City Council - Regular Meeting

Good morning, Mayor. Can you hear us? Okay.

Yes, sir. Can you hear me? Yes, sir. Thank you. Perfect.

Carlos, let me know when we're ready to start. waiting for Councilwoman Evans to walk in. She's walking in now. [Music] We're ready to start, sir.

Okay. Awesome. Uh, let me go ahead and reopen the agenda. Welcome. Welcome everybody to our agenda for our regular meeting of the Alanto City Council, the Alanto Public Financing Authority, the Alanto Public Utility Authority, the Alan Community Benefit Corporation, and the Successes Agency Board. Today's October 22nd, 2025. Getting started here at 11:02. Uh, Virginia, can you get us started with a roll call, please? Yes, your honor. Councelor Evans, present. Councelor Mesa, here. Councelor Upgrowth, present. Mayor Prom Ramos present. Mayor Reyes present. Thank you.

Uh, Councilwoman Grove, can you lead us with the invocation? And Council Mesa, can you lead us with a flex salute? Yes, sir.

Father, we just thank you for this day. We thank you for the opportunity to serve this community. We ask that you would uh be with us and guide us and lead us into good decisions over the city today. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you so much. Um, city manager, do we have any deletions or additions to the agenda?

Yes, we do. Uh, your honor, uh, we would like to pull from the consent calendar item number six, the acceptance of parcel map 2140, proposal of propos proposal to subdivide and develop a 6.81 81 acre site with a 132 unit residential community with amenities on a 4.81 acre site. We would also like to pull from new business item number two, which is the wall art program as well as number three from new business, which is utility box program. And that's that's it, your honor.

Okay. For a date or a date uncertain, my apologies. All righty. So, with that being done, uh, we're going to go ahead and a motion for the approval. I'll second. All in favor? I I ready. City Manager, any announcements or reports?

Yes. Yes. Uh, good morning, Mayor Reyes, Mayor Pro Tim Ramo, city council staff, and uh, members of the public. Mayor Reyes, under your leadership and this amazing city council, the city of Adalanto continues to move forward with strong momentum. Together, we are attracting significant economic investment that brings new industry. It brings new industry, housing, retail, and most importantly for our residents, it brings jobs. I am pleased to to share several several key updates this morning. However, be before I do that before I do that, I would like to share that I recently attended our yearly our yearly league of California cities conference along with our city council. I have to say that uh this was truly this is uh this is uh well I'd like to first say that this is my my my 10th yearly conference I have attended and uh that uh by far the most productive uh conference I have attended. I am certain that uh that great opportunities for the city of Atlanta will come from our attendance and participation. So thank you. Thank you very much for allowing me to attend. Moving on to my my updates, the um the fully entitled CarMax Service Center project continues to advance towards construction located on a 50 acre site at Rancho Road and Emerald Road. The development will feature more than a 150,000 square foot space for dedicated dedicated to uh vehicle reconditioning and service operations. The the project includes a 7,000 square

foot enclosed auction building designed to meet modern safety and operational standards along with a private car wash, a fueling station, and an extensive vehicle staging staging area. The groundbreaking is anticipated in the summer of 2026. CarMax investment uh represents a major milestone in job creation, economic growth, and advancing Adalanto's industrial development goals. We are also excited to welcome KC Petroleum. KC Petroleum, which has submitted plans for a new 5,000 square foot gas station and commercial development at the intersection of Adalanto Road and Air Expressway. at Alanto Road and Air Expressway. The project will include a 4,000 square foot modern convenience store, six double-sided fuel dispensers with a canopy, a 1000 square foot quick service restaurant, outdoor dining areas, six electric vehicle charging stations, and a dedicated RV parking area. The development is currently in the entitlement phase and is anticipated it's anticipated to go before the planning commission late this year, sometime in December of this year. Moving on to the uh Senica road rehabilitation project. The design phase for the Senica road rehabilitation project is nearing completion and is expected to be finalized by mid November of this year. Once the design is completed, staff will immediately issue a request for proposals to move the project into public bidding and construction.

This represents another major step forward in our city's commitment to improving local road infrastructure and ensuring safer, more accessible neighborhoods for our residents. In closing, as we continue to see this growth and progress within our city, I want to take a moment to recognize our dedicated city staff for their hard work and professionalism. Their efforts combined with the vision and leadership of this council are transforming Adelanto into a thriving forward-looking community that attracts investment, opportunity, and pride. Together, we are providing. Together, we are providing and we're proving that Adalanto is open for business, open for innovation, and moving with purpose. This concludes my report. Thank you.

Thank you. So, thank you so much, city, city managers. Always great to hear such amazing updates. Uh going to go ahead and bring over to council. Councilwoman Evans.

