57:52all contracted based on the number of

1:57:54people that are housed in the jail. We

1:57:56cannot afford to move forward with this

1:57:59bill the way it is. So, talk to law

1:58:01enforcement, talk to me and my deputies,

1:58:05talk to the judges that you have here

1:58:07about what is going to affect the

1:58:09judicial center moving forward. Thank

1:58:10you all.

1:58:11>> Thank you, Sheriff Williams.

1:58:17Good evening.

1:58:18>> Good evening. My name is David Lyn. I'm

1:58:20at the Athens Downtown Development

1:58:21Authority and I live at 226 Hill Street,

1:58:24Athens, Georgia. I'm here briefly to

1:58:26speak in support of uh the commission

1:58:29defined options on the street sales

1:58:31ordinance as definitely uh pinned by

1:58:34commissioners Hamby and Johnson. We

1:58:36appreciate your hard work on a common

1:58:38sense compromise. [clears throat] I'd

1:58:39also like to thank the mayor and

1:58:41commission and staff uh for their

1:58:44continued support of downtown Athens,

1:58:46especially uh in the completion of the

1:58:51College Square Plaza project that's

1:58:53becoming uh quickly um steering towards

1:58:56completion and we appreciate your

1:58:58support, especially that of Athensclar

1:59:00County staff. And I'd like to invite you

1:59:02all and those in my hearing to the

1:59:05official opening on October 24th. So,

1:59:08thank you for your support.

1:59:10>> Thank you, Mr. Lynn. All right. Thank

1:59:12you for everybody who provided public

1:59:14comment tonight. We're going to go ahead

1:59:15and move to commission action on old and

1:59:18new business. Uh, first item is number

1:59:20two that was removed from consent. And

1:59:22this is the revision to the purchasing

1:59:24ordinance. And, uh, Commissioner

1:59:26Johnson, you asked for this to be

1:59:27removed for some discussion.

1:59:29>> I'm going turn to you first.

1:59:30>> I'm sorry,

1:59:33>> ma'am. I'm sorry. We've we've closed

1:59:34public comment. I appreciate it.

1:59:37Commissioner Johnson,

1:59:38>> I apolog Let Let me find my notes. Okay.

1:59:45>> So, I wanted um after reading through

1:59:48number two, which is

1:59:52a change in the purchasing guidelines,

1:59:57the title is purchasing ordinance

1:59:59revision.

2:00:01So

2:00:04you know in a former life I used to be

2:00:05an auditor and I know just from talking

2:00:09with colleagues that purchasing is the

2:00:13number one weakness in every

2:00:15organization, every local government,

2:00:17every university, every um fac

2:00:21manufacturing plant um because of the

2:00:24sheer number of exposures. And so I

2:00:28wanted to speak to um some of the things

2:00:31that I am concerned about. There are

2:00:34some thresholds that are recommended for

2:00:37change. And so I just want to just go

2:00:39through those and why I'm concerned

2:00:41about them. Um there are seven

2:00:43thresholds under consideration. Um and

2:00:46they illustrate exposures created by um

2:00:49the proposed language. But I also want

2:00:51to start and say that I am not alleging

2:00:54that anyone in the finance department

2:00:56purchasing division has done anything

2:00:58wrong um or

2:01:01engaged in any misconduct at all. This

2:01:03is simply um protecting the unified

2:01:07government from

2:01:10um theft falling through the cracks. So,

2:01:13one of the thresholds is to reduce the

2:01:17um monthly reporting from I'm sorry,

2:01:21increase the monthly reporting from

2:01:2210,000 to 50,000. The reporting does not

2:01:25delay. So, here's my my rationale.

2:01:29Reporting doesn't delay or prevent staff

2:01:31from awarding the contracts. This change

2:01:34only reduces the commissions and public

2:01:36visibility. It we don't see it. Um, the

2:01:40next one is no no quote purchases from

2:01:451,000 increased to 10,000.

2:01:48This is a T-fold increase and it does

2:01:51not support it and is not supported by

2:01:54inflation. Staff's own inflation calcul

2:01:57calculation places the equivalent

2:01:59threshold at approximately 1,700 to

2:02:022300, but the recommendation is to

2:02:05increase it to 10,000.

2:02:08I'm not in favor of adopting the third

2:02:10one, which is um purchasing

2:02:13administrator authority be increased

2:02:15from 100,000 to 200,000. It doubles the

2:02:19administrator's authority and allows

2:02:20further delegation to buyers and other

2:02:24staff without stated dollar limits. The

2:02:28fourth one um commission approved from

2:02:31200,000 to 300,000. It does not adopt

2:02:35without um any state. This is not

2:02:37adopted with safeguards. It removes

2:02:39contracts between 200,000 and 299,000

2:02:44from public commission.

2:02:45>> Commissioner, as your initial segment of

2:02:47time has has ended, would you like to

2:02:48place a motion on the floor?

2:02:50>> No, I want to finish. I only have three

2:02:52more points.

2:02:52>> All right. Well, I'm going to ask if

2:02:54there's any others and then I'll return.

2:02:55>> Okay. Sure thing.

2:02:56>> Any other input tonight?

2:02:59>> Go ahead. Continue, commission.

2:03:00>> Okay. I and I will be brief. I mean, I

2:03:02will speed it up. Okay. So um this

2:03:06removes the contract removes contracts

2:03:08between 200,000 and 299,9.99

2:03:13from commission approval while reporting

2:03:16while reporting it being reduced. I'm

2:03:18going to skip ahead and I wrote down

2:03:20some notes from earlier and

2:03:25I I will be done.

2:03:30So with this with this recommendation, a

2:03:33substantial amount of spending could

2:03:34disappear from routine review.

2:03:37Commissioners would have the ability

2:03:39would would have less ability to

2:03:41identify patterns like repeated awards

2:03:44to the same vendor, multiple purchases

2:03:46just below the threshold. Contractors

2:03:49divided among departments, frequent soul

2:03:52source or exempt purchases, and removing

2:03:54contracts below $50,000 make these

2:03:57patterns hard to detect. I'm curious if

2:04:00our internal auditor um Gavin Hassamer

2:04:03has reviewed the proposed ordinance and

2:04:06it has any thoughts um and performed or

2:04:08has performed a risk assessment on this

2:04:11um increased threshold um agenda. Um I

2:04:15am not supporting

2:04:18I am not suggesting again that anyone in

2:04:20purchasing the finance division finance

2:04:22department of um and the purchasing

2:04:25division did anything wrong. Um public

2:04:28procurement is one of the government's

2:04:29most vulnerable um functions um because

2:04:32it involves substantial spending,

2:04:34frequent transactions, relationships

2:04:36with private vendors. I would like to

2:04:40make a motion that this be tabled and

2:04:42and reassessed. Um

2:04:47but I don't know. Um, can you offer any

2:04:49suggestion on the length of time or I'm

2:04:52not sure how much time is put into this

2:04:54by the finance department, but I do

2:04:56think it should be discussed with um

2:04:58maybe perhaps the internal auditor or

2:05:01some other folks about these increases

2:05:04and changes.

2:05:06>> So, uh certainly this body can hold

2:05:09indefinitely or or hold until a set of

2:05:12work is prepared. Uh if you would just

2:05:14like to make a motion to hold until

2:05:16their responses, you know, that'd be an

2:05:17appropriate motion at this point.

2:05:19>> Okay, I would do so. I would like to

2:05:20make a motion to hold this um

2:05:24so that this can be re-reed with the

2:05:27appropriate staff.

2:05:28>> There's a motion on the floor. There's a

2:05:31second from Commissioner Taylor.

2:05:33Commissioner Taylor, any remarks?

2:05:35>> No. [clears throat] Um I'm sure um um

2:05:38Auditor, I don't want to call you,

2:05:40Gavin. He's all

2:05:44I know you're going to get get us right.

2:05:46So,

2:05:48[snorts]

2:05:49>> any other input? Commissioner Wright.

2:05:51>> Yeah, I'd like to make a substitute

2:05:53motion to adopt the purchasing order

2:05:56revision as revised and in the agenda.

2:05:59>> There's a motion a substitute motion to

2:06:01adopt from Commissioner Wright. Is there

2:06:03a second?

2:06:05>> Second.

2:06:05>> All right. Got a second from

2:06:06Commissioner Hamby. Commissioner Wright,

2:06:08any remarks?

2:06:09>> Nope.

2:06:10>> Commissioner Hamby?

2:06:10>> No, I'll just say this. You know, I know

2:06:12I understand what Commissioner Johnson

2:06:14was was um speaking to and um and I've

2:06:19seen this before too at the end when you

2:06:21have the manager's reports, you want to

2:06:22make sure that all of that lines up. So

2:06:25hopefully as we move forward um Gavin

2:06:28can take a look at this and make sure

2:06:30things are operationally correct and and

2:06:33I know manager Cal will also do the same

2:06:35when it comes to reporting to us at the

2:06:38end of the agenda, end of our agendas.

2:06:40those those um expenditures over this

2:06:43certain amount.

2:06:45>> Any further input? Commissioner Myers? I

2:06:47>> I just wanted to see if the um county

2:06:50manager had any response to how the um

2:06:53the new figures were uh arrived at.

2:06:56>> Yeah. The um so as

2:06:59[laughter and clears throat] it states

2:06:59in the report, the majority of what's in

2:07:03the purchasing manual dates to 1992. Um

2:07:06and then the last substantive update was

2:07:082004. And so for the vast majority of

2:07:11these changes, they're either

2:07:13modernizing the language or adjusting

2:07:15the thresholds, frankly, to something

2:07:18that is akin to what it was worth in

2:07:191992. There was the one exception that

2:07:21the commissioner mentioned, which was a

2:07:23higher number to hit a round it number,

2:07:25but moving from $200,000 in 1992 to

2:07:28$300,000 in 2026 was was a an objective

2:07:31with it. Modernizing the language was

2:07:33the second objective. Third objective

2:07:35was really a clarify professional

2:07:37services because that's another piece

2:07:38that's in there. um it's a pretty

2:07:40ambiguous language that's in there

2:07:41currently and just doesn't yield itself

2:07:43to frankly to modern business practices

2:07:46where we're trying to actually respond

2:07:48to what your requests are. I think as

2:07:50has been noted all of the contracts um

2:07:53that are identified in those upper

2:07:54thresholds are still shared obviously

2:07:56with you that are approved um because

2:07:58they still get funneled through a

2:08:00report. They're just not acted upon um

2:08:02unless they're over those thresholds. Um

2:08:04this has been in the making for actually

2:08:06several years. So I would say actually

2:08:08staff across the entire organization has

2:08:11been very involved in shaping this

2:08:13information um as it's been developed

2:08:15and and I would expect I would hope that

2:08:17we would not um ultimately wait 30 years

2:08:20again to amend it um so that we can keep

2:08:22it current as it goes as it goes

2:08:24forward. There may be as fast as

2:08:25inflation is moving and as significant

2:08:27as our contracts are becoming in terms

2:08:29of dollar amounts just to buy even basic

2:08:32goods I would expect those thresholds

2:08:34will have to be revisited on a regular

2:08:35basis. Good. Mr. Myers, is that

2:08:37everything?

2:08:38>> Oh, that's helpful. And this this was

2:08:40didn't Did we have a work session on

2:08:42this?

2:08:43>> We did. We did. It was several months

2:08:45ago because actually was tabled I think

2:08:47previously um so that some additional

2:08:49work could be done particularly on those

2:08:50professional services as well.

2:08:52>> Thank you,

2:08:53>> Commissioner Fischer.

2:08:55>> Yeah, that was my question. Um if we was

2:08:57to table this again, when would it be

2:08:59back when would it get back to us? Um if

2:09:03if if the motion commissioner Johnson

2:09:05put forward

2:09:07I'm not sure what an additional analysis

2:09:10we would do. I mean staff has been very

2:09:12involved in developing this. I believe

2:09:13that the auditor has also Gavin has also

2:09:16been involved in kind of reviewing this

2:09:17piece. So I'm not really sure what

2:09:20additional information we would do. So I

2:09:22would expect it would come back probably

2:09:24immediately um at the next meeting that

2:09:27there are some things that certainly you

2:09:29know the professional services piece is

2:09:30important. If you remember, we shared

2:09:32with you at the retreat, for example,

2:09:34being able to build our legislative

2:09:36agenda going forward. We've got to be

2:09:37able to secure certain services. We

2:09:39can't do that currently without probably

2:09:42120 plus day RFP process that we would

2:09:45go through, which of course would exceed

2:09:47the time that we need to do it. I just

2:09:48use that one as an example, but I mean,

2:09:51if it were tabled, we would return as

2:09:52quickly as possible. I'm just not sure

2:09:55um that we would I'm not sure we would

2:09:57look at anything we haven't already

2:09:58looked at. I guess unless there's

2:09:59something specific that that you all

2:10:00would want us to to look at in a

2:10:02different way.

2:10:03>> Commissioner Thorne.

2:10:05>> Um I guess my question is to um I know

2:10:08we're supposed to ask the mayor. Would

2:10:10you ask Commissioner um Johnson um is

2:10:13there specific questions that she

2:10:18needs to hear from? because I do

2:10:21remember now that you said we did the

2:10:22retreat. I do remember that now. But are

2:10:25are there specific questions? Um,

2:10:27>> Commissioner Johnson, other than those

2:10:29dollar thresholds, were there some areas

2:10:31of interest that you wanted explored?

2:10:33>> Yeah, there was some language that

2:10:34compared Athens Clark County to other

2:10:37municipalities like Savannah and um the

2:10:40recommendation was even higher than

2:10:41theirs. Um that's one but I also again

2:10:45want to say I have unique experience in

2:10:48knowing um from talking with former

2:10:50colleagues that purchasing is something

2:10:53that is very it's a ve very vulnerable

2:10:56issue and I want to remind people if you

2:10:58don't know or remember on February 14th

2:11:012018 there was a breach and there was

2:11:05there was someone that actually violated

2:11:08the the purchasing ordinance and it does

2:11:11happen frequently and there were

2:11:14considerable dollars considerable

2:11:16dollars stolen in the six figures over

2:11:18half a million. So I just want to say

2:11:21that it's better to be on the safe side

2:11:25than not um than to just let it go

2:11:27because you're not sure and you just

2:11:29want to get through the meeting. I I

2:11:31have experience to say I don't think

2:11:34it's going to take long to actually u

2:11:36review it, but I do think it should come

2:11:38down and not jump so high so quickly.

2:11:42But if anyone wants to look up that look

2:11:44up the article that I'm talking about,

2:11:46it was February 14th, 2018 on the cover

2:11:50of the Athens BL Banner Herald.

2:11:54>> Need to read new

2:11:56Auditor Hmer, did you want to provide

2:11:58any comment? I know the query was asked,

2:12:00you know, had you reviewed this

2:12:01ordinance?

2:12:01>> Um, so yes, and I appreciate

2:12:04Commissioner Johnson um asking that and

2:12:07and yes, I did review it a as the

2:12:10manager did indicate it has been in the

2:12:14works for a while. Um,

2:12:17what I would say is I'm glad that we're

2:12:18talking about this and I again I

2:12:20appreciate you for bringing this to the

2:12:21attention of everyone because I do think

2:12:23it's important that our purchasing

2:12:25manual uh is a reflection of the comfort

2:12:29level of the commission and I think

2:12:30that's ultimately what we're talking

2:12:31about right now is

2:12:34from what I've read from what I've

2:12:36reviewed [clears throat] yes there are

2:12:37certainly limit increases.

2:12:40I have not seen anything that

2:12:41necessarily changes the internal

2:12:43controls that would be in place for um

2:12:47our government or for purchasing. Um

2:12:51that said, the limits are increasing.

2:12:53The limits are increasing. Yes, there

2:12:56would probably be some higher risk with

2:12:58limit increases, but I have not seen

2:13:01anything to necessarily indicate that

2:13:02there will be a lapse or a dilution of

2:13:06the internal controls that are currently

2:13:08in place in our finance department. I

2:13:10think what ultimately it comes down to

2:13:12and again manager Cowell sort of

2:13:14indicated this is not necessarily from

2:13:17an audit perspective you know whether or

2:13:21not internal controls will be in place

2:13:24to Commissioner Johnson's point we can't

2:13:27give you absolute assurance 100% that

2:13:29anything would ever be violated into the

2:13:32future there's always that possibility

2:13:34that said

2:13:37there's a measure and a balance of

2:13:39efficiency

2:13:40with

2:13:42control. And that is ultimately a policy

2:13:45decision that you as a commission have

2:13:47to make. Whe regardless of what that

2:13:50limit is, whether it's a 100,000

2:13:52increase, whether it's a 300,000

2:13:53increase, or whether it's a $2,000

2:13:55increase, that is a policymaking

2:13:57decision that you all have to have a

2:13:59comfort level with. Um,

2:14:02so you balance that with the need, as

2:14:06manager Cal pointed out, for efficiency

2:14:08in some of the

2:14:11projects and some of the agenda reports

2:14:13that you all see come before you. Um,

2:14:16that is what I think this ultimately

2:14:19came from as well as an amendment that

2:14:21is long overdue. But the ultimate limits

2:14:24that you decide are in your purview. And

2:14:26so I again I'm not avoiding the fact

2:14:29that I would be happy to take another

2:14:31look at it if that's what the commission

2:14:32decides to do and I appreciate that

2:14:34offer but again ultimately it's your

2:14:38comfort level not mine. So

2:14:40>> thank you Auditor Hass appreciate that.

2:14:43Right. Attorney Drake is going to read

2:14:44the ordinance.

2:14:45>> An ordinance to amend the code of Athens

2:14:46Clark County Georgia with respect to

2:14:48government purchasing and procurement

2:14:49and for other lawful purposes.

2:14:51>> Thanks Attorney Drake. All right. The

2:14:53motion on the floor is to adopt. Uh and

2:14:56uh so we'll do a roll call beginning

2:14:57with Commissioner Wright.

2:14:58>> Wright,

2:14:59>> yes.

2:14:59>> Fisher,

2:15:00>> yes.

2:15:01>> Johnson,

2:15:02>> no.

2:15:02>> Co Pepper,

2:15:04>> yes.

2:15:04>> Meyers,

2:15:05>> yes.

2:15:06>> Thornton,

2:15:07>> yes. [clears throat]

2:15:08>> Hamby,

2:15:09>> yes.

2:15:10>> Davenport,

2:15:11>> yes.

2:15:12>> Link,

2:15:12>> yes.

2:15:13>> Taylor,

2:15:14>> yes.

2:15:15>> Nine, yes. One, no.

2:15:16>> All right. Thank you, Madam Clerk.

2:15:17Motion carries. All right. It is 8:15.

2:15:20Take a 10-minute break at this point.

2:15:21>> Yes.

2:15:22>> All right. We're going to be back in our

2:15:23seats at 8:25 and we will

2:25:33All right, welcome back. Welcome back.

2:25:35Welcome back.

2:25:39>> Put some of this on your

2:25:41>> Happy to report to everybody that it is

2:25:43still Tuesday, October 6th.

2:25:46>> Not hit the stroke of midnight yet.

2:25:49We're going to pick up our business with

2:25:50item number 15 uh on old business.

2:25:55>> Uh this is the naming of the East Broad

2:25:57Street Bridge over the North Coney River

2:25:58as the Weaver DE's Bridge Automatic for

2:26:00the People. I know there was a

2:26:02commission defined option regarding

2:26:04this. Would somebody like to make any

2:26:06motion at all? Commissioner Wright.

2:26:07Well, yeah, part of the bridge is in my

2:26:09district and uh might take a little bit

2:26:11of time because Patrick might show up

2:26:12since it's his commission defined

2:26:14option, but he's been working really

2:26:17hard with staff and coming up with um

2:26:20the I'll just read it. The mayor and

2:26:21commission approved the naming of the

2:26:23East Broad Street Bridge over North Aone

2:26:26River as Weaver D's Bridge, automatic

2:26:29for the people, as we heard tonight, and

2:26:32authorize the installation of a

2:26:35commemorative marker on the bridge,

2:26:37honoring Jesse Walton Barnett

2:26:39[clears throat] and recognizing her

2:26:41contributions to the East Athens

2:26:43community and the development of the

2:26:45bridge. with the final wording and

2:26:47placement of the markers

2:26:49to be determined administratively. And

2:26:53so I will read that so that Commissioner

2:26:57Davenport can make the motion.