Thank you, Mayor. Um yes, quite quite a busy couple weeks. Um, first I want to uh thank MPT Ramos for inviting me out to the SCAG demographics workshop that happened down in downtown LA. While the drive was deep, it was so worth it. Um, so I I don't know how you do that multiple times a week, month, whenever you're doing it. It's crazy. But, um, the information that they shared there was just so impactful. Um, I I can go in deep. I'm hoping to get the slides. They may have already sent them. I'm looking for the slides to just post those. that'll be easier than me trying to explain what all they talked about, but just the different dynamics of housing and how we should be looking at housing moving forward. So, I'll be asking for a future agenda item based on something that we learned there at the end of the meeting. Um, also attended the family assistance program gala. Amazing. Amazing. They always do such a great job of putting on these events um and honoring not only their clients but their staff. And so, that was phenomenal. Thank you to Daryl uh Eevee for inviting me out to that. uh like city manager Flores, League of California cities as always super impactful. Not only are the workshops and the sessions so informative and help us learn how to better serve you um the the the relationships that we build, you know, I got to spend a little bit more time with um Mayor Frank, give me his last name from uh Cerritos, Yok Yokohama from Cerritos. This guy's phenomenal and and to hear the stories and how he's been influential and the sacrifice he's willing to give in some of the decisions he's making moving forward for Critos is just huge. Um and then the last thing was our regional steering committee for the COC. Uh we did vote to there was some money that was allocated to organization here in the high desert. That organization fell way short on delivering. The county was threatening to take that money back out of the desert and reallocate it to another region. Um the steering committee worked hard to find a workaround to try to keep

that money in the high desert. So we voted to um reallocate those funds to a different um organization which we know will come through because they've come through on a whole lot of other projects. So super excited to see what they do with this additional funding and how they're able to collab with even that nonprofit that wasn't able to pull through and um and get these families served when it comes to housing. So those are my updates. Thank you guys. Thank you so much. Councilwoman of the Grove. Good morning everybody. It's good to see everybody. Um I was everywhere too.

Yes. Um okay. So I had the opportunity to go and visit the Pace Center in Victorville and it was great. Obviously here in Atlanta we are blessed to have our senior center here. Um, but what I really enjoyed also uh over at Pace was that they were able to transfer in people and seniors from all over from Barstow and other cities and other areas. And so they have a much larger facility and they are able to do a few more things including doctor's visits and such. But uh it was a great great opportunity to see the facility and to meet and see and learn about the programs that they have provided there for their seniors. Um, and I look forward to seeing some expansion here in our own city uh with our existing senior center. I was able to sit at a round table uh for faith-based leaders uh with our senator Susette Valaderas. Um, and that was a great brainstorming opportunity to come together with all the faith-based leaders in the high desert and we were able to talk about uh many of the different programs that people are not aware of that are here in our district. And so, um, there's actually going to be a lot more, uh, information on social media and through mailers about some of the resources and some of the programs that are available to our residents and, uh, to all of us here in Atlanta. And we're looking forward uh, for that. It was very nice because I was also able to attend the behavioral health uh, district advisory committee meeting, and it was actually one of the more um, I don't want to say more important, but it was more important. Uh it was nice because we got to hear about and I got to have our mayor prom join us as well as a special guest. It was nice to uh see about all of the funding opportunities that are here in this district. And I don't know if you know this, but there's funding available for good programs. And I'm sure Councilwoman Evans uh is also of the same belief that we have to find

people that want to run these buildings and run these programs uh that are capable, that have the capacity, that have the business experience, that have the funding, um that have all those things lined up. And I assure you in our region we do. Um, and so it may not be everybody, but but somebody here knows someone who has those types of experience and and they have the capacity to run these programs. And if you're one of them, I encourage you to get connected with the behavioral health uh department and as well as the steering committee and so many other great opportunities in this region to bring those kinds of services uh to our communities here and especially here in Atlanta. I had a great meeting with the county of San Bernardino for a new housing project here in the city of Atlanta. Um although the project has not yet been approved, it looks uh it looks pretty promising and it is specifically for transitional housing for foster youth. So those who are aging between 18 to 22 out of foster youth um so that they would be able to have a pathway to success uh as they as they transition uh out of one season to a new season. So we're excited about that potential project coming to the city of Atlanta. Um and some great news. I'll save that one for last. Um I also want to welcome recently uh Councilman Mesa went to the I am love opening here with sir uh and the city of Atlanta but I am love has also joined the local food collaborative which means that the distribution of food of fresh fruits and vegetables um and drinks and and all those other things is available in Atlanta uh with I am love. And so I want to welcome him to the food collaborative and their organization. And as we see them week by week every Wednesday morning, it's good to know that more and more organizations

in our city are participating in the giving and in the service to our community. So I think that's a beautiful thing. Um, yesterday my my team at New Leaf was able to go to the federal prison and we were able to bless the prison with uh 3,000 loaves of bread. So, uh, it was great. Uh, as it started off with 1,000 though. It was Now it's six. Now it's 6,000.