2:26:59>> Okay. A motion to approve agenda item

2:27:01number 15.

2:27:02>> All right. As I just

2:27:03>> read as um Commissioner Wright has read.

2:27:06>> All right. Is there a second?

2:27:07>> Second.

2:27:08>> All right. I've got a motion from

2:27:10Commissioner Davenport and I've got the

2:27:12second from Commissioner Thornon. Thank

2:27:14you for your professional reading there,

2:27:16Commissioner Wright. Uh, Commissioner

2:27:18Thornton as seconder. Any, uh, any

2:27:20additional input?

2:27:21>> I think that, um, uh, Miss Barnett and,

2:27:25um, Weaver D has made Athens what it is.

2:27:29Um,

2:27:31Miss Barnett started it.

2:27:34Weaver D kind of moved it along. And

2:27:37guess what? We're hoping for somebody

2:27:39else to keep it going.

2:27:42Any further input from the body?

2:27:44>> It has been commissionport has been a

2:27:46stressful long movement, but I'm glad to

2:27:49um we got to an agreement where two

2:27:52parties who are competing for the name

2:27:54of the bridge made a healthy compromise

2:27:56and um I do want to make sure that staff

2:28:00take really good care of um the Barnett

2:28:03family when it comes to recognizing her

2:28:06contribution for actually getting that

2:28:07bridge established.

2:28:09>> Thanks, Commissioner. Any anyone else?

2:28:12All right. Motion and a second is on the

2:28:14floor. All in favor, please say I.

2:28:15>> I.

2:28:16>> Are there any opposed? All right.

2:28:17Hearing [clears throat] none. Motion

2:28:18carries at long last. Thank you,

2:28:21friends. All right. Uh item 16, uh the

2:28:24off discussed 2020 project number one,

2:28:28the judicial center schematic design

2:28:29approval. Uh Commissioner Ham, would you

2:28:31like to place your motion on the floor

2:28:32for me?

2:28:33>> Sure. I'll make a motion, mayor, to um

2:28:37accept the alternate proposal that

2:28:40allows for the um pocket park and also

2:28:44accommodates the uh moon tree.

2:28:47>> Is there a second?

2:28:48>> I'll second it.

2:28:49>> All right. Got a motion from

2:28:50Commissioner Hamby for the alternate

2:28:51design, second from Commissioner Co

2:28:53Pepper. Commissioner Hamby, any remarks?

2:28:55>> Just a few. You know, I know this this

2:28:57has been a long process for everybody. I

2:28:59remember uh when I first got on the

2:29:01commission, there was talk about needing

2:29:04to build a new courthouse. Uh we ended

2:29:07up building the jail first and then you

2:29:09know all the classic center stuff and it

2:29:11just got it just kept it just kept

2:29:13getting kicked down the road and

2:29:15probably because we knew it was going to

2:29:16be a big project and sure enough it's

2:29:18turned out to be a big project. Um, and

2:29:22I think manager Cal and and assistant or

2:29:25deputy um, manager Saunders have really

2:29:28worked hard in trying to find a way

2:29:30where we can get this get this u project

2:29:33built which will be one of the biggest

2:29:35that we've ever done. get this project

2:29:36built and and they've got a really good

2:29:39schedule uh laid out for us so that so

2:29:42that the important thing is like when

2:29:44when the judge was up there talking

2:29:47about the safety, you know, the

2:29:49important thing is we need to move quick

2:29:50so that we can address the safety issues

2:29:54uh that are in the courthouse now. But

2:29:56y'all, but we also need to address y'all

2:29:58that one of the things that we talked

2:30:00about when we put this on the ballot, if

2:30:02you remember, mayor and and commissioner

2:30:04Wright, that once we put this on the

2:30:06ballot, it allows us to utilize the

2:30:08current courthouse to uh to bring in a

2:30:12bunch of other government operations

2:30:13that are scattered throughout the

2:30:15county. So, it's going to, you know,

2:30:16it's going to offer better service for

2:30:18for the people we represent uh by having

2:30:20that there as well. So, it's doing a lot

2:30:23of things and and moving moving quickly

2:30:26is uh is is what we need to do now. So,

2:30:29>> thanks, Commissioner. Commissioner Co

2:30:31Pepper, any followup?

2:30:32>> Yeah, I mean, this like Commissioner

2:30:33Hammy said, this is a long time coming.

2:30:35Yeah, it's got a big price tag on it,

2:30:37but when it was approved, the original

2:30:40splashed, it was only, you know, they

2:30:42were asking for $90 million. Um, and I

2:30:46believe 76 million was passed. And that

2:30:49didn't even include the schematic design

2:30:51and there was not going to be the cost

2:30:54entire cost of the judicial center. Um

2:30:58there was going to have to be another

2:30:59splice pass or the funds were going to

2:31:02have to come out of the general budget.

2:31:04So yes, we'll have to pass another

2:31:06splice hopefully to uh make up the

2:31:09shortfall. But the price tag on this

2:31:12thing so with the way escala escalation

2:31:15is now um it's about a Uh, manager Cal,

2:31:20is it about a million dollars a month

2:31:22cost escalation estimated? Yeah, if you

2:31:25use the estimated value, we anticipate

2:31:28about five to six% growth if you will or

2:31:31escalation [clears throat] of cost just

2:31:33because of inflation. All things may

2:31:35equal any every month that we progre

2:31:38that we proceed forward is you can

2:31:41assume about a million dollars is what

2:31:43you would anticipate just the natural

2:31:44and I say natural increase meaning no

2:31:46more tariffs no more extra costs

2:31:50layering into that and that's one of the

2:31:51reasons why we've been trying to develop

2:31:53build this schedule as responsibly but

2:31:56as promptly as we can

2:31:58>> and if we pursue the uh federal building

2:32:01I believe the best case scenario area

2:32:04earliest we could take ownership of that

2:32:06if it happened because we were pursuing

2:32:08it before and we wait we didn't waste

2:32:10time but we were pursuing it and then we

2:32:12were taken off the list at the last

2:32:14minute and so best case scenario now

2:32:16would be another two years before we

2:32:18could even take ownership and another 12

2:32:20to 18 months to get to where we are

2:32:22right now so that's going to be

2:32:24increased cost just in what we were

2:32:26discussing with a million dollars a

2:32:27month in uh construction cost escalation

2:32:30so I I think we need to move forward um

2:32:32you know it is a safety issue. Um

2:32:35there's no separation of traffic between

2:32:37the judges, um you know, the defendants,

2:32:41uh anyone. You know, they're all using

2:32:43the same hallways, the same elevators,

2:32:45the same stairs, and uh we're lucky that

2:32:47nothing has happened so far, but I think

2:32:49we owe it to our judicial uh supporters

2:32:52to to move forward with this.

2:32:54>> Thank you, Commissioner. I've got

2:32:55Commissioner Myers and Commissioner Link

2:32:57on tap and Commissioner Davenport.

2:32:59>> Yeah. Um, I do support the motion. Um,

2:33:03and I'm glad we're coming together on

2:33:05this one motion so [clears throat] far.

2:33:08Um, I think it's really clear from our

2:33:10judicial team and from all the years

2:33:13that we put into this that we are in

2:33:14need of this new uh, courthouse. And so

2:33:19I think that perhaps echoing what my

2:33:22colleague to my right here said about

2:33:24the the time that would require even if

2:33:26the federal building fell into our laps

2:33:29and what uh judge lot said made it

2:33:32really clear that we need to move ahead

2:33:35here so that if it doesn't fall in our

2:33:39laps

2:33:40we actually are getting somewhere

2:33:42instead of just pushing it off um again

2:33:44and again. I I do want to um address the

2:33:48the amme the church down there and

2:33:50really reiterate that I think it's

2:33:52really important that we proceed as we

2:33:54have respectfully and make sure that

2:33:56we're honor honoring

2:33:58their historic role the the oldest uh

2:34:01black church in Athens um and the last

2:34:04of

2:34:06a black neighborhood that was in that

2:34:08area

2:34:09that much of that got [clears throat]

2:34:11removed during urban renewal of the

2:34:131960s and And I think we need to make

2:34:15sure that we stay in constant

2:34:17communication with them during the whole

2:34:18design process. And I wanted to ask the

2:34:21manager um reading through the uh

2:34:24communication that the church had with

2:34:26us back in the summer and their request

2:34:29for an independent um pre and post

2:34:32structural analysis of the church. If

2:34:33you had anything to speak on that and

2:34:36then I just wanted to make one last uh

2:34:37comment as well.

2:34:39>> Yes. And so there are actually several

2:34:41non-design related items that we've had

2:34:44conversation with the church on that we

2:34:46will be incorporating as we move

2:34:47forward. So one of those is they had

2:34:50asked they they had identified it as

2:34:52structural. We have since talked with

2:34:53them and what it is really is kind of a

2:34:55building condition assessment. The

2:34:57reason not structural is because they

2:34:59have a historic tower that we don't want

2:35:01to assume any responsibility for the

2:35:03structural integrity of that tower. We

2:35:04want to make sure that the condition it

2:35:06is in currently is no different during

2:35:08construction or after construction. But

2:35:10but yes, there's those kinds of

2:35:11agreements. We've agreed also to move

2:35:13forward with a traffic study and that

2:35:15the the intent of the traffic study is

2:35:17to see if we can pick up some additional

2:35:18on street parking by potentially um

2:35:21directing traffic one way or changing

2:35:23some of the patterns in those areas. And

2:35:25there's a couple of other items like

2:35:26that also and we'll continue to refine

2:35:28those with them. they just don't fit

2:35:30into the schematic design. But yes,

2:35:32those items are are covered in those as

2:35:34well. And I can also cover after kind of

2:35:36the questions the discussions that have

2:35:38gone on about some design elements um

2:35:42since the last meeting and this meeting,

2:35:43but I'll wait until you all have had

2:35:45your questions. Oh well well the the

2:35:47followup the last point I just want to

2:35:49make and maybe this is one of the design

2:35:51things uh or not is making sure I'm I'm

2:35:55supporting this and moving forward but

2:35:57reiterating um our commitment to the

2:36:00lead certification and the 100%

2:36:02renewable energy and to make sure as

2:36:05we're going forward that atrium in the

2:36:08front that that's a clear I don't know

2:36:11in this between the schematic and the

2:36:13next one that an energy analysis be made

2:36:16so that we can see if there are any

2:36:18adjustments made, kinds of special glass

2:36:21used, etc. because we we want this

2:36:24building to work as efficiently as

2:36:26possible. You know, that's about, you

2:36:28know, I could say it's about the the

2:36:29world, the globe, but it's also about

2:36:31the utility bills that we're going to

2:36:32have to pay on this. Um, and I think

2:36:34that's important for us to be as um

2:36:37economical and uh efficient and

2:36:40environmental as possible with this

2:36:41building as we go forward.

2:36:43>> Yeah. And that and that lead commitment

2:36:44remains. And so, you know, that will

2:36:46continue to be evaluated all the way

2:36:47through the design from everything from

2:36:49lighting to glazing to HVAC. All of

2:36:52those will be um designed properly so we

2:36:55can meet that standard. That standard um

2:36:57you all have established as kind of

2:36:58overarching across the design. So,

2:37:01>> thank you.

2:37:02>> Thank you all. Commissioner Link.

2:37:03>> Yeah. Um I have appreciate Commissioner

2:37:06Ham's motion to um implement the pocket

2:37:10park and preserve the moon tree. that

2:37:12that's extremely important to me and I

2:37:14feel like it's extremely important to

2:37:15this community. Um, and also I do have

2:37:18big concerns about the the facade of the

2:37:20building and the glass frame

2:37:21[cough and clears throat] and the energy

2:37:24>> um impacts of it as well as the safety

2:37:26impacts. Um, but I would like to make a

2:37:30substitute motion that we hold this for

2:37:33no more than three cycles, the January

2:37:36cycle, um, to allow Mayor elect Fiser to

2:37:40continue some of the conversations he's

2:37:42been having with representatives of the

2:37:44federal government to see if we can make

2:37:46one last effort to get that federal

2:37:48building. um when it was pursued several

2:37:51years ago,

2:37:53um it was then taken off the list in the

2:37:55change of administration. Well, it

2:37:57appeared back on the GSA surplus list,

2:38:01um I believe right around the time we we

2:38:03um approved this site. Um we've heard

2:38:06from an architect who worked on

2:38:08schematics in that initial effort. Um

2:38:11there's already been some preliminary

2:38:13schematic and design work done for that

2:38:15federal building site which would

2:38:18theoretically reduce the timeline. Um

2:38:21it's a huge site. I I the more I think

2:38:23about it the more I fear you know what

2:38:25happens in 30 years when this Dy street

2:38:29site we need another expansion. There's

2:38:30nowhere for it to go literally. Um, you

2:38:34know, I think in the long-term scheme of

2:38:36things, we really owe it to this

2:38:37community to take one more stab at

2:38:41getting that federal building site. Um,

2:38:44>> there's a potential to save a lot of

2:38:45money. Um, you know, it's we have a

2:38:48building that's already built. It's a

2:38:49much easier site to deal with. Um, and

2:38:54you know, I I have concerns about us,

2:38:56you know, committing to pay for a brand

2:38:59new judicial center with a splashed

2:39:02referendum that hasn't passed yet. Um,

2:39:06so I I'm I have deep concerns about

2:39:09that. Um, I I really believe we owe it

2:39:11to this community to make every last

2:39:14effort to get the most ideal site. um

2:39:19just and and give Mayor elect Fischer

2:39:22that that opportunity to to have those

2:39:24conversations that he has already

2:39:26initiated. Um and and you know, if if

2:39:29the conversations happen in the next

2:39:31couple weeks and we have to come back

2:39:33next month and approve the site on Dohy

2:39:35Street, we do that. But let's give it a

2:39:38couple months and see what we can do.

2:39:40>> I second. Another motion.

2:39:41>> I've got a substitute motion from

2:39:43Commissioner Link, second from

2:39:45Commissioner Fiser.

2:39:47Um, let me go ahead and ask you to speak

2:39:50uh, Commissioner Fischer, and then I'll

2:39:51return to Commissioner Davenport.

2:39:52>> Thank Thank you, Mayor. And, um, I have

2:39:55had conversations um, with our federal

2:39:58um, um, friends um, my plan is to get on

2:40:02a virtual call on next week um, with

2:40:05them and find a timeline because I know

2:40:08time is of the essence. Find a timeline.

2:40:12If the federal building comes available

2:40:13to us, how long would it take us to get

2:40:15that building? And again, if they're

2:40:17telling us three years, four years, like

2:40:20to Commissioner Link's point, we'll come

2:40:22back to the drawing board and say, "Hey,

2:40:24it's gonna be three or four years before

2:40:25we can get the building." And I and I

2:40:27get it. But I think to her point, let's

2:40:30at least take the opportunity to see

2:40:32whether or not we can get the building

2:40:34in a timely fashion. And again, and I I

2:40:37um my concern is how we going to pay for

2:40:39this? This is going to be on my watch.

2:40:41And you know, we're talking about trying

2:40:42to pass a splash in 2028. If the supply

2:40:46doesn't pass,

2:40:48where does the money come from? Are we

2:40:51gonna raise our miller's rate to our

2:40:54taxpayers and ask them to pay for this?

2:40:56I don't think I'm not as the

2:40:58[clears throat] mayor. I'm not going to

2:40:59ask. So, we got to be mindful of how

2:41:01that's going to be paid for. You know, I

2:41:03get the price tag. I'm a facility guy,

2:41:05so I understand that. And I know as we

2:41:08wait longer, the price tag goes up. But

2:41:11if we get the federal building, we're

2:41:13not spending 250

2:41:15million or 300 million. Cost may be a

2:41:18little bit cheaper. So again, um if my

2:41:20colleagues were given that opportunity

2:41:22to have those conversations and if the

2:41:25conversation is not where it needs to

2:41:27go, I will immediately come back and

2:41:28say, "Hey, they talking three or four

2:41:30years down the road. We still may get

2:41:32it, but let's move forward with this

2:41:35plan." And again, I I do have some

2:41:37concern about the impact on first me. I

2:41:40mean, you know, I I it bothers me and I

2:41:42said this in the past, so what I'm

2:41:43getting ready to say is shouldn't be no

2:41:45surprise to y'all. It's like every time

2:41:47we do something, it impacts the

2:41:49African-American community.

2:41:52We want to do it impacts that it's going

2:41:54to impact that church. No, no Ron

2:41:56Murray, it's going to impact them in

2:41:59some form of fashion. No people talk

2:42:01about a tree. I get it. But we talking

2:42:03about real human beings here with First

2:42:06Me. So, if you all would give me the

2:42:08opportunity to pursue the um federal

2:42:11building

2:42:13um to commissioners um um Ly Point um

2:42:17give us one or two cycles and if it

2:42:19doesn't come back positive, I'll be the

2:42:21first to tell the mayor say, "Hey, we're

2:42:23not going anywhere. It may be back on in

2:42:25November, December. We we we can move

2:42:28forward."

2:42:30>> Commissioner David Port.

2:42:31>> Yeah. [clears throat] Thank you and

2:42:32thank my colleagues. I just want to say

2:42:34thank you for Hamby for doing a

2:42:36turnaround because um I really wanted to

2:42:38save that um tree as well and I'm glad

2:42:40um he's agreed.

2:42:41>> I was just joking when I said I was

2:42:43going to cut it down. I wasn't going to

2:42:45watch it.

2:42:45>> Thank you.

2:42:46>> You [laughter] know this already down.

2:42:47[clears throat]

2:42:47>> Yeah. So thank you Hamby. So one thing

2:42:50just Robert rules of order. We we on the

2:42:53days when we're actually voting we

2:42:55shouldn't present new legislation. Um

2:43:03because now we are now we have two

2:43:06options that I heard about the the other

2:43:09option but you know I didn't hear about

2:43:11the layout and um

2:43:15if

2:43:18the whole

2:43:19>> the whole so it just a lot of stuff just

2:43:21running through my head right now cuz I

2:43:23know I worked for five six years and I

2:43:26still think that the um the federal

2:43:29building is going to be the best option

2:43:30because you don't have to worry about

2:43:31parking. You don't have to worry about,

2:43:33you know, first at me or the trees. The

2:43:34the building is there. It's ample

2:43:36spaces. We still got to purchase it. Um

2:43:39you know, if my data is correct or what

2:43:42I've heard, um one of the reasons why

2:43:44Athens Clark County didn't get that

2:43:46building was because a particular

2:43:48legislator decided that well, we don't

2:43:51like Athens, so we're going to take you

2:43:53know, we're not going to get do that for

2:43:55them. But at the same time, our judges

2:43:57and our people deserve something quick,

2:44:00deserve something better. And I just

2:44:02feel that

2:44:04wait until January.

2:44:07If Commissioner Mayor Le is speaking

2:44:10next week, could we vote on it at our

2:44:14agenda setting meeting? But if that is

2:44:16not amanable, I am going to approve the

2:44:19agenda as is.

2:44:21>> Commissioner Wright. Um, yes, I I I I

2:44:25can um I understand Commissioner

2:44:27Davenport's

2:44:29confusion. This is a lot to add at the

2:44:33voting meeting and uh I was under the

2:44:35impression that Mayor Girtz had

2:44:37discussions about this federal building

2:44:40as possibilities before we voted to make

2:44:42sure we used land that we already owned,

2:44:45which has us on the site with the amount

2:44:48of time and money that's been spent

2:44:51developing the details to this point of

2:44:54the schematic design to move forward.

2:44:57And I just wanted to say just because we

2:45:00got I'm a visual communicator. Just

2:45:02because we got pretty pictures of the

2:45:04federal building as an option does not

2:45:07mean it's a viable option. It doesn't

2:45:10tell us the price tag for it. It doesn't

2:45:12have the parking solved. Um, so pictures

2:45:17can be misleading and I know that

2:45:19there's been work because the dates on

2:45:22that uh handout from [clears throat]

2:45:23earlier today um go back a while but I

2:45:28don't understand where that information

2:45:31didn't come forward and I really would

2:45:33like it Mayor Girtz if you could share

2:45:35your insights from what you did in the

2:45:37homework on that federal building

2:45:39option.

2:45:40>> I appreciate that Commissioner Wright.

2:45:42um through two uh federal

2:45:44administrations

2:45:46uh spent a great number of hours seeking

2:45:50acquisition of the Stevens property.

2:45:53Uh initially uh just really kind of the

2:45:56back parking segment for the prospect of

2:45:58a public park which I think would still

2:46:00in the future be a great asset to

2:46:01downtown uh but then ultimately the

2:46:04entirety of the property. Uh those

2:46:09conversations

2:46:10while generous on the part of the GSA

2:46:12and our other federal partners, you

2:46:14know, never resulted in a consummated

2:46:18deal. Uh early in the current

2:46:20administration, there was a broad swath

2:46:23of properties that were laid out for

2:46:25potential disposal. Um that was for a

2:46:28very brief period of time and then those

2:46:30went away. So So just a little bit

2:46:31different than what you may have

2:46:32understood, Commissioner Davenport. this

2:46:34was uh not a property that was uniquely

2:46:36situated. It was really part of a whole

2:46:38portfolio of them. Um and so at this

2:46:41point uh what I would suggest is that

2:46:44this body does not want to be Charlie

2:46:47Brown to Lucy holding the football. Uh

2:46:50and that we need to really just be

2:46:52honest with ourselves and say as the

2:46:55management team has already expressed to

2:46:56us that best case scenario, a future

2:46:59acquisition of that federal property

2:47:00would take a number of years. And I

2:47:03would suggest that should it become

2:47:04available, in fact, that would be an

2:47:08additional asset for this community,

2:47:10whether it's for economic development

2:47:11purposes or other things, um, but but

2:47:13I'm a strong believer in moving forward

2:47:16with the very well-honed plan that we

2:47:18have in front of us, uh, that the

2:47:20original motion uh, referenced. So, I'm

2:47:22going to turn to Commissioner Hy, who

2:47:24indicated interest in speaking.

2:47:25>> I'll be real quick about it. I just

2:47:27every when we going through this and

2:47:29hearing all of this, I always think

2:47:30about uh um I wasn't on the commission

2:47:33at this time, but uh when we the Navy

2:47:35school process and that how long that

2:47:38took for for us to get something get get

2:47:42something on on a hold of that and it

2:47:45worked out well for the university and

2:47:46for our community also. Um and I've been

2:47:49on the GSA website and also see that

2:47:52even if we were to get it, you'd still

2:47:54have to move everybody out of there.

2:47:56So those folks have to find a home and

2:47:58it's to the point of the mayor and and

2:48:00manager cow that that that process would

2:48:02take a long time. I mean it you federal

2:48:05government um you think local government

2:48:07moves slow. So just just think about the

2:48:09the federal government in that regard.

2:48:11So, um, the other thing that we ought to

2:48:15think about, uh, that that Commissioner

2:48:18Co Pepper pointed out, the expense as it

2:48:20goes up each year, but also what's going

2:48:22to go up each year for us, y'all, is the

2:48:24u the the maintenance on the current

2:48:27courthouse and the maintenance on all

2:48:28the other buildings that we're that

2:48:30we're trying to trying to maybe put in

2:48:32there. But we're also losing out on, you

2:48:35know, I think the idea was once we get

2:48:38all these other buildings or other

2:48:40services into the current courthouse

2:48:43that we have some surplus property

2:48:46ourselves that we could probably sell

2:48:48for affordable housing or some other

2:48:51some other need that may may be out

2:48:52there at the time we're ready to do it.

2:48:54So, I think you're I think you're right.

2:48:57Let's move forward and let's get this

2:48:58thing going so that um so that we can

2:49:02realize the safety and the service

2:49:04benefits for this community.

2:49:07>> Commissioner Link.

2:49:08>> Yeah. I have a question for the mayor.

2:49:10Um have you had any conversations with

2:49:13federal representatives since the new

2:49:15administration and this particular

2:49:17building appeared on the new GSA list? I

2:49:20know there was a list that then

2:49:21disappeared. Um, has there been any

2:49:24further communications since then? Ve

2:49:27>> very brief. Um, and I'll know largely

2:49:32this is really an administrative act

2:49:33rather than a legislative act.

2:49:35>> Um, and and so thus it's it's going to

2:49:38take somebody in GSA. I mean certainly

2:49:41the way things work in DC is you know

2:49:43there there was some nudging from uh one

2:49:46one branch of government to another. Um

2:49:48but but ultimately it's that

2:49:50administrative arm that would have to go

2:49:52through all the sort of functional

2:49:53changes in including moving north of 200

2:49:55people who currently occupy offices in

2:49:57the building.

2:49:58>> Yeah. I mean I just note that you know

2:50:00the current administration seems to have

2:50:02no problem seizing buildings and moving

2:50:05people out at the blink of an eye and

2:50:07demolishing entire wings [laughter] of

2:50:09sacred iconic properties in the blink of

2:50:12an eye. Um I I just I really would love

2:50:15to see us take that one last stab in the

2:50:18current climate. Um

2:50:21because really, you know, this community

2:50:24deserves the best possible site. And um

2:50:27we also it would also present us with

2:50:30surplus property to unload. You know,

2:50:32that that Dhy Street property could be

2:50:35used for other purposes that it's better

2:50:37suited for.

2:50:38>> Commissioner Fischer.

2:50:39>> Yeah. I again I'll just I just ask my

2:50:41colleagues just to get me to next week

2:50:43to get do the call with them, have a

2:50:46conversation.

2:50:47Uh we got the agenda setting coming up

2:50:50um in two weeks and if it's not a

2:50:52productive conversation, we can move on.

2:50:54So I don't I don't see a big deal if we

2:50:58hold it until that time and still can

2:51:01vote on it um at our November meeting.

2:51:05So may I make a comment to that? Another

2:51:07way to do it, Commissioner Fischer, is

2:51:09to vote yes on this and then if you have

2:51:11those conversations, uh then then you

2:51:14can vote to reconsider at the at the

2:51:15next meeting.

2:51:16>> Well, the thing is I talked with the

2:51:18manager if we pass this thing

2:51:21>> with the schematics. We can start

2:51:23spending money and what I want what I

2:51:25don't want to do is start spending

2:51:26money. And I mentioned this earlier that

2:51:28we talking about [laughter] pivot. I

2:51:30don't want to do I don't want to spend

2:51:32money then we change our mind. So,

2:51:35>> I'm just I'm just asking for some grace.

2:51:37But again, you know, like I always tell

2:51:39you guys, whatever way the vote go out,

2:51:41you know, I we'll move forward. But I

2:51:43think just to give me the opportunity to

2:51:46have a conversation.

2:51:47>> Got a couple more commissioners on tap,

2:51:48but I want to turn to the manager first.

2:51:50>> Just touch on just that one item that

2:51:52Commissioner Fischer just mentioned is

2:51:54so it's kind of a two-step process

2:51:56before we actually will be spending

2:51:58additional dollars. So we've got today

2:52:00which is the schematic approval and then

2:52:03at your November meeting is when we

2:52:05would be bringing forward the change

2:52:06orders for project management and for

2:52:08the design to move beyond schematic. So

2:52:11it really so if for example if the

2:52:13schematic was approved today we don't

2:52:15immediately begin start spending

2:52:17additional dollars. We do start getting

2:52:19ready for the November meeting and we

2:52:20start negotiating what those change

2:52:22orders look like and and so on. And then

2:52:24November's meeting is when you would

2:52:26approve the financing mechanism and the

2:52:29change orders and then at that point we

2:52:31would begin spending dollars. So it's

2:52:33kind of a a two-step. Now obviously if

2:52:36this action is deferred to November or

2:52:38December, those follow-on items

2:52:39themselves are deferred to later periods

2:52:42of time as well. So just wanted to make

2:52:43that that one clarity in this stuff that

2:52:46approval today wouldn't automatically

2:52:48cause us to start we wouldn't actually

2:52:49have the ability to start spending

2:52:50additional money till those change

2:52:51orders are approved.

2:52:54Commissioner Wright and Commissioner Co

2:52:55Pepper.

2:52:56>> No, I'm good.

2:52:57>> Commissioner Co Pepper,

2:52:59>> we've already spent money. I mean,

2:53:01talking about spending money and

2:53:02changing, we've already spent a couple

2:53:04hundred,000 on the schematic design of

2:53:06this building now. So, that would be

2:53:09money that we would be uh wasting, you

2:53:12know, and potentially obviously we

2:53:14talked about in the increased

2:53:15construction cost. Um, so I mean we

2:53:18voted to approve this um this site back

2:53:23in the summer. Um, and then that's what

2:53:25moved the ball forward to spending for

2:53:28the spend the money for the design and

2:53:29everything. So we would be doing

2:53:32basically changing that and the money

2:53:34that we've already spent would be gone.

2:53:37>> Right. I've got a substitute motion on

2:53:39the floor. So we'll do a roll call

2:53:40beginning with Commissioner Link.

2:53:42>> Would we repeat that?

2:53:43>> And so the substitute motion is to hold

2:53:45>> until January.

2:53:47No later than January.

2:53:49>> That was the clarity.

2:53:50>> Yes. Okay, that's

2:53:53>> link.

2:53:54>> Yes.

2:53:55>> Taylor,

2:53:55>> yes.

2:53:56>> Wright,

2:53:57>> no.

2:53:58>> Fisher,

2:53:59>> yes.

2:53:59>> Johnson,

2:54:03>> no.

2:54:05>> Co Pepper,

2:54:06>> no.

2:54:06>> Meyers,

2:54:07>> no.

2:54:08>> Thornton,

2:54:09>> yes.

2:54:10>> Hamby,

2:54:11>> no.

2:54:12>> Davenport,

2:54:13>> no.

2:54:17Six. No. Four. Yes.

2:54:19>> All right. We return to the original

2:54:21motion from Commissioner Hamby and we'll

2:54:22begin a roll call vote with him.

2:54:24>> Hamby,

2:54:25>> yes.

2:54:26>> Davenport,

2:54:26>> yes.

2:54:27>> Link,

2:54:28>> yes.

2:54:28>> Taylor,

2:54:29>> no.

2:54:30>> Wright,

2:54:31>> yes.

2:54:31>> Fisher,

2:54:32>> no.

2:54:33>> Johnson,

2:54:34>> yes.

2:54:35>> Co Pepper,

2:54:36>> yes.

2:54:37>> Meyers,

2:54:38>> yes.

2:54:38>> Thornton,

2:54:39>> no.

2:54:41>> Seven, yes. Three, no.

2:54:42>> All right, motion carries. Thank you

2:54:44everyone. All right, we're moving on to

2:54:45item 17. This is the Stonehenge

2:54:47Neighborhood Area Pedestrian Improvement

2:54:49Project uh preliminary plans. Uh staff

2:54:51has revised this to add some additional

2:54:53components.

2:54:54>> Motion to approve.

2:54:55>> All right, motion to approve from

2:54:56Commissioner Johnson. Is there a second?

2:54:58>> Second.

2:54:59>> All right. Second from Commissioner

2:55:00Thornon. Commissioner Johnson, any

2:55:02remarks?

2:55:05>> Just have one. Thank you for um finding

2:55:08the additional funding to complete the

2:55:10project. That's it.

2:55:14All right, there's an ordinance. We'll

2:55:15go ahead and have that read.

2:55:16>> Ordinance to amend the transportation

2:55:17special purpose local option sales tax

2:55:192023 program budget so as to provide

2:55:21additional funding for from excess

2:55:23revenues if if elected for the project

2:55:26number 17, Stonehenge neighborhood area

2:55:28pedestrian improvements and for other

2:55:30purposes.

2:55:31>> Thanks, Attorney Drake. Commissioner

2:55:32Thorn, you are the second. Any

2:55:33additional remarks? Comment.

2:55:34>> All right. Any additional remarks from

2:55:36the body?

2:55:36>> All right. All in favor, please say I.

2:55:38>> I.

2:55:38>> Any opposed?

2:55:39>> I do. All right. Hearing none. Uh motion

2:55:42carries. All right. U item 18 is the

2:55:45street sales ordinance. There's a

2:55:46commission defined option. Would

2:55:48somebody like to make a motion for that?

2:55:50>> A motion to approve.

2:55:51>> All right. Motion to approve the

2:55:52commission defined option from

2:55:54Commissioner Johnson. Is there a second

2:55:55for the commissioner defined option?

2:55:57>> Second.

2:55:58>> All right. Second for Commissioner

2:55:59Fiser. Commissioner Johnson, any

2:56:01remarks?

2:56:04>> Very few. This is a CDO um prepared by

2:56:08myself and Commissioner Hamby and the

2:56:10only changes to the original was after

2:56:13the um College Square construction is

2:56:17complete the vendors are allowed to

2:56:21return to their original locations um

2:56:25and and and work. Um there is a caveat.

2:56:28Um they must maintain all of their um

2:56:31permitting um requirements. um not

2:56:34receive any suspension u violations,

2:56:38warnings or anything of the such and I

2:56:41don't think that's a problem but that's

2:56:42one of the things that would

2:56:44automatically end the end this

2:56:47relationship.

2:56:49>> Thanks Commissioner.

2:56:50>> Commissioner Hammy, do you have anything

2:56:51to add?

2:56:51>> I do.

2:56:53>> Well, Commissioner second.

2:56:56>> I'm [laughter] sorry. I apologize.

2:56:57Commissioner Fisher,

2:56:59>> Commissioner Thorn had me distracted.

2:57:01>> Oh my god. I I'll use my colleague

2:57:04commission to have me.

2:57:05>> I was just going to say

2:57:08glad we were able to work something out

2:57:10and and I think this will be good and um

2:57:12be good for for Mr. King and some other

2:57:14um downtown work downtown vendors who

2:57:18who help us provide a service for Athens

2:57:21and um so thank you.

2:57:25>> Anything else?

2:57:26>> I'm good.

2:57:26>> Commissioner Link.

2:57:27>> Yeah, I have a question. Um, this CDO

2:57:31for as best I can I understand it

2:57:33basically like is effectively a

2:57:35grandfather clause like the vendors who

2:57:37currently operate are allowed to

2:57:39continue operating but once they age out

2:57:43we will it will no longer be open to any

2:57:46any vendors who prepare food.

2:57:49>> Attorney Drake, is that how you

2:57:50understand it?

2:57:50>> That's correct. So no, the commission

2:57:53define the commission define option

2:57:56preserves uh allowing qualifying

2:58:00existing vendors to continue operating

2:58:02under a limited grandfather provision.

2:58:04Uh the ex exception stays with the

2:58:06existing vendor in the existing location

2:58:08cannot be transferred remains subject to

2:58:10all of our existing health fire

2:58:12sanitation permitting and enforcement

2:58:13requirements. So, so that pretty much

2:58:16like clears it out for any future

2:58:18possibilities of

2:58:20actual food

2:58:22>> unless this or the future commission

2:58:24would make a change to the ordinance

2:58:25>> or a friendly amendment. I I would like

2:58:27a friendly amendment to um

2:58:31yeah to to maintain that I I feel like

2:58:35the language itself needs to be clear

2:58:39like maybe the ADA needs to suggest some

2:58:42better definition of prepared foods that

2:58:45can avoid the problems that you know we

2:58:48fear a mess. But um

2:58:52I I I just don't think it's appropriate

2:58:55to completely ban ice cream cones and

2:58:58tacos and coffee. Even a coffee cart

2:59:01would be illegal under this provision.

2:59:04Um, and you know, I really believe in

2:59:07in, you know, encouraging these small

2:59:09upstart businesses in places where

2:59:12they'll succeed and and possibly grow

2:59:14and get a storefront someday and

2:59:16encouraging a vibrant street environment

2:59:19where people can just stroll on up to

2:59:22the ice cream cart and or grab a taco or

2:59:26a hot dog or whatever on the street

2:59:28outside. That's the whole reason we

2:59:31invested in in that kind of public

2:59:32space,

2:59:33>> right? There's a flurry of interest and

2:59:35input now from uh commissioners uh

2:59:38Myers, Davenport, Wright, and Hamby.

2:59:41>> Well, I'll just cut to the chase here

2:59:42and um offer a substitute

2:59:47to just deny the change and keep the

2:59:51original one so that Mr. King can

2:59:54continue to sell his food. And if he

2:59:57retires, we there'll be a space for some

3:00:00young entrepreneur who might want to

3:00:03sell some food that's being prepared.

3:00:05>> I'll second that.

3:00:06>> All right. There's a substitute motion

3:00:07from

3:00:08>> what?

3:00:09>> Well, I mean, we're we're I want to make

3:00:11sure we get the language right before we

3:00:12just change it on the fly.

3:00:13>> So, so

3:00:15denying the

3:00:16>> denying deny I'm just

3:00:17>> maintain status quo is what you were

3:00:19looking for, right? You want to stay

3:00:20with the hamc

3:00:23what's already going down.

3:00:24>> I just want [laughter] to vote it down.

3:00:26I want to vote it all down and keep what

3:00:27we have.

3:00:28>> Oh, keep it as was

3:00:30and if we want to tweak this language

3:00:32and some of these definitions in a

3:00:34future day to, you know, accommodate

3:00:36things, we do that. But for now, let's

3:00:38keep it as is.

3:00:39>> All right. So, I've got substitute

3:00:40motion on the floor from Commissioner

3:00:41Meyer, second from Commissioner Link to

3:00:43deny the proposal in front

3:00:44[clears throat] of us and maintain the

3:00:46existing ordinance. All right. Uh,

3:00:48Commissioner Davenport asked for input.

3:00:50>> Yeah, I Well, I I didn't She

3:00:54>> Oh, I

3:00:55>> give me what you got.

3:00:56>> Okay. No, I'm just saying why I'm doing

3:00:58that is simply because I want to I I I

3:01:02don't think there's a need to do this.

3:01:03If there's an issue with a dirty vendor

3:01:07cart, [snorts]

3:01:08we need to address that problem rather

3:01:10than outlawing the whole thing. Um, and

3:01:13so I'd like to leave the opportunity

3:01:15downtown for vendors to sell prep any

3:01:21kind of food, whether that's prepared

3:01:23beforehand or afterwards. Um, I'll also

3:01:26note that I think the attorney's office

3:01:28can clarify this for me, that we're not

3:01:30we're not if there are special events

3:01:32downtown

3:01:33on College Square, they will still be

3:01:35able to have food vendors that prepare

3:01:39food. Um, is that correct? food trucks.

3:01:42>> Well, I think that is correct. Austin's

3:01:44here, but we recommended if you want to

3:01:47do that, we need to amend the special

3:01:48>> No, I I don't want to do that. I just

3:01:49want to uh point out the inconsistency.

3:01:52>> That's correct. This would not change

3:01:53anything under the special event permit

3:01:56ordinance, which does allow food vendors

3:01:58that are operating under a special event

3:02:00permit to um cook food on site.

3:02:03>> Right. So, so I I want to keep it

3:02:05consistent so that we're allowing the

3:02:07same thing in both situations.

3:02:12Now I've said my point.

3:02:13>> Thanks Commissioner Myers. Commissioner

3:02:15Dav.

3:02:16>> So yeah, [clears throat]

3:02:17here we go again. Um, so I will be

3:02:19supporting the original motion. I think

3:02:21the Hami and the

3:02:24um Johnson compromise is is healthy. So

3:02:27I I think we get hung up on the

3:02:30consistency and allowing vendors to

3:02:34operate

3:02:35downtown that we are punishing them

3:02:37because somebody made u someone did some

3:02:40somebody did something wrong and we're

3:02:43punishing them and that's why this

3:02:44ordinance place. When you talk if you go

3:02:47back and look at the history and where

3:02:49this this pocket project the closing

3:02:52down of um College Station, it didn't

3:02:55start that way. It started because we

3:02:57wanted that place to be a fellowship

3:02:59place, a place for people to gather. So

3:03:02we intentionally, you know, um started

3:03:04this process to turn it into a park so

3:03:07people can gather. There was no mention

3:03:09of food vendors, you know, the healthy

3:03:11compromises, the the special permit. Um

3:03:15but we keep we were looking at it even

3:03:19when you look at the discussions that

3:03:20were had with ADDA, you know, and and I

3:03:24get it. Um, it is punitive, but at the

3:03:27same time, I would like to see this to

3:03:29be a public park for people to just

3:03:32gather and fellowship and not to, you

3:03:35know, be hindered by lines for for

3:03:38people for food. But, you know, um, and

3:03:41not something that I'm really going to

3:03:42fall on [clears throat] for, but it is

3:03:44something that I know when we cast this

3:03:47vote seven years ago, 6 years ago, that

3:03:50we envision this to be a public park for

3:03:52people to participate in. And currently

3:03:54in our public parks, if you want a food

3:03:56truck, you got to get a special permit.