6,000 loaves. No, it was it was a beautiful thing. um they were very grateful and of course uh we got to actually sit and meet a lot of Adalanto employees uh who also work at the federal prison and so we got to hear from them and hear from their families and we also got to let them know what Atlanta has as far as resources and free diapers this coming Tuesday um and free wipes and free food and and services that can help in this interim time. So uh we were very blessed to be able to do that. But last but not least, this is this is the big one. Um I am super super excited to share because it's done. Uh the county of San Bernardino and uh New Leaf Ministries has partnered together on a big project and it has been approved. It is the new Adalanto medical RV. It is going to be stationed in the city of Atlanta and it is uh contracted with Tri-State um medical team and so they have doctors assigned to this RV. Our our top priority is going to be seniors and veterans and so we will be reaching out to our senior center to see if we can roll up and and help in any way. And then also we want to work with the AESD and some of the families uh so that we can come to you. And so that's one of the the it's a great project for the beginning of 2026. Uh so we are out there looking for medical RVs that are structured in a way that these doctors, they will have family doctors, they will have uh dentist, they're going to have all kinds of stuff. There's a huge calendar and we are going to service the entire high desert from city to city but the RV the medical RV will be stationed in the city of Atlanta and um Atlanta organizations uh will control uh where and when these medical RVs go to wherever they go. So

of course it's going to be first uh and we're very excited. I like that first. Good. Atlanta first and we're very excited. We look forward to collaborating with many of the from the schools to you know I see uh Rhonda Dennis here today. So there's going to be all kinds of groups that we are going to be able to provide lowcost to no cost uh medical services for our community. And so we're super excited. We are so grateful to the county of San Bernardino for picking up that project and allowing us to um partner with them for such a great great uh 2026, right? So, we're excited about those things. Uh your your anniversary.

Oh, yeah. Okay. Well, that's not big news. Well, we turned five. New Leaf Ministries turns five on October 30th. A baby. I know. We're like little toddlers running around causing a muck. But we're excited. We're going to have a big Our neighbors know we do this every year. We have like a huge potluck in the driveway and it's just grown. So, we've moved it to the yard and now the yard and the driveway, it's going to be a shebang. So, if you guys want to come through, you are welcome. Uh there will be lots of fun surprises. We'll just put it that way. And uh New Leaf has always been a giving outreach ministry and so you can expect uh if you show up, you're going to leave with some stuff. Nice. Great job. Thank you so much for those amazing announcements. Uh council me.

Good morning. We're still morning. Good morning everybody. Uh like city manager said, Long Beach was very we were we were killing it out there. We were we went out there on attack. Um the first time I was out there, it was kind of like listen, learn, you know, don't open your mouth too much because you don't want to say the wrong things when you're meeting new people. And you know, and now it was just straight attack mode. And we were in some some really good meetings. I'm going to bring a couple up right now. One of them um that affects us here in this community in all of San Bernardino County is um a contract with the supervisors did um a couple years ago bringing LA trash to our district and that is filling up our our our trash dump site really fast. Um so we're working on alternative ways maybe Atlanta can be first again in these um rights to kind of move forward. So, that's kind of what I've been going on on and attacking that and seeing what we can do to maybe have our own uh trash uh place here in the city. We've already I've talked with Bertech. We're trying to map some stuff out and get this out as quick as possible. It takes like 5 to 10 years honestly to have it. So, quicker we jump on it, but it's it's something bad that's hap I I I think it's bad. LA bringing all their trash over here and we know the fires just happened. So, it's not going to be the best trash, right? So, just keep an eye for that. They're trying to extend hours. So, those are the kind of the things you have when you go into these meetings and you see what's really going on. I don't want to just tell you guys, oh, we we had these meetings. Some of this stuff really affects us. And that's kind of why I want to bring it back and bring it up. Um, then on the positive side, you're meeting mayors like uh Joe Baka, Rialto, Congressman, Senator. The guy's done everything over his whole career. I think he's been elected to more positions than anybody else ever. Um, so he's held a lot of offices. And fortunately for me, he likes me. I don't know why, but he likes me. I mean, he's on the other side, but he likes me and he's taking me under his wing and he's telling me some stuff and I'm like,