3:03:59>> Commissioner Wright.

3:04:01>> Um, yes. Here [clears throat] we go. Um,

3:04:03I want to just remind people that the

3:04:06vendor scenario was prefood truck and

3:04:10the um, commissioner defined option

3:04:12that's been developed has captured what

3:04:15was our concerns from the last time we

3:04:18talked about it. And then to highlight

3:04:20some of that is the vendor is operating

3:04:24solo.

3:04:26the special event tent and the food

3:04:29vendors for special events are under

3:04:31completely different oversight.

3:04:34So it's not inconsistent. It's apples

3:04:37and oranges. And so, um, I look forward

3:04:40to when we get to vote and supporting

3:04:42commission defined option that's been

3:04:44worked out, um, with details from her,

3:04:48um, constituent who also spoke with us

3:04:51and, uh, has long-standing,

3:04:54um, and there are brick andmortar ice

3:04:57cream, coffee, food, vendors, and then

3:05:00the College Square area is for people to

3:05:03bring what they have bought and gather

3:05:06and Um,

3:05:08so that's

3:05:11>> my highlight reel.

3:05:12>> Commissioner Hambian, Commissioner

3:05:13Johnson, I'm good. Commissioner Johnson,

3:05:15anything further?

3:05:16>> Yes, I do. I I I think there are some

3:05:19confusing statements mentioned earlier.

3:05:21So, I want to start with what

3:05:25precipitated this. There is construction

3:05:27going on on College Square and vendors

3:05:30have been relocated temporarily. So,

3:05:33let's think about it when when it comes

3:05:34to business. So, if your job is to

3:05:37manage a 2,000 square foot building, but

3:05:39then it's reduced to a 1,000 square foot

3:05:42building, your ability to bring home

3:05:44revenue is going to be reduced

3:05:46proportionately. So, where Mr. King is

3:05:49temporarily located is not where he's

3:05:52been for 23 years, which has allowed him

3:05:55to um buy a home in District 6, raise

3:05:59his family. He is the so he is the bread

3:06:01winner and he's noticed a change in the

3:06:04revenue that he brings in because the

3:06:06traffic is not the same. What the

3:06:09original agenda proposed was eliminating

3:06:14food vendors in College Square. Period.

3:06:19That that's what it was. So that's that

3:06:22meant that Mr. King could not return to

3:06:26his original site that he's had for 23

3:06:29years without any violations, without

3:06:32any suspensions, without any warnings

3:06:35related to damage. And I will also point

3:06:38out that there was um mention of damage,

3:06:43but let's be very clear in one section

3:06:46of the agenda, it says that it is

3:06:49inconclusive

3:06:51who pro who did the damage. They

3:06:53couldn't tell from the video, they

3:06:55couldn't tell from pictures. And I and I

3:06:57saw those if it was a business owner, if

3:07:01it was someone unhoused, or if it was a

3:07:04vendor. they could not tell and in the

3:07:07letter from ADDA they it was stated

3:07:11conclusively that it was one of the

3:07:13vendors. So we have a scenario where you

3:07:17don't have you don't have um you have a

3:07:20situation where someone is being

3:07:22punished. They're not going to be

3:07:24allowed if it doesn't pass to return to

3:07:27the expected level of income that they

3:07:29are used to to run their household

3:07:32because

3:07:34we don't want to change anything. I mean

3:07:36to keep it three, you know, like it is

3:07:39where it's banned is

3:07:43is is is should not be the end of the

3:07:45story. I would have accepted and be and

3:07:49be meaningable to a friendly amendment

3:07:52to actually when Mr. King retires

3:07:55um for another vendor like a hot dog um

3:07:58truck or hot dog stand or something to

3:08:01replace it. I know there are only two

3:08:04vendors downtown that actually prepare

3:08:07food on site. So that was the change. So

3:08:10if I think someone mentioned earlier

3:08:12what is the difference? Well, the inside

3:08:15this current agenda, it says prepackaged

3:08:19foods. Mr. Mr. King prepares hot dogs on

3:08:22site.

3:08:24>> Thank you, Commissioner Myers.

3:08:26>> Yeah, I I just want to clarify and maybe

3:08:28I'll ask the manager. I really And then

3:08:29I'm I'm fine with voting. I just The

3:08:33change that would keep Mr. King from

3:08:36returning there is one we would have to

3:08:39prove tonight. If we keep what's

3:08:41[clears throat] already on the books, he

3:08:43can he can return. Is that correct?

3:08:46>> So, if we we keep what's on the book, we

3:08:48don't pass any of this new stuff, he can

3:08:51return. And if something happens to him

3:08:53and he retires,

3:08:55>> could could you clarify that for me?

3:08:57>> If the existing ordinance stays on his

3:09:00books, correct? Then yes, as you've

3:09:02described it, it would be um it would be

3:09:05the case that those number of permits

3:09:07would be permitted and if someone ceased

3:09:09that activity, someone else could come

3:09:11in and secure that that permit. The

3:09:14change that was requested is what

3:09:16prevents that. Um so yes, if you if it

3:09:20reverted to just keep everything as the

3:09:21ordinance is currently, then everybody

3:09:24would return back to their places that

3:09:26they were at and there would be no

3:09:28limitation on that changing hands over

3:09:30time.

3:09:31Thank you. Thank you for that

3:09:33clarification.

3:09:33>> Got uh Commissioner Thornton and

3:09:35Commissioner Hamby.

3:09:36>> I personally uh would support

3:09:40Commissioner Meyer's um

3:09:43uh motion because

3:09:46um it's about opportunity and and it's

3:09:50talking about economic development. We

3:09:52keep Mr. King and any other folk that

3:09:56might want to do that. So it it's it's

3:09:59really and I I'm I'm not sure about a

3:10:02park and why you can't stroll and get a

3:10:05hot dog or a taco. Um that to me is park

3:10:09activity. Also, I think I am bothered

3:10:12that such a request came to us. I really

3:10:16am bothered more about that than uh

3:10:20where the corner or where he st uh or

3:10:23whoever is that. You know, we we we need

3:10:25to be encouraging folks [clears throat]

3:10:28um in all of these um venues. Now, if it

3:10:32doesn't uh if Commissioner Meyers um

3:10:35doesn't pass, I definitely will go with

3:10:37the Hamby and um uh Johnson CDO. But I

3:10:43do think that

3:10:46I don't know. I don't know. I certain

3:10:48people think they own downtown. I guess

3:10:50I don't know. But I don't think that we

3:10:52should shut people out on no

3:10:55circumstances.

3:10:57>> Sure.

3:10:57>> Commissioner H.

3:10:58>> Thank you, Mayor. And you know, I was

3:11:00looking at the the co that we worked on

3:11:02together as a way to compromise and to

3:11:05solve the solve what we're trying to do.

3:11:07We're trying to um we already limit the

3:11:11number of vendors that are downtown

3:11:13anyway. So that's that's not changing.

3:11:15We're just we're just limiting where

3:11:18they could go. Not for right now. Not

3:11:21with two vendors right now. They'll be

3:11:23able to go there, but then like Judge

3:11:25was saying, they're grandfathered in,

3:11:26which is what Commissioner Thornton was

3:11:29asking about on the phone last week. Uh,

3:11:31and um, so that's what we took into

3:11:34account and and worked a compromise in

3:11:36order to do that. And I think the

3:11:38compromise is good because it not only

3:11:41allows for some somebody's business to

3:11:43go through, it allows for us to make

3:11:46sure that as we move forward that um, if

3:11:49if the future commission wants to change

3:11:50it back, that's fine. But we but I also

3:11:53want to make sure that we're we're

3:11:54mindful of like I think it was

3:11:57Commissioner Wright said or somebody

3:11:59said that there's there's already a

3:12:01brickandmortar ice cream store. There's

3:12:03already a brickandmortar um coffee shop

3:12:06and chicken place and um so you know and

3:12:10that th those folks also pay into pay

3:12:12into the system. So we can't we can't

3:12:14ignore that. One final point is when we

3:12:18were discussing food trucks, we don't

3:12:19allow food trucks just to go anywhere.

3:12:21They have to go to a certain spot. So,

3:12:23so we want to make sure that we're we're

3:12:26mindful of of all of that and make sure

3:12:28we're mindful of all of the business

3:12:30activity that wants to go on downtown.

3:12:32Thank you. I should I'm ready to vote.

3:12:34>> Commissioner Link.

3:12:35>> Yeah. I just want to remind everyone

3:12:36that a vote for this CDO means that

3:12:40>> when Mr. King retires, you will never

3:12:42get another hot dog vendor on in

3:12:44college. Let me just hear Commissioner

3:12:46Link

3:12:46>> in College Square, right? It eliminates

3:12:48the prospect of prepared foods. So, Mr.

3:12:51King will not be replaced by another hot

3:12:53dog vendor. You might have somebody with

3:12:55like packaged cookies, but there's not

3:12:58the possibility for that particular kind

3:13:00of business or an ice cream vendor or a

3:13:03taco vendor. It's it's specifically

3:13:07prepackaged foods that will only be

3:13:09allowed. I just want to remind everybody

3:13:11that

3:13:11>> we're going to move to a round robin

3:13:13vote in a moment on the substitute

3:13:14motion, but I'm going to have attorney

3:13:16Drake read the ordinance. So that's in

3:13:17front of us.

3:13:18>> Ordinance to amend the code of Athens,

3:13:19Clark County, Georgia with respect to

3:13:21street sales and for other purposes.

3:13:23>> All right. Thank you. All right. We're

3:13:24going to begin with

3:13:25>> I had something else. I think Hammy did

3:13:26too.

3:13:28>> No, I'm good. I'm ready.

3:13:29>> But I do have something to say

3:13:30>> very quickly. Commissioner, I

3:13:31Commissioner Link, I would accept a

3:13:33friendly amendment. I I don't I think

3:13:35that's a great idea. I mean I will

3:13:38friendly amendment is to just deny the

3:13:39whole thing and let everything

3:13:40>> Well, let me read something to you

3:13:42because it's not the same. It does

3:13:44eliminate food preparation and it's on

3:13:46page two.

3:13:49>> The substitute motion is to um keep

3:13:52status quo

3:13:53>> keep just ignore ignore the original

3:13:56agenda all together

3:13:58>> just like it didn't come before us.

3:13:59>> Right. Right.

3:14:01>> Okay.

3:14:02>> Yeah. Just if you vote no, it just

3:14:03returns to the status quo.

3:14:05>> All right. So, we're going to begin a

3:14:06round robin vote with Commissioner

3:14:07Myers.

3:14:08>> Meyers,

3:14:09>> I get it.

3:14:10>> Yes to deny.

3:14:13>> Then,

3:14:14>> yes to deny.

3:14:15>> Hamby,

3:14:16>> no.

3:14:18>> Davenport,

3:14:19>> no.

3:14:20>> Link,

3:14:21>> yes to deny.

3:14:22>> Taylor,

3:14:23>> no.

3:14:24>> Wright,

3:14:25>> no.

3:14:25>> Fisher,

3:14:26>> no.

3:14:27>> Johnson,

3:14:28>> no.

3:14:29>> Co Pepper,

3:14:30>> no.

3:14:31>> Seven no and three yes. All right, we

3:14:34return to the original motion.

3:14:36>> All right, from Commissioner Johnson.

3:14:39>> Johnson,

3:14:40>> yes.

3:14:41>> Co Pepper,

3:14:42>> yes.

3:14:42>> Meyers,

3:14:43>> yes.

3:14:43>> Thornton,

3:14:44>> yes.

3:14:45>> Hamby,

3:14:45>> yes.

3:14:46>> Davenport,

3:14:47>> yes.

3:14:47>> Link,

3:14:48>> yes.

3:14:49>> Taylor,

3:14:52>> yes.

3:14:53>> Wright,

3:14:54>> yes.

3:14:55>> Fisher,

3:14:55>> yes.

3:14:56>> Tim, yes.

3:14:58>> All right, everybody. Thanks for

3:14:59playing. All right. Uh, moving on to

3:15:01item 19. the lease agreement with modern

3:15:03age uh DBA the smoker's den for retail

3:15:07use of 289 College Avenue. Do I hear a

3:15:09motion

3:15:09>> to approve 1AB?

3:15:11>> All right. Motion from Commissioner

3:15:13Wright, second from Commissioner Taylor.

3:15:15Commissioner Wright, any remarks?

3:15:16>> 9:15 ready to vote.

3:15:19>> Commissioner Taylor, any followup?

3:15:21>> Yeah, I haven't been down there yet, so

3:15:22don't change nothing. [laughter]

3:15:24>> You're so excited.

3:15:27Commissioner Johnson,

3:15:29>> I just wanted to follow up with the

3:15:30manager's office to see if they had

3:15:32started [music]

3:15:33um looking into assessments for the

3:15:37second and third hand smoke.

3:15:39>> Yes, ma'am. So, in the

3:15:41>> in the follow-up report, yeah, you'll

3:15:43have seen a couple of things that were

3:15:45established. One is that um there's no

3:15:48common HVAC systems between the multiple

3:15:50units. The second is we surveyed staff

3:15:53from uh both adjacent tenant spaces

3:15:56because there is an ordinance

3:15:58application here. Uh the tenants

3:16:00furthest away, which happens to be the

3:16:02police department said they've never had

3:16:04any issues. The tenants adjacent said we

3:16:07haven't had any issues recently. We do

3:16:09occasionally smell tobacco and it seems

3:16:11to be mostly when the staff is coming

3:16:13and arriving in the morning. Mhm. Um and

3:16:15so with that in mind, we have seen

3:16:18nothing that establishes an ordinance

3:16:21potential ordinance violation.

3:16:23Certainly, if that condition changes for

3:16:26the folks that are in the downtown

3:16:27parking office, we'd be happy to address

3:16:29it.

3:16:31>> Okay.

3:16:33>> Any further input?

3:16:36All in favor, please say I.

3:16:37>> I.

3:16:38>> Any opposed?

3:16:40>> All right. Hearing none, motion carries.

3:16:42All right. Uh 20 is really just an

3:16:43administrative cleanup of the uh ADDA

3:16:46parking management agreement. Entertain

3:16:49a motion regarding this

3:16:50>> motion to approve 1AB.

3:16:53>> Second.

3:16:54>> Got a motion from Commissioner Wright,

3:16:55second from Commissioner Hamby.

3:16:57Commissioner Wright, any input on this?

3:16:58>> 918. Ready to vote.

3:17:00>> Commissioner Hamby, anything? Anyone

3:17:02else? All [snorts] in favor, please say

3:17:03I.

3:17:04>> I.

3:17:04>> Any opposed? Hearing none. Motion

3:17:06carries. Right. Uh 21 is the uh rights

3:17:09of way ordinance and homeless support

3:17:11updates. Um I do want to go ahead and

3:17:14set the table for the conversation. Uh I

3:17:16assigned this task to a committee

3:17:19comprised of the standing committee

3:17:21chairs, Commissioner Fischer,

3:17:22Commissioner Myers, and Commissioner

3:17:23Davenport over a year ago uh largely to

3:17:26clarify our existing use of those places

3:17:30that are designed for moving where where

3:17:33you expect tires and feet. um because

3:17:36there had not been some clarity uh given

3:17:39that there was real variability upon

3:17:41enforcement of uh moving on those spaces

3:17:45based on the volume of activity. Uh we

3:17:47took an initial swing at this and it

3:17:49didn't quite get what we needed. So we

3:17:51returned to the committee and they

3:17:53recommended effectively adoption of the

3:17:56ordinance that exists presently in

3:17:58Savannah and Atlanta and Rome and

3:18:00Gainesville and some other Georgia

3:18:01communities. Um two months ago uh this

3:18:04body I think understandably saw that as

3:18:06an over broad ordinance because it

3:18:09really addressed all public spaces uh

3:18:12not just rights of way that are intended

3:18:14for [clears throat] moving but other

3:18:15properties of which the unified

3:18:17government has many hundreds. Um so we

3:18:20we returned again to the committee work

3:18:22and um fortunately were able to uh

3:18:24receive committee unanimous support uh

3:18:28of an ordinance that that did just

3:18:30really impact commercial rights of ways

3:18:32which is of course those kinds of places

3:18:34where we've gotten the most feedback

3:18:36from community members uh to ensure that

3:18:40those spaces again sidewalks, bikeways

3:18:43and and streets are places for movement

3:18:46and not places for laying or camping.

3:18:49um the way that this ordinance is

3:18:51crafted

3:18:52following the sort of administrative

3:18:55necessities uh through the police

3:18:57department uh downtown would be

3:18:59implemented first. Um and and I think

3:19:02manager Cal can speak to this in a

3:19:03little bit probably in two or three

3:19:05months time really after the sort of

3:19:07normal training that goes into effect

3:19:08with any adoption of an ordinance and

3:19:11then six months after signing it would

3:19:13go into effect in our other commercial

3:19:15corridors. So, commercial neighborhood,

3:19:17commercial office, commercial general,

3:19:19and commercial rural.

3:19:21Uh, appreciate all of the work that was

3:19:24done and and certainly appreciate all of

3:19:25the input that we received over the last

3:19:27few months on this matter generally. Uh,

3:19:30I've said to many people that when

3:19:32you're involved in the life and health

3:19:34of a community, as everybody in this

3:19:36room is, and so many people who are

3:19:38listening tonight, you're doing very

3:19:40many things at once. Um this is

3:19:43multiaceted work and it takes a lot of

3:19:45effort. Uh it's not not unlike opening a

3:19:48business or forming a band or raising a

3:19:51child. Um you're doing many things at

3:19:53once and in any of those endeavors you

3:19:57have to keep working at all the aspects

3:19:59of that. So you know in a band if your

3:20:02drummer's playing lousy rhythm you don't

3:20:04tell your guitar player to stop

3:20:05practicing. Tell your drummer, "Keep

3:20:08learning this craft while your guitar

3:20:10player continues to improve as well."

3:20:12Uh, when I get my kids report card, as I

3:20:14did recently, and I saw that [snorts]

3:20:16math and language arts are both looking

3:20:18good, but math is looking a little bit

3:20:20better. I'm going to tell Noah, keep

3:20:22working on all those things. Uh, so my

3:20:26public service prayer to this body uh is

3:20:30twofold. And one, it's that you continue

3:20:33to work toward better lives for all of

3:20:36our residents. You know, as speaker

3:20:38stated, we've historically had a poverty

3:20:40rate of at least 25% in this community

3:20:43for the entire time this has been a

3:20:44place named Athens. And we're going to

3:20:46have to continue to work on making sure

3:20:48that people who are falling on hard

3:20:51times have better opportunities. Um, but

3:20:54my second prayer would be that you act

3:20:56tonight rather than kick the can down

3:20:58the road. um because we all deserve to

3:21:01have spaces that are inviting. Um and

3:21:04again, this work is going to have to

3:21:05continue. I have three months left in

3:21:07this role. Um but but everybody in the

3:21:10room here is going to continue beyond.

3:21:12Um so uh that's what I have to offer.

3:21:14And so at this point, I would uh

3:21:16entertain somebody to place a motion on

3:21:18the floor.

3:21:19>> I make a motion to um accept the

3:21:22rightway ordinance uh right away and

3:21:25homeless support ordinance with an

3:21:27amendment.

3:21:28>> Yes. And please read that if you would.

3:21:29>> My amendment to approve the ordinance

3:21:32amending the language to refer to refer

3:21:35a 90day delay in uh in effect versus the

3:21:4060 days. and with the direction um to

3:21:44staff

3:21:45in those 90 days to continue to work

3:21:48with the community partners including

3:21:50the homeless resolution committee and

3:21:53others who want to create and finalize

3:21:55an outcomebased framework for the

3:21:58outreach and supportive services

3:22:00included in theus responsibilities and

3:22:04roles and I al and also to address the

3:22:08$1 million.

3:22:10Thank you, Commissioner. Is there a

3:22:12second?

3:22:13>> I'll second with a

3:22:15>> got a request for an additional

3:22:18amendment possibly or to clarify the

3:22:20language about the million dollars.

3:22:24>> Um,

3:22:26>> I'd like to clarify that we include an

3:22:29immediately actionable plan for

3:22:31emergency housing andor a day center to

3:22:34be presented to us within 60 days with

3:22:37by by our December voting session. Could

3:22:40we review that?

3:22:42>> Huh?

3:22:43>> So, it's some some clear some clear

3:22:45direction as to how that million dollars

3:22:47is getting spent before this ordinance

3:22:49[clears throat] goes into action.

3:22:50>> 90 days.

3:22:52>> So, so on a timeline that's a little bit

3:22:54different than what Commissioner

3:22:55Thornton presented

3:22:56>> before. I think thematically you're in

3:22:58the same ballpark, but you know, part of

3:23:01the challenge of this work is that um

3:23:04particularly Deputy Manager Saunders

3:23:06who's kind of working with the committee

3:23:08following our August charge um is

3:23:11necessarily piecing these things

3:23:13together in a manner that just takes

3:23:15time and and so I I would state that.

3:23:17So, is there a second to Commissioner

3:23:20Thornton's motion as framed? Okay.

3:23:23Second from Commissioner Fischer.

3:23:25>> I don't see nothing wrong with Melissa's

3:23:27so I just want to can I add my reasoning

3:23:29there?

3:23:30>> Well, let me let me go with the motioner

3:23:32and the second and then I'll follow up

3:23:33with you. Commissioner Thor.

3:23:36>> Um I heard everybody's concern tonight

3:23:40and I totally u was empathetic for um

3:23:44not just the uh our homeless population

3:23:46but for our business businesses. Uh I

3:23:50you know this homeless situation did not

3:23:52just happen and I was sitting here

3:23:54jotting down some numbers. Um and that's

3:23:58why I do think that the the the million

3:24:01dollars which I understand is probably a

3:24:02drop in the buck bucket

3:24:05um needs to be um

3:24:08designated. In 2005, we um $7.9 million.

3:24:14We built the arch um which was the

3:24:17transition from with the Navy school. In

3:24:21uh 2021, we spent over $300,000

3:24:25in what we call the ART, [clears throat]

3:24:27which was the uh alternative um uh

3:24:32response team. Uh we also spent 2.5

3:24:36million on the homeless encampment. In

3:24:382021, we invested in the housing study

3:24:42by um Global Bright. In 20 2024, we

3:24:48spent one uh one over $1 million with

3:24:52the Athens Homeless Coalition. In 2026,

3:24:57the ideas for lockers for um homeless

3:25:00people, some uh homeless population that

3:25:03got lost. We never followed up with

3:25:05that. We have had we have shut down two

3:25:07homeless shelters that provided shelters

3:25:10for homeless folk um on Barber Street

3:25:13and North Avenue. And here we are in

3:25:162026

3:25:18with no solution after all this money

3:25:21that we have invested. The question

3:25:24becomes not about the money, but how are

3:25:28we using the money? I'm not going to try

3:25:30to track the money. I'm not going to try

3:25:32to see who got what. I'm just reading

3:25:34this and you can Google it your own

3:25:35self. Um, but I think giving us those 90

3:25:39days, look at the things you do wrong

3:25:42that we the mistakes we've made. That's

3:25:44how you fix stuff. You don't just kick

3:25:46the um the can down the road until it

3:25:50gets where it goes. We there there are

3:25:52some mistakes here. We've put enough

3:25:55money into the homeless community that

3:25:58our downtown um folk should not have to

3:26:02be struggling the way they're

3:26:04struggling. So, this was my reasoning. I

3:26:07I want to respect the folk downtown, but

3:26:10I will not ignore um our our homeless

3:26:14populations. Um, our victims should not

3:26:18be blamed because of some dollars. So

3:26:21that's that's my sense.

3:26:23>> Right. Commissioner Fischer.

3:26:24>> Yeah.

3:26:26[clears throat]

3:26:26Commissioner Thom could be one better.

3:26:28>> Uhoh.

3:26:29>> Since 2020

3:26:32up to 2026, we have spent $30 million

3:26:36on homelessness.

3:26:38Opera [clears throat] funding 17

3:26:40million.

3:26:41>> Splash 5 million. Continuing for care 3

3:26:45million institute fund 430,000

3:26:49community partnerships 2.1 million CBDG

3:26:531.3 million so when people step to that

3:26:57u podium and sort of blame us for not

3:27:00doing our job look what we've done over

3:27:02the last six years and then look at

3:27:04where we are.

3:27:06So for me, we got to start doing

3:27:10something the right way. Now, as far as

3:27:12the million dollars goes, and this is my

3:27:14understanding, the million dollars will

3:27:17be used for space that we can find to

3:27:20relocate people possible. That that will

3:27:23start. I think what we need to start is

3:27:25I think um Mr. Scott made a very good

3:27:28point. This is not a government problem.

3:27:31This is a community problem. We need

3:27:34everybody involved if we want to get

3:27:35this right. Um I think we got to really

3:27:40take a look to Commissioner Thornton

3:27:42point. What are some things we did good?

3:27:45What are some things we doing bad? Now

3:27:47when we started this process and started

3:27:49talking about this ordinance

3:27:52and it didn't pass, then everybody

3:27:54started scrambling. Okay, we're going to

3:27:56start doing this. Well, those things

3:27:58should have been done years ago.

3:28:00>> We had to come up with an ordinance to

3:28:01make people move. Mhm.

3:28:05>> And now here we are. So I don't want

3:28:08people saying that we don't care about

3:28:10our homeless population. $30 million.

3:28:14>> It's a lot of care from just just just

3:28:17this government. $30 million. So if we

3:28:21going to move the needle, that's what we

3:28:23got to start doing. We cannot do

3:28:24nothing. And I'll say this and I'm I

3:28:26I'll be quiet. All of us live in some

3:28:29type of space, some neighborhood

3:28:32where we expect the same thing in our

3:28:34neighborhood. Would you expect somebody

3:28:36to come in your neighborhood and sleep

3:28:38in sleep in front of your house?

3:28:40No, you will call the police and say

3:28:42somebody's front of my house sleeping.

3:28:45So why should our business owners

3:28:46downtown has to endure the same thing?

3:28:50So it's just not fair to those

3:28:53individual and it's not fair to our

3:28:54neighborhoods if people go into those

3:28:56neighborhoods and start sleeping in

3:28:59those neighborhood. So what we got to do

3:29:01is get help. We got 60 beds coming

3:29:03online um with advantage that give us 90

3:29:06beds for mental health and substance

3:29:08abuse. So that's a start. We got to

3:29:11start somewhere. But we can't keep going

3:29:14down this road and we can't kick keep

3:29:16kicking this can down the road as we

3:29:18move forward. We got to come up with a

3:29:20plan and that plan I want to support

3:29:22this ordinance. I'm support all my

3:29:24colleagues, Commissioner Thornton's um

3:29:26motion for us to vote in the affirmative

3:29:29on this.

3:29:30>> Got uh Commissioner Lincoln,

3:29:31Commissioner Meyers.

3:29:32>> Yeah, I mean I I'll agree with one of

3:29:34the speakers that this is putting the

3:29:36cart before the horse. you know, feel

3:29:38like this is improved and that there's

3:29:40actual funding attached to some

3:29:42solution, but a million dollars floating

3:29:45in the ether as a budget line item is

3:29:48not a roof over somebody's head. It is

3:29:51not a new day center for somebody to go

3:29:53to when the police come along and tell

3:29:55them to move along. Um, you know, I

3:29:58believe we need to put a deadline on

3:30:01that actual structure that gives people

3:30:04a place to go when the police set to

3:30:07enforcing this ordinance. Otherwise,

3:30:09it's nothing but punitive and we're

3:30:11passing the problem on to our officers

3:30:12and on to our sheriff and the jail.

3:30:15>> Commissioner Myers.

3:30:17>> Yeah. Um, let me pull this down for a

3:30:19second. Um, you know, speaking of the

3:30:23money situation, I'm glad you all

3:30:24brought up the money here because for

3:30:26one of one of the things I've been

3:30:27thinking through here, um,

3:30:30and that is with this ordinance with

3:30:32with the some of the conditions that

3:30:35we're putting into effect that are we

3:30:37are being spurred to do because of the

3:30:39ordinance. And I was thinking about why

3:30:41am I supporting this now if there's not

3:30:44all that money to to help everyone be

3:30:47housed immediately. And when you all

3:30:49bring up how much money we've spent,

3:30:51it's clear to me even if we put $3

3:30:53million now, there are still going to be

3:30:55people homeless downtown and we're not

3:30:57going to have that set up. So, and we're

3:31:01still going to have people talking to us

3:31:03about this situation on the streets and

3:31:07we're going to be spending a lot of

3:31:08efforts discussing that. This is an

3:31:10ordinance um that only addresses

3:31:12camping. And so I did I I kind of want

3:31:15to bring the discussion back to the

3:31:17ordinance itself. Um and this new

3:31:19version has along with it I think if you

3:31:21if you read the managers not the well

3:31:23the the committee report um there are

3:31:27three things in there along with the

3:31:29ordinance language and that's what we're

3:31:30discussing. One is the a police

3:31:32department the the co-responder team

3:31:35working out of downtown. One is the

3:31:37partnership between the local homeless

3:31:39providers that some of them have have

3:31:42already talked to me about how this is

3:31:43actually spurring them to do something

3:31:45that's very needed. Um I think Evan

3:31:47Mills spoke to this. And then one is a

3:31:50million dollars that's pledged and it's

3:31:52pledged bec. It's the word pledge is

3:31:55specific because we don't have the

3:31:57specific plan for it. And in the meeting

3:31:59I was like well we should put something

3:32:01in there right away. And I'm like, we're

3:32:04not going to get that done exactly in 60

3:32:06days. And so I think all of us are here

3:32:09saying this out loud. We're gonna we're

3:32:11going to follow that money, but to wait

3:32:14on putting the ordinance in place until

3:32:16that's done. We might be waiting a long

3:32:19time on that. So now I'm I want to talk

3:32:22about the ordinance itself and ask some

3:32:24questions on this um and with the

3:32:26attorney and the manager's office. and

3:32:29one relates actually to Commissioner

3:32:31Thornton's um amendment. The one for the

3:32:34attorney is, you know, this is an

3:32:36ordinance that outlaws camping. I want

3:32:38to make it really clear. I had a

3:32:40constituent ask me, "Well, this means

3:32:42you can't be homeless downtown at all."

3:32:44And I said, "No, this this is very it's

3:32:47limited to camping and a definition of

3:32:49camping." And she said, "Well, it means

3:32:52you can't sit down." I said, "Well, my

3:32:53understanding is that it does mean you

3:32:55can sit down. you can sit down in a

3:32:56bench with your belongings next to you

3:32:59and you could not be cited on this. So,

3:33:02I I would like to ask the attorney if

3:33:04they could clarify under what kind of

3:33:06circumstances would an individual

3:33:08sitting on a bench with belongings next

3:33:10to them be cited for this ordinance as

3:33:12camping.

3:33:17And then I have a question for the

3:33:18manager.

3:33:19>> So, I guess a couple of things on that,

3:33:21Commissioner. One thing I'll point your

3:33:22attention to is subsection

3:33:26C of the ordinance that outlines certain

3:33:28exceptions. There's an entire list of

3:33:31type there's an entire list of behavior

3:33:33that is ex exempted from the ordinance.

3:33:35One of those reads um

3:33:39so in other words

3:33:41behavior accepted from this section

3:33:43includes but is not limited to the

3:33:45following. And paragraph six, excuse me,

3:33:48five says persons sitting on chairs or

3:33:51benches supplied by a public agency or

3:33:55or a budding private property. And so

3:33:58that may be a relevant exception in that

3:34:00particular scenario. But I think um

3:34:05>> one other thing that's important to

3:34:06understand is that

3:34:08>> this ordinance is going like whether a

3:34:10violation of this ordinance has occurred

3:34:12is going to be a very factintensive

3:34:14inquiry and it's going to depend on all

3:34:17the circumstances the totality of the

3:34:19circumstances as the officer in the

3:34:22field observes them at that particular

3:34:24time. Okay. And and so what you've

3:34:26commented on is that we have some very

3:34:28very long and very detailed definitions

3:34:30in this ordinance. My understanding is

3:34:33that the committee um purposefully did

3:34:35that to equip the officers with enough

3:34:37detail and so that when they're out in

3:34:39the field evaluating whether a violation

3:34:42has occurred, they have some very

3:34:43specific definitions that tell them

3:34:45whether someone is camping or whether

3:34:47they're not as

3:34:49>> or whether they are not camping. So, if

3:34:50I'm sitting on that bench with all my

3:34:52stuff there because I'm going on a trip

3:34:54and I have two suitcases and I'm waiting

3:34:57for someone and maybe they're late and

3:34:59I'm there for a long time. I can't be

3:35:00cited on this and you can't and I assume

3:35:03we can't cite people differently because

3:35:05I don't look homeless and someone looks

3:35:06homeless. Is that correct? What I'll say

3:35:09is I'm a little bit hesitant to engage

3:35:11in hypotheticals because it is a very

3:35:13fact intense question and I'm not at

3:35:15liberty to kind of speak for the officer

3:35:17that's out there observing you know

3:35:19various things and so I mean in that

3:35:21scenario I I think a lot of things would

3:35:23depend you know um there are a lot of

3:35:26facts that that would be outcome

3:35:28determinative and I can't really speak

3:35:30to

3:35:31>> okay well my I'm putting it forth as my

3:35:33understanding from having read that

3:35:35ordinance a whole lot that I would not

3:35:37be that we would not be citing people.

3:35:40Um but but that is that actually brings

3:35:42me to my second question and that is

3:35:45really talking to the manager. Um I'm

3:35:47going to ask a question as I originally

3:35:49had it and then sort of add in

3:35:51commissioner how commissioner um

3:35:53Thornton's or amendment would affect

3:35:56this timeline. Could you explain how the

3:35:58ordinance will be rolled out and a

3:36:00timeline for that and when would the ex

3:36:02and when would the community expect

3:36:04individuals to be cited with the

3:36:06official warnings and then full

3:36:07citation? Um I hear the please of

3:36:10holding off anyway that's all I need

3:36:13right now

3:36:14>> on that. How what's involved in that

3:36:17education piece and al also would we be

3:36:20starting that in 90 days or could that

3:36:22be going on right now before that 90

3:36:24days?

3:36:25>> Right. So, and I'll kind of do that

3:36:26chronologically. So, [cough] if the

3:36:28[clears throat] ordinance is passed, the

3:36:29first thing that will happen and that

3:36:30will happen this week is actually that

3:36:32the co-response unit will be re one of

3:36:34the co-response units will be relocated

3:36:35downtown. So, 90 days going on

3:36:38co-response unit which is of course as

3:36:40you all know our um mental health

3:36:42provider accompanied the police officer.

3:36:44They're assigned to to downtown. So,

3:36:46that will happen this week um as the as

3:36:49the rest of it goes on. Then what's

3:36:51happening in those let's say 90-day

3:36:53period is that the officers

3:36:56predominantly who are in downtown but

3:36:58also those that will be in these other

3:36:59areas are going through specific

3:37:02training. So they're looking and

3:37:03reviewing the ordinance and they're

3:37:05actually um talking through the way in

3:37:07which that ordinance would be both

3:37:10enforced but maybe even more importantly

3:37:12what the expectations of the police

3:37:14department and and frankly of us um in

3:37:16this room are which is as we have said

3:37:18all along which is the effort is to lead

3:37:21with trying to connect them to services

3:37:23first um and then ultimately seek

3:37:26compliance and the goal is not obviously

3:37:29citation. Um doesn't mean it wouldn't

3:37:31happen. And that's still left up to the

3:37:32discretion of the officer. Um, you know,

3:37:35one of the things always in these cases

3:37:36that make officers um anxious during

3:37:39these is um things can occur through

3:37:41those. And I moved past a hypothetical

3:37:44and say there was an individual in

3:37:45downtown that was sitting and the

3:37:47officer um approached them just to have

3:37:50a conversation. That person stood up and

3:37:52began publicly urinating. The officer

3:37:55made an arrest. Um and that was because

3:37:57they had committed something that was

3:37:58otherwise illegal. So you don't know

3:37:59what's going to transpire, but the

3:38:02objective is um again to try to connect

3:38:05them to those services. That's why we're

3:38:06moving that co-response. So that's

3:38:07that's happening initially. The

3:38:09education is going on throughout that um

3:38:12at least that 90 days if not uh if not

3:38:14longer than that. inside those 90 days

3:38:17and this would be true whether the

3:38:18ordinance passes as written or otherwise

3:38:20but inside those 90 days um all of the

3:38:23partners as you heard are working

3:38:25together to try to figure out how those

3:38:28um where necessary those formalus are

3:38:31entered into how they'll handle roles

3:38:32and responsibilities handoffs those are

3:38:34important because when that co-response

3:38:36team for example encounters someone and

3:38:39they make um a good contact and they

3:38:41have a relationship with them you know

3:38:43they're not there to to connect them to

3:38:44housing

3:38:45um somebody one of our other partners is

3:38:47and so we have to have those all

3:38:48established in place. Some of those

3:38:50already exist in other areas and

3:38:52informally we want to formalize more of

3:38:53those um all of that's happening during

3:38:56that period and I think what

3:38:57commissioner Thornon has asked is within

3:38:59within that 90-day period that's

3:39:01happening and it's happening to the

3:39:02point that we come back and report to

3:39:04you not how the conversation is going

3:39:06but here are theus here are the

3:39:08established roles and responsibilities

3:39:10here's how we're going to handle handle

3:39:11those kinds of arrangements with it. So

3:39:13that's kind of how that second piece

3:39:14will be working in it. The million

3:39:16dollars, I want to be really clear how

3:39:18it's structured because if you want to

3:39:19go in a different direction, you would

3:39:21need to make this clear, but the intent

3:39:22of the million dollars is actually to

3:39:24take funding that's identified in the

3:39:26housing um in the affordable housing

3:39:28fund and dedicate it for the purposes of

3:39:31either acquiring property or building in

3:39:34partnership with an operator, some one

3:39:36of our other partners who would actually

3:39:38operate some kind of temporary

3:39:40supportive housing. That's the It's not

3:39:42a It's not intended for a million

3:39:43dollars to go towards services. It's not

3:39:45a million dollars that would be divided

3:39:47up among 20 different nonprofits or

3:39:49anything like that. It is intended to be

3:39:51there to aid in the development of

3:39:53temporary supportive um housing with

3:39:55with the partner and that would include

3:39:57all these other things like a

3:39:59sustainability financing plan,

3:40:01identifying those properties and and so

3:40:02on. So that is not a shortterm solution.

3:40:06That is not short-term. So why I would

3:40:09not suggest that we would be in a

3:40:10position to commit to that um in 90

3:40:12days. That's just not going to happen.

3:40:13Conversations could happen.

3:40:15>> So whether or not Commissioner

3:40:17Thornton's amendment substitute motion

3:40:19passes the we would not expect the

3:40:22police to be you wouldn't change that

3:40:25timeline. You'd still be doing this

3:40:26stuff, but you would we wouldn't expect

3:40:28police to be giving citations themselves

3:40:31for several months at this even in the

3:40:34in with this roll out.

3:40:35>> Yeah. The caveat I would say and it goes

3:40:36back to to what was said earlier is if

3:40:39the ordinance is on the books, the

3:40:41officers are going through an education

3:40:42period and if for some reason they're

3:40:44there and there's an exchange that

3:40:46causes the officer to say I need to make

3:40:48that decision and make that that

3:40:50citation or whatever it might be. So it

3:40:52would if the desire is to assure that

3:40:55inside that 90 days relative to this

3:40:57ordinance there's no enforcement beyond

3:41:00education you would go with the uh the

3:41:02>> and when we have the citation when would

3:41:04someone end [clears throat] up in jail?

3:41:05>> What was it? I'm sorry.

3:41:06>> When would someone end up in jail once

3:41:08it's all running?