"Let's go." One of the things is um that he's putting out in Rialto that I'm going to be bringing up later on today is um our parks. Um we want to there's grants out there, there's um funding out there for all-inclusive parks. Um so, what is un all-inclusive? If you have kids with disabilities, um handicapped kids, where are they go to play? and that's something he opened my eyes to just having a conversation. Um, and that's something I'm going to be bringing up where we can include that into our parks, right? So, it's it's really a park for the whole community and not just selected community. Um, so again, great things that that happen over there in Long Beach. Um, we were we were working hard out there for you guys all all day long. Um, I was able to meet with Bright Line last Friday. Bright Line is the train, speed train that's coming from Las Vegas all the way to Ranchukamonga. Um partnering with them possibly to bring work into the city of Atlanta, meaning more jobs, more construction. Um for them, they're looking at retainer walls and it's hard to pour walls out in the middle of the deserts coming all the way over here. So that's something pre-cast concrete is able to do. Uh fortunately, we have a company called Clark Pacific that does pre-cast. So, it might be an amazing thing to bring more jobs and more work here to the city of Atlanta. Um, another company that's coming to Atlanta we were in talks with is Daywan Food. They are building six to eight buildings in the city of Atlanta right off road. They are a kimchi um Korean company. They were looking for you by the not joking around. They were actually, "Don't you have a Korean council?" I'm like, "Yeah, we do." Um, so they were really really um on top of it, ready to go. Um, so we have more jobs, more companies coming to the city of Atlanta. So be on the lookout besides the ones Jesse uh mentioned earlier today. I also met with uh a great teacher that we have at Atlanta High School, Richard

Fully. Probably butchered it, but maybe I got it pretty close. Um he he runs a a construction company, no sorry, construction class at at high school where he's teaching the kids construction. Um they also have automotive there. They have barber shop. So they're bringing a lot of the skills back. And what he's doing is he's partnering with uh one of the companies he's parking with is Cisneros Bros. Anybody ever heard of Cisneros Bros? They're a plumbing company. They're they're huge up here. So he goes to those companies. Cisneros is actually going to be on their board for their uh nonprofit and what they're doing is they're talking to these companies and say what do I need to teach these kids that they can go into your company right away? what are the basics that you'll say, "Hey, if you know X, Y, and Z, we can we can work with you. Who are your top students that know X, Y, and Z?" And that's kind of what is going on. And we're trying to link them up with other companies um to see what are their needs and what what can we train our kids to get them into that door and entry level positions in all these and if they're taking off even higher, right? Because our new skill labor needs to be uh computer illiterate, right? Which is our our new that that's our kids, right? They're computer illiterate more than hands-on. So now we got to teach them that hands-on to combine with that computer literacy. And now we got something striving here. So that's something we're working on together. And that uh nonprofit is Construction Youth of America. Um it it's a it's right up my alley. Write everything I want to do. Amanda always gives me a hard time like you know there's kids that don't play sports, right? And I'm like yeah okay. So this is a great opportunity for me to be working with them to um other kids involved in in other things that that peique their interest. So more to come on that. Um, and that's all I have right now. Mayor,

thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, Mayor Brook.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Great updates, council. Uh, great morning. Great morning. Great morning to everyone in attendance. Gracias. Um, first and foremost, before I get into my uh hefty, all of us have hefty uh amount of announcements and updates, always want to recognize greatness when greatness is is in the room. Our own our our our very beloved and our very own championship coach. Right. Right. Right. Uh, Coach Bali, appreciate you joining us today. Right. Give it up. The the one and only championship ring coming out of Adilanto. Um, football football, right? Um, and whenever you're ready to come back, coach, come on. Come on. Come on back. We're ready for you. Um, quick updates. So, Tuesday, September 30th, uh, I had the pleasure of being invited out to, uh, Gus Franklin Junior, uh, STEM Academy to speak, uh, to the kids for their annual career day. Um, thank you so much to to the staff for inviting me out. It was fun. It was great. Um, my favorite part were was the interaction with the kids, right? They had some really, really great questions. Um, we were able to hand out uh, some pins. some of every every student got one of our city pins, right? Uh uh the the 30th or 40th anniversary one, whichever ones, they got a pin. Um and then I believe there was three of them that three of them answered a couple questions correctly and they each got one of our uh city irons as well. Um I loved the fact that we had quite a few kids raise their hands and and shared that they wanted to join the military, right? So thank you for those that that want to serve. We need you guys. Uh we need our future leaders. So again, thank you for inviting me out for that for that annual uh uh career day. Appreciate it. Look forward to the next one. Wednesday, October 1st. Uh as Councilwoman uh Evans mentioned, I did we did attend the Skagg Demographic Workshop, their annual workshop. Um thank you, Skagg. Thank you, Skagg, for