3:41:10>> I mean you know hopefully not at all. I

3:41:12mean that would be the objective because

3:41:14again you're trying to connect them to

3:41:15to services. It's practically the way

3:41:18this is typically going to work is, you

3:41:20know, an officer would approach an

3:41:22individual, inform them, remind them in

3:41:24this case of what the ordinance

3:41:26requires. Hopefully that individual will

3:41:28comply and and move on. Hopefully that

3:41:30gives us an opportunity to try to

3:41:31connect them to services. If they

3:41:34refused compliance, then most likely you

3:41:37would end up with some kind of warning.

3:41:39Could be a scenario too where they they

3:41:40got up and walked away, the officer

3:41:42walked away and comes back and they're

3:41:43in the exact same spot. I mean, that's

3:41:45when you start getting into enforcement

3:41:47on this particular ordinance. Again,

3:41:48there could be other things that are

3:41:50going on that would cause the officer to

3:41:51have to take a different action based on

3:41:54something separate from this ordinance.

3:41:55Um, so I mean, it really would just kind

3:41:58of depend on how that situation sort of

3:42:00unfolds as it as it works.

3:42:02>> Well, do we know how much the fines

3:42:04would be? That would be up to the judge.

3:42:06>> I'm going to look for that.

3:42:08I think this would default to the

3:42:10general penalty in section 1-1-5, which

3:42:13is um a $1,000 fine

3:42:16>> up to excuse me. Up

3:42:19>> up to a $1,000 fine. Thank you. Jesus

3:42:21and [laughter]

3:42:22>> which is all the

3:42:23>> six months in jail. That is the standard

3:42:24penalty for all ordinance violations

3:42:27clar county unless there's something um

3:42:29more specific for that. The other piece

3:42:31I would add and I realize that you know

3:42:33we've talked obviously about who the the

3:42:35likely focus of this of these

3:42:37interactions are and stuff but again as

3:42:40all of our ordinances this applies

3:42:41universally. I mean this applies across

3:42:42our entire population in these areas

3:42:44that are regulated. So um though I don't

3:42:47expect other people would um who are you

3:42:49know otherwise housed would choose to

3:42:51decide to camp but you know you

3:42:53certainly have those opportunities that

3:42:55might occur also um with it but and

3:42:58that's just to make it clear that it's

3:43:00applicable to everyone that's within the

3:43:02community.

3:43:03>> Thank you very much.

3:43:04>> Got Commissioner Johnson, Commissioner

3:43:06Thornon and Commissioner Link.

3:43:08>> Uh can you come back to me? I forgot my

3:43:10question.

3:43:11>> I'll return to you. Commissioner

3:43:12Thornon. Every question is the reason

3:43:16the amendment is important. If you're

3:43:19asking these questions now, these are

3:43:22the same questions that we have

3:43:23discussed in our working group. We've

3:43:26had the um the police chief and

3:43:29[clears throat] uh Evan has brought in

3:43:32different folk. So, the last thing we

3:43:35want to do is um um incarcerate a

3:43:41homeless person

3:43:43um and go through that. But we all agree

3:43:47even if they're incarcerated

3:43:51after going through all those steps,

3:43:53when they come out, we need to have

3:43:55resources

3:43:57>> to try to divert them. So, it's not just

3:44:00a matter of um

3:44:04it just being black and white. We were

3:44:06just trying to give support to the

3:44:09ordinance

3:44:11that will help our homeless population.

3:44:14So, that's why the MLUs are important.

3:44:17That's why the um roles and

3:44:20responsibilities

3:44:22um all of that we would like to have

3:44:24something um that you guys would look at

3:44:27and and and and the other thing is to

3:44:29monitor it. You know you we we we pass a

3:44:32lot of stuff and then after it get

3:44:35passed it just kind of disappears. So,

3:44:38the amendment is not to and also uh

3:44:42everybody on the committee agrees that

3:44:44the um business owners downtown,

3:44:47business owners all over um they're the

3:44:51reason we even have um some community,

3:44:55you know, their property taxes pay for

3:44:58some of the stuff that we need. So I I I

3:45:01shared that information about all the

3:45:04money we have already invested. The

3:45:06missing

3:45:09link is coordination

3:45:11and monitoring and outcomes. That's it.

3:45:16That is the the money the money has not

3:45:18been a problem in the past. It may be a

3:45:20problem in the future. But we have got

3:45:24to look at the mistakes that we've made

3:45:27figure it out. But the whole idea is not

3:45:30to just have people sitting on benches

3:45:32with their bags, but having them to have

3:45:35a quality of I don't I don't even want

3:45:37nobody to sit there for eight hours

3:45:40following the rules. We want people to

3:45:42move forward and help them where they

3:45:45need to be helped at.

3:45:47>> Commissioner Link, then I'll return to

3:45:48Commissioner Johnson.

3:45:49>> Um, so Manager Cell used the phrase

3:45:53comply and move on.

3:45:55Where are they expected to move to?

3:45:59>> Okay. Do we have a place to send them

3:46:01directly to? Is that in the in the plan

3:46:05here?

3:46:05>> Not if that interaction is with a police

3:46:08officer. If again, the intent would be

3:46:09to try to connect them to services if

3:46:12those services exist. I mean that's part

3:46:14of as Commissioner Thornton has

3:46:15mentioned that's part of that space of

3:46:18trying to figure out two things which is

3:46:21short-term what services do we have with

3:46:23our partners that we can connect them to

3:46:25immediately those are limited no

3:46:27question the other is and again this was

3:46:29the intent as I understand it of the

3:46:31million dollars was a recognition that

3:46:34there is still more need for that next

3:46:36step can you get them into kind of that

3:46:39temporary emergency housing that that

3:46:41just I think somebody said if we had $5

3:46:44million, $6 million, it's just going to

3:46:46take time to find a partner that can do

3:46:48that.

3:46:48>> But where do they go in the meantime?

3:46:50Say you're sitting on a bench nodding

3:46:52off with your stuff next to you. An

3:46:53officer realizes you're violating the

3:46:55ordinance. They wake you up and ask you

3:46:58to move on. You grab your stuff and you

3:47:00go around the corner and sit on a curb

3:47:03with your back against the light post

3:47:06and and then they come on and ask you to

3:47:07move on somewhere else. Like I just I I

3:47:10just don't see the effectiveness of this

3:47:13ordinance until we have actual physical

3:47:15places to send people directly to rather

3:47:18than comply and move

3:47:20[cough and clears throat] on. And and

3:47:21that could be and I'm not even talking

3:47:23about temporary supportive housing. I'm

3:47:26talking about a location, a day center

3:47:28where it's appropriate for folks to hang

3:47:30out that is a near downtown, easily

3:47:33accessible to downtown. Just as a

3:47:36reminder, too, I mean, in terms of a day

3:47:38center, the hours of operation for a day

3:47:41center are typically not going to be

3:47:43available during the times that we're

3:47:45talking about. So, a day center itself

3:47:47is is not

3:47:49>> So, maybe that piece is not a solution

3:47:51to

3:47:51>> a night center. I mean, just a space. We

3:47:54need a space where it's okay for these

3:47:56folks to exist.

3:47:59>> I think you should join the committee.

3:48:00Let me uh let me return to Commissioner

3:48:02Johnson and then if anybody else has

3:48:04input I'll

3:48:04>> minor rapid fire. Okay. So I just want

3:48:07to confirm I thought when the chief gave

3:48:09his presentation his annual update about

3:48:12three weeks ago he said the co-responder

3:48:14unit was going to be on dayshift. Can

3:48:16you confirm if that's correct or if I

3:48:18heard it incorrectly?

3:48:19>> Yes. So there we cover 247 with our

3:48:23co-response units. the co-response unit

3:48:26that is assigned to downtown will

3:48:30probably start with the daytime hours

3:48:32and then we'll have to adjust that based

3:48:34off of what makes the most sense as we

3:48:35move forward. Um there is a co-response

3:48:38unit always on duty um because they're

3:48:40serving the entire county and I know

3:48:42someone had asked earlier kind of like

3:48:44about 247 service as well. So you're

3:48:47also somewhat dependent on the other

3:48:48officers that are working downtown.

3:48:50>> So they have three or four different

3:48:52groups of co-responders.

3:48:53>> There's four.

3:48:53>> Four. Okay. Four and one is going to be

3:48:56assigned reassigned downtown. Okay. The

3:48:58next one um you mentioned um I'm not

3:49:01sure if it was Bob or if it was Mayor GZ

3:49:04mentioned partnerships with operators.

3:49:06Um does that mean there will be an RFP

3:49:08process for this funding?

3:49:12The I don't know yet. That's part of

3:49:14what we're trying to work through. And

3:49:15the reason I say that is because part of

3:49:18it could be if you remember the

3:49:20resolution that was approved, the

3:49:21homeless resolution also tasked us with

3:49:23identifying like

3:49:24>> it didn't say anything. It just had a

3:49:26lot of ideas without

3:49:27>> at the very end. Remember it said

3:49:28identify properties that could be used

3:49:30for this kind of purpose. So the reason

3:49:32the reason I hesitate is because it may

3:49:34be kind of a both and because it may be

3:49:37that we identify with ultimately your

3:49:39help a publicly owned piece of property.

3:49:42So we're not looking for property. We're

3:49:43saying this is the property and then we

3:49:44might issue out an RFP to say with this

3:49:46property who could be our partner that

3:49:48could do these things or we may decide

3:49:51you know it's really better to issue an

3:49:52RFP for the whole thing bring

3:49:54>> I like the idea of the RFP for the pro

3:49:56for whatever operator that could provide

3:49:58the the best program to meet the needs

3:50:00of the

3:50:02>> [clears throat]

3:50:02>> um emergency housing. Um and then

3:50:05someone mentioned earlier about the um

3:50:09house coming from through the land bank

3:50:11or or not a house but excuse me the um

3:50:13>> property

3:50:14>> prop is that is that

3:50:16>> yeah that's the other the other

3:50:17complication that we have here is though

3:50:19we've identified where the money um is

3:50:22available the million dollars sitting in

3:50:23the affordable housing we have no

3:50:24mechanism to get it currently out of

3:50:27that fund because if you recall we had

3:50:30before you all kind of the the steps for

3:50:32an administration for that um and we're

3:50:34still working through that because we

3:50:36went in a different direction.

3:50:37Obviously, you can partner with the

3:50:38housing authority directly if they were

3:50:40interested in something. Otherwise,

3:50:42we're likely to have to come back to you

3:50:44all and actually amend, if you will, the

3:50:47rules associated with the affordable

3:50:49housing fund so we can actually pull

3:50:51those out and get them to the right um

3:50:53the right party because there's actually

3:50:56limits on what we can do with those

3:50:57dollars and you all have placed limits

3:50:58on the buckets that those dollars are

3:51:00sitting in. So, in order to kind of

3:51:02affect this once we know what it is,

3:51:03we're probably have to come back and

3:51:04actually take a look at how we amend

3:51:06that part of the uh that part of our

3:51:08ordinances.

3:51:09>> Thank you so much.

3:51:10>> Thank you, Commissioner Taylor.

3:51:12>> Yeah. Um I appreciate all of the the

3:51:14conversation um around this. So, I'm

3:51:16going to keep it short because I do

3:51:18respect the fact that um the business

3:51:20owners and the Chamber of Commerce has

3:51:22said through this entire meeting um and

3:51:24the fact that you guys run businesses,

3:51:27you shouldn't have to endure what you um

3:51:29endure when people are having um mental

3:51:32episodes and using the bathroom outside.

3:51:34I wouldn't want to deal with that

3:51:35either. As a government, however, we do

3:51:38have buildings that are governmentally

3:51:41owned. Barber Street site is empty. It

3:51:43was once utilized by the encampment.

3:51:46>> Um, we know that it has its best, but if

3:51:50we can allow the arena to continue to

3:51:53get dollars to build even though the

3:51:56dirt was contaminated, we still we

3:51:57should be able to utilize that building

3:52:00and turn it into a 24hour

3:52:02um shelter. There's enough room for

3:52:04inside as well as outside activity as

3:52:08well as um parking. Um, I don't think

3:52:11that the county would have to use any

3:52:14money to um, purchase the property

3:52:17because we already own the property. We

3:52:19would just have to use money to fix the

3:52:21building up um, is close to downtown is

3:52:25on the bus line. And as far as sending

3:52:27out an RFP for um services, the fact

3:52:30that we give all of our um mental health

3:52:35providers money already, this should be

3:52:38an opportunity for them to come together

3:52:40and collaborate on what they're already

3:52:42doing, but in a space that is safe for

3:52:45not only them, but as well as Athenians.

3:52:48Um whether they're dropped off or got

3:52:50just got put out. Um, I think that the

3:52:52Barber Street site is um more than

3:52:55acceptable. Um, I think that it is um

3:53:00what we should be looking at. I don't

3:53:03think that we should put any guard rails

3:53:05on um because this whether it's voted

3:53:08down is going to come back. Um and so we

3:53:11keep saying kicking the can down the

3:53:13road. not using a site that we already

3:53:16own with dollars that we already have is

3:53:19kicking the can down the road because to

3:53:21Commissioner Link's point, people need

3:53:24somewhere to go. Um, and we don't want

3:53:28to have to deal with homeless people

3:53:29being murdered um because they're no

3:53:32longer downtown because unintended

3:53:34consequences when we vote on things, we

3:53:37don't think about those, but they meet

3:53:40us at our podium every Tuesday. And so

3:53:44just, you know, food for

3:53:48>> and the only thing I was going to add is

3:53:50um I think again Commissioner Taylor is

3:53:52is correct. That's another path that we

3:53:54certainly can go on. Looking at property

3:53:56we already own, then those dollars that

3:53:59have been identified in there once we

3:54:01figure out how to, if you will, unlock

3:54:02those from that would be used for the

3:54:06renovation of of an existing building,

3:54:08if that made made sense. still would

3:54:11ultimately either need to figure out how

3:54:13that's being operated or andor how your

3:54:17current service providers are coming

3:54:18into the mix. There are models out

3:54:20there. It was just that mayor and I were

3:54:22just at one in Warner Robbins where they

3:54:24spent a million dollars on renovating an

3:54:27existing building and the services are

3:54:29actually provided by their partners that

3:54:31come to that to that center. Their

3:54:34operating costs are limited pretty much

3:54:36to utilities and a single staff person.

3:54:38And I will say not paid by the

3:54:40government but actually paid by donors

3:54:43and others that were actually doing it.

3:54:45Then there are the models where you

3:54:47actually issue an RFP and say we're

3:54:49looking for partners [clears throat] and

3:54:51how do you do that piece that so I I

3:54:53think all of those should be quickly

3:54:56assessed or assessed as quickly as they

3:54:58can just recognizing even that example

3:55:00that was given it just it will even if

3:55:02we start it tomorrow on that it just

3:55:05takes the time that it takes to go

3:55:06through. Yes, I think that is one model

3:55:08that's out there that could be used for

3:55:09that purpose.

3:55:10>> I'm just going to um I told Mike I

3:55:12wasn't going to say anything else, but

3:55:14I'm gonna make it real quick. The the

3:55:16good thing about um what before when we

3:55:19talked about renovating Barber Street,

3:55:22it became a like government issue, you

3:55:25know, like HUD wouldn't approve this or

3:55:26we had to go through all but the fact

3:55:28that um this money is not government

3:55:32tied, we have a much freer hand to do

3:55:36some things. Um, I think that, um, um,

3:55:42the barber I've always thought the

3:55:44barber street would be excellent, but

3:55:46um, before, like I said, it was because

3:55:48it was tied funding would be tied to the

3:55:52renovation and repairs of probably HUD

3:55:55dollars or trying to find government

3:55:57money, but the trust fund will will

3:56:00alleviate or take that piece kind of way

3:56:03if it's a consideration. if it's a

3:56:05consideration and our business people

3:56:08can help us um with this. Okay,

3:56:13>> nodding [laughter] commissioner, I at

3:56:15least want to level set in that while

3:56:18use of federal dollars has different

3:56:20sorts of stipulations than use of local

3:56:23dollars, uh life, health and safety

3:56:26provisions around occupied structures,

3:56:28those still remain. So I just want to

3:56:30make that very clear. Uh, and that means

3:56:32not breathing in u

3:56:34>> asbesus.

3:56:34>> Asbestous. [laughter]

3:56:36That is exactly right. Uh, I'm gonna go

3:56:38ahead and get Commissioner Fischer and

3:56:39then I'm gonna have attorney Drake read

3:56:41the ordinance.

3:56:41>> Yeah, I would say let's go ahead and

3:56:43vote. Yeah,

3:56:44>> attorney Drake. Before I do, I just want

3:56:47to verify what I'm hearing on the the

3:56:49CDO is currently you're doing you were

3:56:50going to a 60-day educational period

3:56:53administratively. Now you're going to do

3:56:54a 90. I think in a and I think if I

3:56:58understood correctly though there's

3:56:59there's two timelines and there's an

3:57:01immediate and there's a 60-day

3:57:04currently the timeline about when the

3:57:05ordinance takes effect in the ordinance

3:57:07is in the commercial downtown district.

3:57:10Uh

3:57:13the

3:57:15there are two prohibited acts

3:57:16interference with ingress and egress and

3:57:18camping in specified transportation

3:57:20corridors. they it becomes effective

3:57:22immediately upon the ordinance be

3:57:23effective in the commercial downtown

3:57:25districts the way it's drafted in the

3:57:27other commercial J zone CGOC and CR

3:57:31becomes subject to those provisions on

3:57:33April 1st 2027

3:57:36uh the committee had specifically

3:57:37requested immediate implementation

3:57:39downtown and delayed imple

3:57:40implementation at other commercial

3:57:42corridors

3:57:42>> and I think your intent was that it be

3:57:44all delayed 90 days correct days

3:57:47>> so we would so what I'm hearing now is

3:57:49that we would also be belayed laying we

3:57:52uh uh effectiveness in the in CD

3:57:54commercial downtown until April 1st 2027

3:57:57as well.

3:57:58>> No,

3:57:58>> the April is 60. So it would go whatever

3:58:0090 days is out. So the what? May

3:58:02>> December January

3:58:04>> whatever it's late. We're trying to

3:58:06>> just want to make sure this is clear.

3:58:07>> Yeah, I got to make we got to make sure

3:58:08it's clear for

3:58:09>> January 6.

3:58:11>> All right. So in the commercial downtown

3:58:14see right now the way it's drafted in

3:58:16the other commercial zones not except

3:58:18for commercial downtown the effective

3:58:20date is it it becomes effective April

3:58:221st 2027 the way the ordinance was

3:58:24drafted

3:58:25>> in commercial downtown it becomes

3:58:27effective immediately but you want to

3:58:28change that to January

3:58:31>> 6 what the date is and that would be

3:58:33true

3:58:34>> for the other as well

3:58:35>> because it's 90 days for all

3:58:36>> it's 90 days

3:58:38>> well that's not when it was drafted I'm

3:58:39just tell it was what I said. I'm sorry.

3:58:43>> So, is the intent of the motion 90 days

3:58:46for all? So, January 6, 2027 for all.

3:58:49>> I didn't think that far, but yes, if

3:58:51that makes it simple. Yes.

3:58:53>> Well, we just got to have it in the

3:58:54orange. I just got to get it right.

3:58:56>> Okay.

3:58:57>> So, January 6th date in all zones.

3:59:00>> So, January 6th for all zones. Is is

3:59:02that

3:59:04>> all zones in? Okay.

3:59:06>> No.

3:59:09>> Is it 90? Okay. All right. That that's

3:59:1190 days from now. If the intent is 90

3:59:13days from now in all zones, that's

3:59:15January 6th.

3:59:15>> Oh, we're changing it to all zones.

3:59:17>> Yes.

3:59:18>> Okay.

3:59:19>> You're okay with that?

3:59:20>> I'm okay with that because we

3:59:21>> It's going to be the same process in

3:59:22all.

3:59:23>> Yeah, it's the same.

3:59:24>> Okay.

3:59:24>> Just as the committee reported out, it

3:59:27was immediately in commercial downtown

3:59:29and six months in other zones. Just just

3:59:32so you know what the distinction is. And

3:59:33so in some ways, this is splitting the

3:59:35difference and say 90 days in all zones.

3:59:37>> Yeah. Six.

3:59:39>> Okay. Just want to make sure everybody

3:59:41understands that. Do you need to read

3:59:42that ordinance, Attorney Drake?

3:59:43>> Yep. An ordinance to amend the code of

3:59:44Athens, Clark County, Georgia with

3:59:46respect to obstructing public sidewalks

3:59:47and streets and for other purposes.

3:59:50>> All right. Thank you. All right. I've

3:59:51got a motion on the floor and we're

3:59:52going to begin the roll call with

3:59:53Commissioner Thornton.

3:59:55>> Yes.

3:59:57>> Yes.

4:00:00>> No.

4:00:02>> Taylor,

4:00:03>> no.

4:00:04>> Excuse [clears throat] me.

4:00:05>> No. I don't know.

4:00:07>> Right. Yes.

4:00:09>> Fisher.

4:00:10>> Yes.

4:00:11>> Johnson.

4:00:11>> Yes.

4:00:12>> Co Pepper.

4:00:13>> Yes.

4:00:14>> Meyers.

4:00:15>> Yes.

4:00:16>> Yes. Two. No.

4:00:17>> All right. Thank you, Madam Clerk.

4:00:18Motion carries. All right. Uh item 22 uh

4:00:21is just the nominating report for the

4:00:23board of elections appointment as we had

4:00:24a resignation.

4:00:26>> So moved.

4:00:27>> Is there a second?

4:00:28>> Second.

4:00:29>> All right. Uh all in favor, please say

4:00:31I.

4:00:32>> I.

4:00:32>> All right, everybody. Thank you very

4:00:34much. Just a reminder, you have the

4:00:36>> I I am aware. Yeah.

4:00:41>> No,

4:00:41>> not yet, but I will after this.

4:00:44>> Uh and and so the nominating committee

4:00:46report uh approved Janice Roundree for a

4:00:48partial term on the board of elections

4:00:50expiring 1231 2028. So, uh thanks to

4:00:54everybody who applied for those roles

4:00:56and um thank you for the commissioners

4:00:59who interviewed candidates. Uh and and

4:01:01thanks so much for Miss Roundtree. All

4:01:02right. Uh, I do need a motion for

4:01:04suspension of rules since we have an

4:01:05item of new business.

4:01:06>> So, move.

4:01:07>> Second.

4:01:08>> All right. Got a motion for suspension

4:01:10of rules from Commissioner Fiser and

4:01:12second from Commissioner Taylor. All in

4:01:14favor, please say I.

4:01:15>> I.

4:01:16>> All right. All right. Uh, item 23 now

4:01:19heard under suspension of rules is, as

4:01:22previously acknowledged, uh, a motion to

4:01:25explore [cough] affordable housing

4:01:27options for East Athens. And uh uh

4:01:30Commissioner Taylor, I'll ask you to

4:01:31place a motion on the floor for approval

4:01:32of this item.

4:01:33>> Yes. I would like to make a motion to

4:01:36approve and direct staff to look into

4:01:39options for affordable housing um

4:01:42ownership

4:01:45ownership um options as well as

4:01:49affordable housing options. Yeah. In

4:01:53district three.

4:01:54>> Second.

4:01:55>> All right. We got second from

4:01:56Commissioner L.

4:01:57>> It's going to be better.

4:01:58>> All right. Uh

4:01:59>> it'll be better.

4:02:00>> Commissioner Taylor, any remarks?

4:02:01>> Yes. So, um just to piggyback on all of

4:02:05the conversation that we had tonight as

4:02:07far as homelessness. There is a um a

4:02:10building in the center [clears throat]

4:02:11of my community that is up for sale. The

4:02:14um prior owner was actually here at the

4:02:16podium speaking out against homelessness

4:02:18tonight. Um his dad died, they sold it,

4:02:21and now it's being sold again. Um, and

4:02:23so I brought this option to the body to

4:02:26discuss purchasing the building um, or

4:02:29looking at pathways um, to purchase the

4:02:31building so that we can keep those

4:02:33tenants in place as well as keep the

4:02:35units affordable. As of right now, the

4:02:38units, the most expensive unit within

4:02:40those 28 units are $870. And it's $870

4:02:43because those units have been um,

4:02:46upgraded. The other ones that haven't

4:02:48are still at $500.

4:02:51Um and so to a point um being a part of

4:02:55gig I also spoke with the Athens Land

4:02:57Trust um about it there is an appetite.

4:03:03I know that Jud told us not to meet with

4:03:05[clears throat] developers but I'm going

4:03:06to break that rule and I'm going to let

4:03:07you know what they say. Okay. Okay. But

4:03:11that Yeah. So I just want to keep it I

4:03:13want to keep it affordable. Um this is a

4:03:16um really big space. I'm not sure how

4:03:18many acres it is, but um Landress also

4:03:21has um they also have an appetite to

4:03:25build around the development to also

4:03:28utilize the space as well as there is a

4:03:30house that is still on the property. And

4:03:32the last occupant of that house was my

4:03:35late grandma and and it's been over like

4:03:3730 years and no one has lived in that

4:03:39house since. um land trust doing what

4:03:42they do have um you know they want to

4:03:46renovate it and do all the things home

4:03:50ownership as well as renters. And so I

4:03:53brought it to you guys because I want to

4:03:55say my community if we lose these 28

4:03:58units then inner east Athens um we won't

4:04:04survive it. So

4:04:05>> can can we go back to the motion that

4:04:08you read?

4:04:09>> Oh I'm sorry.

4:04:10Where's that piece of paper?

4:04:11>> This has been two weeks in the making.

4:04:14>> Where's that piece of paper? Cuz it was

4:04:17just like I did. Yeah. Where's that

4:04:19piece of paper? I can read it.

4:04:22>> Thank you.

4:04:22>> We know your motivation and your ideas,

4:04:24but let's let's go ahead and read that

4:04:26specifically for this motion. Let's do

4:04:29that. So, I make a motion to rec to

4:04:31direct the manager's office in

4:04:33consultation with the attorney's office

4:04:35and other appropriate staff to evaluate

4:04:38potential options available to the

4:04:40unified government and preserving

4:04:42existing affordable housing in East

4:04:44Athens, including potential funding,

4:04:47ownership structures, and report back to

4:04:49mayor and commission with options of

4:04:51further consideration. Okay, so boom.

4:04:54The reason why I went into that is

4:04:56because this language I love you Jud,

4:04:59but this language is vague and I know

4:05:01how this body kind of work and so I

4:05:03needed y'all to know exactly why I

4:05:05brought it to y'all so that there is no

4:05:08like gray area to say well we thought

4:05:10you meant this. I think I have been

4:05:13clear as to why I brought this to the

4:05:16body and I read it right. So I you know

4:05:19>> that's your motion.

4:05:20>> That's my motion.

4:05:21>> Right. And Commissioner Link any further

4:05:23remarks? Um, thank you. I I am just

4:05:25really eager to see the East Athens

4:05:28community get saved, preserved. I mean,

4:05:31the student gentrification is rampant.

4:05:34It has destroyed entire blocks of that

4:05:37community. Um, we got to do whatever we

4:05:39can to preserve East Athens for the

4:05:42folks who came up there. Um, you know, I

4:05:45have some experience with similar issues

4:05:48in the Hancock corridor. We were able to

4:05:51save a little corner of it. Um, I'm

4:05:53happy to do whatever I can in this

4:05:56process to um save bits and pieces of

4:06:00that community wherever we can.

4:06:04>> Commissioner Davenport, did you have any

4:06:06further remarks?

4:06:07>> No, I just thank u want to thank um

4:06:09Commissioner um Taylor um for her

4:06:13efforts and her passion to preserve a

4:06:16predominantly black um district. And

4:06:19what is a process for historic

4:06:22designation for a district? Is it

4:06:24>> there? There's a sort of an extensive

4:06:26process by which we would direct staff

4:06:28to prepare a report. So we we can we can

4:06:31get you information about

4:06:32>> Okay. Thank you.

4:06:35>> Uh Commissioner Co Pepper.

4:06:37>> Yeah. So question logistically we can't

4:06:40buy this. I mean we'd have to be in a

4:06:42partnership with the housing authority

4:06:44or something like that. Is that

4:06:45>> interest? Okay.

4:06:48Attorney Drake, why don't you

4:06:50>> I wrote a memo about that if y'all if

4:06:51you I sent it out. Attorney client

4:06:53privilege. If you look at that, I'll

4:06:54talk about some possible structures.

4:06:56>> Okay.

4:06:59>> Yeah. And I think for my sake, just so

4:07:01it it is said out loud that to kind of

4:07:05build off of what Commissioner Taylor

4:07:06has said is that, you know, this

4:07:08property that we're talking about is

4:07:10currently on the market for $2.2

4:07:11million. And so if I understand

4:07:14correctly, what we're what we're being

4:07:16tasked to do is to find if there is a

4:07:19pathway using in part the memo that was

4:07:22just referred to by which these units

4:07:25can be preserved. Not that we're being

4:07:27directed to go buy this unit and become

4:07:30an owner and landlord of property. But I

4:07:32I need to know that because certainly my

4:07:35recommendation would be that we not

4:07:36become a landlord. Um, I just want to

4:07:38make sure that everybody is clear that

4:07:39what we're being tasked with is can we

4:07:43using the confines were in that memo

4:07:45find a way in which to preserve these

4:07:47units. Arguably that's likely going to

4:07:50be finding money that goes into that

4:07:52partnership with with someone whoever it

4:07:54is. But I just want to make sure that

4:07:56that's kind of the understanding of

4:07:58what's what's being decided and stuff.

4:08:00So, okay.

4:08:01>> Right. Any further remarks?

4:08:04>> All in favor, please say I.

4:08:05>> I. Any opposed? All right. Hearing none.

4:08:08Motion carries. [clears throat] All

4:08:09right. Now is that time in the evening

4:08:10when we have public input on any item

4:08:12that was not on tonight's agenda. So if

4:08:14any member of the public would like to

4:08:15speak, now is that time.

4:08:27Good evening.

4:08:28>> Good afternoon again. Um, my name is

4:08:30Hampton Verino. Once again, I live at

4:08:32255 the preserve lane and I just wanted

4:08:34to speak in particular about the flock

4:08:36camera contract and about some uh recent

4:08:39public sentiment and reasons why we

4:08:41should maybe re-evaluate our current

4:08:43position on flock. Uh recently as some

4:08:45of you all might have heard of there was

4:08:47an AADM event in which they uh talked

4:08:50about flock and we heard a lot of

4:08:52questions from the community and broadly

4:08:54speaking I think um from my

4:08:56understanding currently there's a survey

4:08:57that is around trying to get public

4:09:00input but I think it'd be fair to say

4:09:02the consensus of that meeting was very

4:09:04skeptical if not very negative and that

4:09:06would reflect national polling on a

4:09:07topic as well. Uh looking at a variety

4:09:10of polls from Reuters, uh Ipsswitch, a

4:09:12bunch of notable polls, pollers, um

4:09:16there is either an outright majority of

4:09:17Americans who are disapproving of flock

4:09:20andor a plurality if you include uh you

4:09:23know folks who are unsure, do not want

4:09:25to take a solid position.

4:09:27[clears throat]

4:09:28I think that we have a lot of good

4:09:29reasons to

4:09:31>> I want to state that you know flock is

4:09:32something that is meant to be a tool for

4:09:35different firms but understanding for

4:09:37one their ownership that these are maybe

4:09:41questionable people who are owning that

4:09:43company um meaning you may be aware that

4:09:45Peter Theal is one of the co- um I

4:09:48believe co-founders of the organization

4:09:50as well as the fact that

4:09:53we've seen routine abuse of the systems

4:09:57of Of course, uh here in Athens, um

4:09:58we've had both an incident with the ACPD

4:10:01as well as the UG [clears throat]

4:10:04um police department. I believe it's

4:10:06been uh roughly 50 uh different uh flock

4:10:09um abuse um cases here in the state of

4:10:12Georgia. But even beyond that, uh we

4:10:16need to talk about the ways in which um

4:10:19federal agencies in which um the values

4:10:22of our community are not reflected in

4:10:23such as say ICE or um

4:10:28uh DHS. There are numerous ones you

4:10:30could point to will often um

4:10:34put in uh information to get flock

4:10:37searches that are often not true. This

4:10:39has been well documented with ICE in

4:10:40particular about them uh giving vague

4:10:42reasons to do searches on given

4:10:44individuals as well as the fact that I

4:10:46believe recently there's been a court

4:10:47case arguing that flock might be against

4:10:49the fourth amendment. Um I think that it

4:10:51would be important for us to re-evaluate

4:10:53our current position and maybe look to

4:10:55other places like currently in Atlanta

4:10:56an ordinance is being introduced in

4:10:58order to um put significantly more

4:11:01transparency on the system. Anyways,

4:11:03thank you very much.

4:11:05>> Thank you Hampton. All right. Thank you

4:11:07to everybody who came tonight.

4:11:11>> Line up if you're

4:11:16>> um Mayor Estella Tuisen. I'm a community

4:11:18organizer with Party for Socialism

4:11:20Liberation in Athens. I live at uh 385

4:11:23River Road. I am calling for the removal

4:11:25of flock safety automatic license plate

4:11:28reader cameras, also known as ALPR

4:11:30cameras. um nearly a hundred of which in

4:11:34Athens Clark County bring isol

4:11:37surveillance to our community. People in

4:11:40Athens strongly oppose the use of this

4:11:42camera cameras, but Athens Clark County

4:11:44continues to uphold their use of it even

4:11:47after a police employee used the cameras

4:11:50to stalk an ex-wife. To be clear, the

4:11:53threats posed by Flock and ALPR cameras

4:11:56do not come from just a few bad apples

4:11:59misusing the technology. The threats

4:12:01won't go away by simply firing a few

4:12:04people. This is because this is from an

4:12:06unjust system that prioritizes

4:12:08surveillance and repression over

4:12:10people's needs. The flock database has

4:12:12been used by ICE to assist in

4:12:14deportations and in at least one

4:12:16instance by Texas police to track a

4:12:19woman who was sus suspected to have

4:12:21traveled out of state for an abortion.

4:12:24While Flock claims they no longer

4:12:26contract with immigration authorities,

4:12:28ICE uses local police departments to

4:12:30access Flock's database to track people

4:12:33without a warrant. Flock has shared its

4:12:36data with ICE and US Customs and Border

4:12:38Protection across the country, including

4:12:40in Illinois where it was illegal to do

4:12:43so. So, Flock did it even though it was

4:12:44illegal. Currently, there is no law in

4:12:47Georgia that prohibits Flock from

4:12:49sharing data with these agencies. So,

4:12:52how can we be sure that we are safe?

4:12:55Federal immigration agents have already

4:12:57endangered our community, separating

4:12:59children from their families through

4:13:01unjust and violent detentions, harassing

4:13:04community volunteers who are dedicated

4:13:07to the safety of our neighborhood. So, I

4:13:09want to know what has this commission

4:13:10done to address those issues?

4:13:13The continued use of flock ALPR cameras

4:13:16only makes our immigrant neighbors more

4:13:19vulnerable to the unjust deportation

4:13:21agenda. An actually effective way to

4:13:24keep our community safe is to stop this

4:13:27racist deportation agenda, lift people

4:13:29out of poverty and fund our needs,

4:13:32including education, [clears throat]

4:13:33livable wages, affordable housing and

4:13:35health care. There are dozens of cities

4:13:37in this country who have already

4:13:39terminated their flocks, their contracts

4:13:41with flock, including a city in Florida.

4:13:44So, we can do it, too. Um, you know, one

4:13:46cameras was put in University Oaks, a

4:13:48predominantly black and brown community,

4:13:51a predominantly low-income community.

4:13:52[clears throat] Residents I spoke to in

4:13:54University Oaks did not know that this

4:13:56camera was there. Like, the people of

4:13:59Athens should should have a say and know

4:14:01what's going on in their community.

4:14:03Again, I call for the commission to

4:14:05terminate their relationship with flock

4:14:06safety, remove all of these cameras from

4:14:09Athens, Clark County, and the UG campus,

4:14:12and please initiate a transparent

4:14:14community-led review of surveillance

4:14:15practices. Thank you.

4:14:17>> Thank you, Mr. Solah.

4:14:18>> Good evening.

4:14:20[cough]

4:14:20>> My name is Maya Shvast. I live at 180

4:14:22Wedgefield Lane. Um, I am a longtime

4:14:26Athens resident. First moved here in

4:14:282015. Um, I am also here to speak about

4:14:31my concerns with flock safety and ALPR

4:14:33systems being used um, in Athens.

4:14:37Every single day I pass at least two or

4:14:40three flock cameras on my way uh, to

4:14:42pretty much anywhere I'm going. This

4:14:45means that no matter where I go on

4:14:48campus, off campus, anywhere in Athens,

4:14:52these systems can track my location as

4:14:57some as a community organizer, as a

4:15:00person of color. I do not feel safe

4:15:02driving [cough and clears throat]

4:15:03through this city because I feel like

4:15:06any of this information about where I'm

4:15:09going, what I'm doing can be used

4:15:10against me. This applies to a lot of

4:15:14people in our community. We were not

4:15:17asked. We did not have input about these

4:15:22surveillance systems being put into

4:15:24place everywhere we go. We cannot choose

4:15:28to opt out of it. We cannot choose to

4:15:31avoid it. They are everywhere. I call

4:15:35for the immediate removal of this of

4:15:38these unjust systems. I feel that

4:15:42we cannot truly live in a welcoming open

4:15:47city like Athens has been to me for most

4:15:50of my life

4:15:52if every single place we go is being

4:15:56tracked and if our information is in the

4:15:59hands of

4:16:00these big corporations who you know

4:16:03they're they're not even from Athens.

4:16:04They're not they're people who

4:16:07are not local, do not know us, but they

4:16:11can see where we are going. And yes,

4:16:14contracts may say that information will

4:16:18be deleted in 30 days. Who's to say that

4:16:21metadata is not being stored? Who's to

4:16:23say that any of this information is

4:16:26staying within the hands of the Athens

4:16:28clar county police department?

4:16:30it. We could say that it is, but at the

4:16:33same time, all of this is going in

4:16:36national databases. Flock uses AI

4:16:38systems that

4:16:41have been proven to have been used by

4:16:45ICE, DHS. They've been used in

4:16:46reproductive rights cases. And Athens,

4:16:49Clar County Police Department can say,

4:16:51"We do not allow these systems to be

4:16:55used for immigration or um reproductive

4:16:58rights purposes." But that doesn't apply

4:17:00to every department. How do we know that

4:17:03some How do I know that somebody from I

4:17:05don't know Texas isn't looking at my

4:17:08information and seeing where I am going?

4:17:10How do we know that any of us are safe

4:17:12if everywhere we go is being tracked? If

4:17:16we are being surveiled in every aspect

4:17:18of our lives and there is no option for

4:17:21us to opt out of it. Thank you.

4:17:23>> Thank you. I appreciate it very much.

4:17:25>> Good evening.

4:17:27>> Good evening y'all. Um, my name is

4:17:29Keegan Keegan Brooks. I live at 291

4:17:31South Finley Street. Um, I wasn't

4:17:33originally planning to comment today, so

4:17:35I apologize if I ramble a little bit.

4:17:37Um, first I just want to say I

4:17:38appreciate Commissioner Link's comments

4:17:40earlier about about food cart vendors.

4:17:42Um, I am a vegetarian, but I feel like I

4:17:44would love to live in a city with hot

4:17:45dog carts and, you know, and wonderful

4:17:47small businesses. Um, came here to speak

4:17:50kind of concerns um about ACCBD's flot

4:17:53cameras and their use in Athens. Um, I

4:17:55appreciate both state representative

4:17:57Eric Gizler and the anti- a anti- Athens

4:18:00anti-discrimination mo movement for

4:18:02hosting recent sort of kind of community

4:18:04meetings discussing these issues and

4:18:05also having uh representatives of the

4:18:07ACCPD to to kind of comment and answer

4:18:09questions. Um, from what I understand,

4:18:12the ACCPD owns roughly 30 something

4:18:15flock cameras in Athens and ACC Leisure

4:18:17Services owns two. And then there's

4:18:20another hundred so flock ALPR cameras in

4:18:22Athens that are privately owned by HOAs

4:18:24or apartment complexes or similar. Um, I

4:18:28think there's a lot of risks of of kind

4:18:30of these flock cameras in our community.