hosting this annual event. And each time it gets better. Um, my key takeaway, right, there was like you you're correct, Councilwoman Emmens, there was a lot of takeaways, but my key takeaway, um, and best believe before I go into that, that Alilanto was asking questions, right? I think we were one of the only few Councilwoman Evans and myself that were asking questions and making sure that, you know, uh, uh, we were representing our city and our region to the best of our ability. But housing, right, uh, having a balanced uh, uh, uh, u housing plan in our city is important, right? So, I know we have residents that that favor, you know, a single family and maybe don't favor multifamily and some of them favor apartments and vice versa. They don't. Um, at the end of the day, ladies and gentlemen, it's it the data shows that we have to have a balanced, right, a housing plan here in the city, not only to attract people, right, but to keep them here. To keep them here. So, again, thank you, Skagg, for for that annual workshop, and we're looking forward to to next year's as well. that same day on the 1st of October. Uh right after that, I attended our SCAG uh EAC meeting. Nothing too much to report back. Again, a lot of movement on on the Olympics, World Cup, and Super Bowl that that are coming up, you know, in the next one, two, and three years. That following day, Thursday, October 2nd, I had the opportunity to attend Southern California Edison's annual leaders roundt with our one and only Mr. Jim Hirsch. Um it was a tough meeting. I'm going to be honest with you, MPT. I'm not going to lie to you guys, right? It was a little tough. Um, it's always great to hear, you know,ce, you know, say they're they're ready to be they're they're working on being reliable, resilient, and ready. Um, you know, but unfortunately there there is a lack of power to our region and they are working on it, right? But one of the things that that their CEO, uh, Mr. Steven Pal shared with us, um, that was asked by, you know, the city of Adilanto, um, is they're lacking they're lacking team members, right? they they don't have enough the end of the day, they don't in

a nutshell, they don't have enough staff to go around, right? That's not the excuse, but that's a problem that they're identifying and they're trying to get ahead of it. So, they're looking to partner up with any types of schools, you know, whether it's uh uh vocational schools, trade schools, high schools, uh universities, junior colleges to start and develop and create programs to help uh uh funnel, you know, future leaders and future team members into their into their um into their program there. Um and and it's not it wasn't a surprise to say right now's number one you know um objective is to rebuild all the fire victim areas. Um so you know that that focus is going to be you know they've they've they've taken ownership of it um and they're and they're doing whatever they can to build those areas. So again, thank you Steven Pal, Mr. Steven Pal for the for the time that you spent with us and we look forward to the uh to the partnership and we look forward to getting power out to Atlanta as soon as possible. Wednesday, October 7th through Friday, October 10th. I'm not going to harp too much on it. Um, we did have an amazing conference at the League of California Cities annual conference. Two two quick points that I want to drive across. Um, one of the sessions that I sat in was was addressing the erosion of trust in local government, right? And I wanted to make it a point to attend that one. Um, and one of the things that they pointed out is the way that we that we get that stigma away and we begin to to create trust, you know, from our residents and our communities is to deliver on the promises that we're making, right? And I and I wanted to point that specific fact out because I feel that that this council under the the leadership of our mayor and our city manager, we are delivering on the promises that we're that we're making, that we've made, and that we continue to make. Right. We promised better roads. We're getting there, right? We promised more parks. We're getting there. We promised more economic development. We're getting there. Right? And for those of you that have bad things to say about the McDonald's and you keep pointing, oh, there's a McDonald's down

the street. There's a McDonald's down the street. But that McDonald's isn't ours, right? This McDonald's is our McDonald's. And I don't think I've ever been so proud of McDonald's that I am like now. That's our McDonald's, right? And don't let me catch you guys going down the street to that other McDonald's. Okay. Our burgers taste better. Our buns are fresher and our lines are shorter. Okay. And that Victorville one always makes you go and can you go to number four? Can you go to number eight for a hamburger? So even though it's just McDonald's and yes, there's a McDonald's down the street and there's a car wash down the street. These are ours. Yep.

Right. Let's take pride in in the first McDonald's in the first car wash that we have. It's something small but it is a promise that we're delivering on. So, and the second thing about the second thing that I wanted to share about about the um the League of Cities and I'm glad that the city manager came out to to be with us was was just the fact that like Adilanto's known guys, right? We can sit here and we can talk about the sessions and and all the knowledge that we gained and all that stuff. That's fine. Like that's great. But the fact that respect is being put on our name is huge. I interrupted that pause right there. Yeah. Because why I was talking to Mr. Mayor Frank,

he walks up to me. He says, "I know you because I know Mayor Pro Tim Ramos." I was a little offended. But what it says is that he's still out there doing the marketing to ensure that people know who Adalto is. So, thank you for that.

No, no, absolutely. And thank again, it's thank you to all of us, right? Because we're we're putting in that work and and it just feels really good, guys. It feels good, you know, from from 2018 and 2019 being out there and people saying, "Where you from? Where's that? Who you at?" And now they're yelling our names, right? They're coming to us and talking to us. And it just feels really good. And again, it just it's it's it's a testament to us delivering on promises that we're making to our residents in our community. Um, so enough about California League of Cities. Uh, then Thursday uh October 14th had a uh had an amazing meeting with CM and all the cities uh surrounding cities about, you know, the the continuing fight and battle for access to Highway 395. We took another, you know, another big leap where we are going to be getting the support from all the major cities around us, Victorville, Hisperia, um, and the two big dogs, right, SPCTA and Skagg to move forward with with with gaining access to 395. So, thank you, um, uh, Mr. Keith Metsler, city manager of Victorville. Thank you, Mrs. uh, Rachel Molina, city manager of Asperia. We appreciate you the support. Thank you, SPCTA. Thank you, Skagg. And we look forward to updating you guys when we finally, you know, cross that finish line and score that touchdown with 395. Wednesday, October 15th. I said it there. I'm going to say it again. I'll toot their hones to the superstar back there. I can never remember your name, sir. I apologize. Right. Um I should remember every ball guy's name, right? Um

Lieutenant Kahal Kahal and and our amazing council woman upgrave. Um, I attended that behavioral health district advisory committee meeting in Hisparia, man. Like she packed you guys packed the room out, right? And I and I think and I and I this is what I'm what I'm going to ask for you guys and you're right. There was there was so much information about funding and you guys hit it on the head and I believe I made mention about this in the past. Funding's there, guys. The funding's there. We just got to keep knocking on the door and we just got to know how to ask, right? I'm going to ask from the community is one thing that we need to do is we need to show up, right? When when when Councilwoman Upgrove and all the other board members and Lieutenant Khal and they're they're they're they have these powerful organizations that hold the purse and hold the checkbook and we say, "Yeah, like Alanto needs, you know, funding or the high desert needs funding. Like trust me, like we'll show up and three people show up." Like that's not going to get the job done. They're not going to cut a check for three people. They'll cut a check for 300, 3,000. Right? So, we have to show up because then we can't be the ones to complain, well, we don't have no mental health services. I need it. I'm a little crazy, right? Your amput is a little off, right? That's why I showed up, right? That's why I show I showed up and I asked questions, right? But we have to show up. Even if you're not a little crazy, we all know somebody that's crazy, right? Or that needs some sort of help, right? we have to show up to show these organizations that we want them, we need them, and we will welcome them into our communities. So, thank you, Councilwoman Upgrove. Um, please keep me posted on any other future meetings. I will be there. And, um, again, it's important, and I'm going to ask for this in a future agenda item. It's important that we have on our websites and on our social media platforms quick links to all of these different types of important boards and committees that we sit on, right? Our residents shouldn't have to go search through Google and search through this

and search through that to find they should go to Atlanta's website and everything they need should pop up right there. You don't need to go nowhere else. Our website will be a one-stop shop for any service that we need. Um so again, thank you for hosting that. Had a great time. Appreciate the invite. I will be at the next one. Um immediately after that, headed down to Sanino um to Redland, sorry, for our SWAT meeting uh regarding uh solid waste. One biggest thing to report back from there is we're going to be seeing a lot more regulations coming down the pipeline about recycling. So for those of you that don't like to recycle, you need to start liking it. And for those of you that do like to recycle, like myself, like we're going to be getting more, we're going to be getting rewarded more for our recycling efforts. Um it's coming down the pipeline and there's nothing that we can do about it. Um immediate immediately following that meeting the same same day 10:15 Wednesday uh went out to Chino for California Contract City's board of directors meeting uh keynote speaker was fourth district supervisor Kurt Hagman really good to get you know insights from supervisor Hagman on on just the technology advancements that our supervisors are pushing for Sanino County right get ready like s he is a tech and AI guru Right. And I just have a feeling that combined with him and our AI and tech, you know, chair, uh, uh, Congressman, Mr. Jay Obernolulti, we're going to be seeing some amazing advancements and amazing things happen in this in the county of Sanino. So, thank you California Contract Cities for hosting an amazing uh, meeting and thank you Supervisor Kurt Hagman for the time that you spent with us. Um, that following day, Thursday, October 16th, attended our SPCTA Metro Valley study session down in Sanino. nothing too much to report back from there. Immediately following that meeting, attended our San Marino County Housing Trust ad hoc committee meeting. This is going to be big. And again, thank you, city manager, for for electing to join this ad hoc. We are in