4:18:32I think community safety and public

4:18:34safety are important. Um I think the

4:18:36studies that have come out um using

4:18:38Atlanta and other cities that have shown

4:18:40you know the preponderance and explosion

4:18:42of flot cameras has not reduced crime

4:18:44clearance rates including of motor

4:18:47vehicle thefts which are in theory the

4:18:48crime they should be best at solving

4:18:50since they're license plate readers. Um

4:18:52additionally I appreciate you know the

4:18:54transparency in some ways of police

4:18:56representatives and the ACC police chief

4:18:58answering a lot of questions and talking

4:19:00about guardrails and audits they've put

4:19:02in place. Um, but even, you know, even

4:19:06if they say we're not, you know, they're

4:19:07not directly sharing data with with ICE

4:19:10or federal agencies, they're sharing

4:19:12data with agencies all across Georgia.

4:19:14And ACCPD doesn't have the regulatory

4:19:16ability or the audit capabilities when

4:19:18we have police officers or government

4:19:21employees at these other agencies in

4:19:23Georgia doing searches on on behalf of

4:19:26federal agencies or similar. I think

4:19:27there's also concerns about how it's

4:19:29not, you know, our city is not directly

4:19:31owned this data. If you look at the

4:19:33memorandum, um I've not seen the most

4:19:35recent kind of contractor memorandum,

4:19:36but if you look at the one that ACC

4:19:38signed in 2021 with the 5-year term,

4:19:41Flock owns and controls a lot of this

4:19:43data. Um, and so I think there's there's

4:19:46really real public safety concerns um of

4:19:49of surveillance and warrantless mass

4:19:51surveillance and you know this constant

4:19:53kind of watching of the public which

4:19:56doesn't have a lot of increased actual

4:19:58safety um for for our communities and

4:20:01based on what I've seen talking to my

4:20:03friends, neighbors, co-workers seems

4:20:05something that majority of Athens does

4:20:06not support and more than a 100 cities

4:20:08across the country have canled these

4:20:10flock contracts because of these

4:20:11concerns um and similar from civil

4:20:14rights and similar organizations. Um,

4:20:16thank you.

4:20:16>> Thank you, Mr. Brooks.

4:20:19>> Good evening,

4:20:20>> Mr. Mayor. Uh, members of commission.

4:20:22Um, well, thanks for the opportunity to

4:20:25just sort of, uh, riff over here. Um, so

4:20:27this isn't about flock. Um, and I'm

4:20:30going to be channeling my inner Tuy, the

4:20:32traffic safety squirrel. Um, so I spent

4:20:35a lot of time riding around on my ebike

4:20:37around uh, East Athens and of course all

4:20:39over downtown and everything. It's

4:20:41fantastic. I love the multi-use projects

4:20:43that are going in uh all over the city.

4:20:46Um but of note, uh let's see. So the uh

4:20:49the College Station speed trap that

4:20:51ACCPD is doing uh is fantastic. I hope

4:20:54they do it more. Um whenever I see those

4:20:56officers, I give them a wave and a

4:20:58thumbs up. I really appreciate that. Um

4:21:01but over at uh over at Gaines Elementary

4:21:03and Hillman, it's over on Gaines School

4:21:06Road. Um, we have a bit of a traffic

4:21:09problem where um, there's a lot of

4:21:12people that are speeding when the school

4:21:14lights are flashing. Um, I saw one guy

4:21:18blow past the clock doing 57 miles an

4:21:21hour. Um, and that's that little

4:21:24speedometer thing right at the beginning

4:21:25of the uh, school zone. And I'm

4:21:28sincerely concerned for those kids

4:21:30safety. So, um, if there's any

4:21:33opportunity to get like a, uh, speed

4:21:34trap camera or, uh, perhaps, uh,

4:21:38increased police presence in that area,

4:21:39especially during those school zone

4:21:41times. Um, that would be fantastic. Uh,

4:21:45last I checked, uh, those schools were

4:21:47the areas that we were sending our deaf

4:21:50students. So, any increase that we can

4:21:52do in traffic safety would be fantastic.

4:21:54can also it would enable kids be able to

4:21:56walk to and from school uh in a more

4:21:59safe environment. Anywh who uh that was

4:22:02it. Do you need me to fill out another

4:22:03card?

4:22:03>> Let me just get your name again for the

4:22:05record.

4:22:05>> Uh yep. Brian Box 321 College Circle.

4:22:09>> All right. Thank you very much.

4:22:10>> Do you need me to submit another card?

4:22:12>> That's good.

4:22:12>> Excellent. Have a great evening

4:22:13everyone. Thank you.

4:22:19>> They just

4:22:20>> Good evening.

4:22:20>> Hi, my name is Blake Schwarz. I am a

4:22:23school of social work student at UG and

4:22:26I just wanted to talk a little bit about

4:22:28my concerns with flock cameras. I just

4:22:31rushed all the way from my apartment at

4:22:33305 Aone Street. I heard about this

4:22:36[clears throat] and I'm very passionate.

4:22:39I think Flock hurts our credibility as

4:22:42officials to protect the community,

4:22:45especially the police. The police, as

4:22:48we've all heard, has used flock cameras

4:22:51to stalk people in their own personal

4:22:54lives and take advantage of the

4:22:57surveillance.

4:22:58I think is a gross misjustice of power

4:23:01and is too much power that we are giving

4:23:03them. And I don't think it justifies the

4:23:06means of

4:23:08preventing crimes like

4:23:12um like preventing theft of vehicles or

4:23:17locating people. I understand that that

4:23:20is a concern but I also feel like we are

4:23:24giving another evil by using flock. So

4:23:29thank you for listening to this. Thank

4:23:31you Mr. Schwarz.

4:23:33Um, now is that time when we receive

4:23:35reports from uh myself, uh, charter

4:23:38officers, uh, and commissioners. Um,

4:23:42just want to tell everybody that we've

4:23:43got three signature events coming up in

4:23:45the next few weeks. Very excited about

4:23:47and look forward to seeing everybody uh,

4:23:49first at PorchFest on the 18th, uh, at

4:23:52the College Square grand opening where

4:23:55there's going to be great music on the

4:23:5724th and Wild Rumpus on the 31st. So,

4:24:00it's going to be a great October in

4:24:02Athens. Uh, I want to go ahead and turn

4:24:04to the manager and see if you have any

4:24:05input tonight.

4:24:06>> Uh, just three quick things. One, want

4:24:08to celebrate um the ribbon cutting and

4:24:10groundbreaking at Meer um today. That is

4:24:13a is and will continue to be a very

4:24:16significant project in our community.

4:24:17So, um appreciate that um and all the

4:24:20people that have throughout our

4:24:21community been involved in that. The

4:24:22second is I want to reinforce something

4:24:24that Commissioner Fischer said to you

4:24:26all in email. Thank you all again for

4:24:28the retreat and um felt like we were

4:24:30making really good progress in it and I

4:24:32very much appreciate everybody's

4:24:34commitment and um and attendance and

4:24:35participation. And that's my third item.

4:24:38There's homework out there. So check

4:24:39your email um so that you can complete

4:24:41your homework. It doesn't matter to me

4:24:42if it's handwritten or emailed. I just

4:24:44want to kind of wrap that up so that we

4:24:46can kind of go to that next step. So

4:24:48thank you.

4:24:48>> Thank you, Madag

4:24:51Mr. Auditor. No report. Mayor, uh Mr.

4:24:54Attorney,

4:24:54>> no report. All right,

4:24:57we're going to begin with uh uh

4:24:59Commissioner Davenport and Commissioner

4:25:01Hamby is going to adjourn.

4:25:03>> Yeah, I did my homework. Um I did mine.

4:25:06Okay. Um yeah, a lot of fun events

4:25:09happening um coming up. So, please hope

4:25:12everybody attend. Be safe for Halloween.

4:25:16And there is a District 1 and District 8

4:25:18town hall on the 26th Monday at Hillsben

4:25:23Middle School. um all are welcome. We

4:25:26actually be talking about flock and the

4:25:27police and code enforcement and

4:25:29homelessness. Um so October 26 um 5:30

4:25:35p.m. at Hillsman Middle School. And if

4:25:37I'm correct, I think um there's a police

4:25:41officer that sits at Hillsman Middle

4:25:44School constantly doing um I have to

4:25:49just verify with the the the police

4:25:51department, but I always see when I

4:25:52drive by there during school hours that

4:25:54there's always a police officer sitting

4:25:56there um helping to stop those speeders.

4:26:00But yeah, we do need to do something

4:26:01about Gain School Road. Other than that,

4:26:03I'm done.

4:26:05Um yeah, I'm looking forward to all the

4:26:08fun October events. Um and I also want

4:26:12to thank the folks who came here to talk

4:26:14about flock. Um I have been unable to

4:26:16attend those public forums, but I would

4:26:19hope that this commission would have

4:26:21some kind of work session so we can ask

4:26:24these questions in an open forum and and

4:26:26find out from our own staff and officers

4:26:30um what the status is of cameras in our

4:26:33community. I know the vast majority of

4:26:34them are are entities outside of Athens,

4:26:37Clark County. I know there I'm getting

4:26:40lots and lots of questions from

4:26:41constituents about the ones on the

4:26:42hospital campus that are pointed into

4:26:44the right of way. Um, so I really would

4:26:47like to request some kind of work

4:26:49session where we can we can discuss the

4:26:51flock cameras. My um, you know, we've

4:26:53had our own issues with the officer

4:26:55accessing the data improperly.

4:26:57I'm really concerned about the

4:27:00corporations out there that might have

4:27:02that data. Um and and so I want to

4:27:05request from the manager that we we

4:27:08please have some kind of public

4:27:10discussion about that.

4:27:11>> Just a quick note, it was a civilian

4:27:12employee rather than an officer.

4:27:14>> You pardon?

4:27:15>> It was a civilian employee, not

4:27:16>> That's right. Sorry. Yeah. A civilian

4:27:18employee.

4:27:21Um, yeah. I want to thank staff for all

4:27:23of your hard work in the community for

4:27:25sitting through this long meeting. Um, I

4:27:28will be hosting a District 3 town hall

4:27:31October the 17th. I guess I wasn't

4:27:33invited to the 8th or the 1st.

4:27:36>> But anyh who, it's at the airport

4:27:40from 12 to 2. [laughter] That's all I

4:27:43have.

4:27:45Um I don't know that um I don't have any

4:27:47updates because um you guys are covering

4:27:50a good bit of the stuff already and it's

4:27:52late. Um I do agree that we should be

4:27:56speaking about the accurate and correct

4:27:59information with the flock cameras. So I

4:28:02appreciate correcting we should be um

4:28:05making sure we're not um sharing

4:28:06inappropriate u inaccurate information.

4:28:09But I don't know that we need a work

4:28:11session. I think if there's questions to

4:28:13be had then the manager would then share

4:28:16that with with everyone. Um such as um

4:28:19Keegan had said that our our police

4:28:22department has 30 and then the other

4:28:24ones are on private property. Private

4:28:26property is not under our domain. Um so

4:28:29that's just a point of clarity there.

4:28:32But I look forward to a journey.

4:28:37>> All right. Thank you. Um

4:28:41want to thank everybody for the um

4:28:43retreat on last week. I thought it was

4:28:45really good and that's why I sent the

4:28:46email. I want to thank my colleagues for

4:28:48participating.

4:28:50Um and like um Bob said, make sure we do

4:28:53our homework. Um we are going to be

4:28:55having community um town hall. You guys

4:28:58need to be telling me about this when

4:28:59y'all do these town halls. I am doing

4:29:01the town hall with Commissioner Taylor.

4:29:03I'm on the 17th. Um [cough]

4:29:06you guys would invite me, I'll come to

4:29:07you all too. We said we're going to

4:29:08start doing community town halls in the

4:29:11very very very near future. Um just um

4:29:17couple of congratulations um Bishop um

4:29:21Tracy B celebrated his 15th um pastorial

4:29:24anniversary at Timothy. My pastor at um

4:29:27and um Ebene the Baptist West spent

4:29:30seven um his seventh year both on the

4:29:33same day. So I was at Timothy [snorts]

4:29:34first and then I shout to Ebeneza. Um

4:29:37and I want to thank my album Maria

4:29:39University for recognizing me as a

4:29:42distinguished um alumni of the year for

4:29:44leadership award. I got and I really

4:29:46received that award on last Thursday. So

4:29:48I want to publicly thank my album for um

4:29:51recognizing me um in that endeavor.

4:29:53[cough] So um thank the staff again for

4:29:56all the work that you guys do and um for

4:29:59keeping us on track. So, thank y'all

4:30:00very much for doing that and um

4:30:03appreciate the community for coming out

4:30:04and voicing your opinions. We really

4:30:06appreciate that. That's what how

4:30:07democracy works. I really appreciate you

4:30:09all voicing your opinions on things and

4:30:12and that really make us a better

4:30:13community. But thank you all for coming

4:30:14out. Thank you, Mayor.

4:30:20>> Okay. I want to first start by thanking

4:30:23Advantage, Evan Mills, Tochiku, and Maya

4:30:27for inviting me out to learn more about

4:30:29their services and and the tour. Um,

4:30:32also Stephanie Wit, um, who is the

4:30:35executive director of the Athens

4:30:38Wellness Clinic. It's very impressive

4:30:40setup up there. They see patients that

4:30:42are unhoused and patients who work every

4:30:45day and it's it was very impressive and

4:30:47I learned a lot about what they offer to

4:30:49the community. I thirdly want to thank

4:30:51Sheila Crisper, the director of the

4:30:53Athens Housing Authority. She um met

4:30:57with me to educate me on one of the

4:30:59proposed projects in my um in in

4:31:02district 6 and it was very helpful and I

4:31:04learned more from her that the developer

4:31:07hadn't shared yet. So, I appreciate

4:31:09that. Thank you, Sheila. And I want to

4:31:11thank the chamber, the Athens Chamber

4:31:13for the invitation to the 2026 inner

4:31:16city reception forum last week. and um

4:31:21also Elizabeth Barber at the cooperative

4:31:23extension. She's always so accommodating

4:31:25when I have a meeting with the

4:31:26neighborhood or a town hall and I had a

4:31:29great meeting with the Lake Mueller

4:31:30subdivision last week. And then on

4:31:32Friday, this Friday the 9th, I I have

4:31:36been invited to read to 40

4:31:37kindergarteners

4:31:39um about

4:31:41serving in local government. It's going

4:31:44to be in District 8. And I wanted to

4:31:45invite um Commissioner Meyers or someone

4:31:50else on the east side if they were

4:31:51available to accommodate me accompany me

4:31:54on this outing. And last, I have wait

4:31:59for it. On October 22nd, I'm having a

4:32:02town hall um at the mall. It's going to

4:32:06be about traffic. I'm tired of it, too.

4:32:09I get stuck to Jamie Boswell who serves

4:32:12as the vice chair for G DOT is going to

4:32:16be updating the community. Everyone is

4:32:19involved but especially the people who

4:32:22are who are sitting in traffic every day

4:32:25that live on that Atlanta Highway

4:32:26corridor. There are three separate

4:32:28projects, Atlanta Highway, Loop 10, and

4:32:31there's um off-ramp, on-ramp project.

4:32:34So, please come. starts at 6 PM at the

4:32:37mall on October 22nd and it'll be posted

4:32:40tomorrow on my website.

4:32:46>> Stop it.

4:32:48>> I'm done.

4:32:49>> Um I want to piggy back off of what um

4:32:53manager Cowell said about uh Meisner.

4:32:55Congratulations to them on their

4:32:57groundbreaking uh today. Um this is the

4:33:00second phase of their facility and this

4:33:02is the one that's going to employ a lot

4:33:04of people. It's 1,785

4:33:07people. Um, and that's not a mistake

4:33:10that it's that number. That was the year

4:33:12that the University of Georgia was

4:33:14founded. Um, but going out and listening

4:33:16to those folks, it's a family-owned

4:33:19company. Um, they are want to be good

4:33:22stewards of the land out there and be

4:33:26partners in our community. Um they've

4:33:29already gotten involved in lead Athens

4:33:32on different boards and um Shelby Day is

4:33:36also uh on historic Athens board. So

4:33:39they are really in this town and getting

4:33:41involved and I'm excited to see uh them

4:33:44grow and be more of a community partner.

4:33:46Um I think it's really exciting. It's

4:33:47going to be a gamecher for our

4:33:48community.

4:33:51Um, [clears throat] I want to also thank

4:33:53our people who came out. Um, paying

4:33:56attention to what's going on with flock

4:33:58is uh you guys help me remind me to pay

4:34:01attention and learn as much as I can.

4:34:03Um, I also want to thank the the the

4:34:06talk about the speeding. Commissioner

4:34:08Davenport's on that. We'll follow up

4:34:10over there. That's a corner. And of

4:34:12course, Commission Commissioner Tiffany

4:34:16will that's that's where we all

4:34:17intersect right at that that place. And

4:34:20I'd like to officially invite you to

4:34:22participate in the town hall on October

4:34:2526. It was put the some of the people

4:34:28who are participating in it don't know

4:34:30about it yet because it was just put

4:34:31together this weekend. Well, in between

4:34:34sneezing and gargling with saltwater,

4:34:36but

4:34:38>> and its focus is on homelessness

4:34:41actually. So it's I want to make it

4:34:43clear because the focus is not really on

4:34:46flock. The police department will be

4:34:48there and other community members and

4:34:50such, but the focus is going to be on

4:34:52homelessness because that's an issue

4:34:54that people have asked me a questions

4:34:56about. And so now we can now we can tell

4:34:59them that the new ordinance is going to

4:35:01roll out on the east side in 90 days.

4:35:03Who knew? So um anyway, [clears throat]

4:35:06that's it. Pass.

4:35:09>> Okay. I want to acknowledge um the

4:35:12Sparrow's Nest graduation that I

4:35:15attended last week. Um Commissioner

4:35:17Taylor was there. Uh also was

4:35:20facilitated by um Commission

4:35:23Commissioner Johnson. It was it's always

4:35:26great. Um but it was so good this time

4:35:29that two two of the graduates got keys

4:35:33to their apartment and housing. So I

4:35:36thought that was amazing. I also met the

4:35:39young men. It's about 15 of them. Most

4:35:43of you probably don't know them, but

4:35:44they're part of that core scholars group

4:35:47that um the Northeast Black Chamber got

4:35:51from

4:35:53um CORE, I guess. And they have started

4:35:56working. They trained. I I interviewed

4:35:59them, but they are also starting this

4:36:02week doing work at Micah's Creek. Um, I

4:36:06want to acknowledge and thank um

4:36:10um Mike Warren. The pipes are being laid

4:36:13in Pinewood. We had a little setback,

4:36:15but Bob took care of that. So, we're

4:36:18rolling again. And um I think that

4:36:22they're trying to finish before the end

4:36:24of the year, but he is inviting everyone

4:36:26to come and see what it looks like

4:36:29before and after. Um, I'm excited about

4:36:32the homeless resolution committee and

4:36:35that I appreciate the um support for the

4:36:39um amendment. Um, I'm I'm I'm really

4:36:42feeling good about that. As my new

4:36:45position with uh EJC, one of my goals

4:36:48was to register 1,248 people and we

4:36:52registered 1,239.

4:36:55>> [laughter]

4:36:55>> So, um, but now to get 1,239 folk at the

4:37:00polls. So, um, but we're excited about

4:37:02that. So, on June, on October the 19th,

4:37:06we're doing, uh, overload the polls. We

4:37:09want 100 women to show up. Uh, we have

4:37:12t-shirts and refreshments afterwards.

4:37:15Um, we need to set an example. Um,

4:37:19women, our issues are a little bit

4:37:21different than men sometimes. And

4:37:24lastly, most of you might have received

4:37:26a group uh invitation from a group from

4:37:29UG. I think it's called the Youth

4:37:31Justice Coalition. And they,

4:37:35I think, are inviting everybody who will

4:37:38come to speak to their class on October

4:37:42the 21st.

4:37:46>> I'll make a motion to adjourn. Second.

4:37:48All

4:37:48>> in favor, please say I.

4:37:50>> I. Any oppose? Thank you all.

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