the process right now of of just identifying how we're going to move forward with funding. Again, our senator is going to play a big role in in in um in securing a lot of this funding, but we are modeling our trust after a successful trust that was already led by Senator Susan Rubio um from Senate District 22. Uh and then Thursday, that same day in the evening, Thursday, October 16th, I had the had the pleasure and the honor to meet with our California state treasurer, um Miss Miss Fiona Ma. I'm gonna call it now our future lieutenant governor, Miss Fiona Ma. And uh again, it blows my mind the relationship, city manager, that you've already be that you that you've cultivated from the past, right? And for for our California state treasurer to to talk to me about Alanto and the things that we've got going on, it's got to be coming from somewhere. It's got to be coming from you or she's just we're on the radar and she's just studying us, right? So, thank you for the relationships that you've cultivated in the past. It it it's it's it's showing and they're start those seeds are starting to uh to blossom. Also, alongside her, I was able to meet with Mr. Bruce Langanger from Langanger's Juice. Everybody knows about Langanger's juice. I love that juice. Um,

I'm just gonna say it right now. I'm gonna drop a little seed. Uh, he's looking to expand his plant that's down in the city of industry to somewhere, you know, up north. Um, so you already know your MPT was out there, you know, advocating. Um, so there will be a future meeting set up with uh with our city manager, our mayor, and Mr. Bruce Langanger. Finally, Friday, October 17th, that following day, man, our first annual harvest pumpkin patch giveaway. Give yourselves a round of applause if you showed up.

The community came out. Easy, easy. Over 300 people were there. A lot of the kids here, a lot of people here in attendance. You guys were there with your own booths helping with the pumpkin and the decorating of the of of the pumpkins as well. 175 pumpkins were given out within I think it was like 26 27 minutes, right? And we still had people coming out um asking for pumpkins. Uh mayor and I my I know mayor I know my back felt it the next day. I didn't know handing out 175 pumpkins was going to was going to you know hurt like that. But it was great to see you know all the kids. We do it for the kids man. It was great to see all the kids out there having a great time. Um we had face painting. We had the balloon artists out there. Um and then after that everybody stuck around for the movies in the park. So thank you so much for coming out and supporting that. I promise you, we promise you that we'll have probably double the amount of pumpkins next year because they will go. Um, and we look forward to um to hosting that that event. Lastly, on that event, a major thank you to our public works team, guys. Like, it's not the job of our public's works to go pick up pumpkins, go pick up hay bales, help us set up pumpkins, help us set up picture displays. Like, that's not their job, guys. It's not in their job description, right? So, so first and foremost, thank you CM for allowing them the flexibility to come out and and help us with those events and and most importantly, thank you public works for putting in the work and and really just committing to making sure that whatever we need done like gets done. So, thank you guys. Um, lastly, two last things. The SCAG, thank you SCAG. The partnership that we have created with SCAG guys is enormous and it continues to show with programs that they continue to select Adilanto to help champion. Um they selected the city of Adilanto to champion this new program that's called their future leaders initiative program. I'm going to touch on the program briefly, but you're going to hear a lot more information coming

out about this program. Um, Skagg is looking for young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 who live in the six major counties in Southern California, Sanino being one of them, that are passionate and curious about civic leadership. No prior experience required, right? Just as any given sports program, coach to my left, coach in front of me, this is a feeder program. This is a feeder program to local government, to future leaders, right? And if we don't start to prepare our future leaders that are sitting in the audience today to run our cities and to govern our cities and to run our states and counties, that's our fault, right? If that high school doesn't have players for next year, that's Little League's fault or Pop Warner's fault or whoever's fault it is, right? Um it's a six-month leadership program that goes from January 26 to June 26. Monthly virtual sessions. The final session will be hosted in downtown Los Angeles at SCAGs headquarters. Um these young men and women will be learning uh they'll learn about planning, policy, equity, transportation, housing, and changemaking, right? Um again, you're going to hear more information. If you know somebody that wants to apply to the program, applications have already opened up. You'll see a lot of announcements starting to come on all of our social media platforms starting to come out this Friday. And um if you have any questions about the program, reach out to any other council members. We'll be sharing all this information with them, so they'll be able to answer any questions. Lastly, in closing, uh King's birthday is today. Seven years old. Um wish my little guy a happy birthday. And with that, my announcements are done. Thank you, Mayor. So, what I love about having a council that works uh is I really don't got much to say because most of those things all three of us were doing. Um I do want to though and in and and unfortunately kind of just um have to bring the energy down

a little bit, but then I'll work on bringing it back up. Um, if we could please here briefly for for for a moment if we can have a moment of silence uh for one of our very own residents uh and veterans in our community. Uh his name was Bobby Brown. A lot of you know him. A lot of you uh love him, hate him, but what everyone can say about him is that Bobby was true and through. And uh he had a heart for his veterans. He had a heart for his community. And he was just a great great person. Uh unfortunately he was uh struck by a vehicle on uh on Highway 15 coming back home after leaving one of the posts and uh he he he he was killed. So we can just take a quick moment of silence for him. Okay, thank you so much ladies and gentlemen um Bobby uh and to to your family. We we love you. We appreciate you. Uh there was a great team forming around post 229 here in Avalanto and I know that they will pick up the work and continue improving in the quality of life for all of our veterans and for all of our seniors and for all of our community. So, Bobby, thank you so much for all your hard work, for all of your commitment, and everything that you've done uh in our community. Uh yes, amazing, amazing time, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much for being in attendance. Sorry that I am remote, but I'm currently out here in uh Reno, Nevada. I I sit on the VBTA, the Victor Valley Transportation Authority Committee for for the city, and we are having our cow act conference. It is my

first one with VVTA. A lot of learning so far. Um, did not realize how uh much of a mechanism public transportation really is, but I'm very fortunate to be able to be here with VBTA spending a lot of quality time with the leadership and uh really learning what it is that we can do to increase our our public transportation system and and our services and our resources for our community here in the city of Aalanto. They've already already been a great partner and donated that bus already to to our seniors. So super grateful and excited for them. I will have a lot more to report out from my conference when I come back and our next regular scheduled meeting. But going back to some of the dates, mayor program talked already about our harvest festival. It was great. It was amazing seeing the community come out for the harvest festival and then jumping right into the movies was great. I'll probably say we had closer to you know in total with both events close to maybe 400 people who came out throughout the throughout the evening to enjoy and to celebrate. So thank you for all of those who did come out again Mayor Pro Tim get a shout out to those who already assisted like public works and everyone else. So everyone who was a part of that thank you so much it was a lot of fun a great time. I was also fortunate enough to be able to speak at Avalon Elementary School. Same thing for their career day. I just focus on the mayoral ship. Had some amazing questions uh and and it it was great to be able to interact with our youth there as well. One of the things that I do want to touch on uh outside of the League of Cities, you've heard it from various members of our council already for all of those who are in attendance, uh the impact of what it is that they've been able to feel over the years. uh to be able to see and go from room to room to networking event to networking aware event to mixer to mixer to just be walking down the street going

back to the hotels and hearing you know the members of my council uh be able to say that they heard everyone saying all the lontos in the house all the lonto all the lonto all the lonto it just goes to speak on how much this council uh has really been building and working relationships throughout the region. You know, shout out again to Mayor Pro Tim. He's been crushing it with with Skagg and with SBCTA. You know, it it's great to be able to see that all of us are able to put in the work to really be able to advance our community forward. you know, Mayor Pro Timi talked about that that um that Edison um meeting and and and you know, where their focus are going to be and and rightfully so, right? That was a a catastrophe and very um tragic event that happened with all of the fires. But ladies and gentlemen, this is also a big reason on why Avalanto needs to be able to explore alternative solutions to be able to to find other ways to bring the necessary needs to our community, right? because we should not get put on the back burner or we should not have to wait because unexpected things happen, right? If they're able to make unexpected moves and unexpected adjustments for other catastrophes and other areas, they should be able to have the same energy and have the same throughput. When a city that's been neglected for 30 years prior to this administration starts booming with economic development, starts bringing in the jobs, starts bringing in the homes. You know, we we we've been told time and time again that the reason why it can't happen is because it's not forecasted in their books. they don't have the plans or the resource to be able to do this that and the third and and I'm not trying to speak ill or speak negative. Um but when I don't think this fire was something in their books either, but for all hands on deck to be able to go to adjust and to

fix those type of situations, our constituents, our region, our city deserves the same type of treatment, especially if we're putting in the work and doing the things that are required. So, city manager and council, thank you so much for looking for alternative solutions and alternative ways to be able to provide energy to our city and to our region. Um, and we're going to continue to do so and we're excited for all of that and the great progress that we're going to have here to come. Uh, League of Cities again was great. Super excited about that. And, um, going to go ahead and just make make a an announcement to kind of touch on what Mayor Pro Tim was talking about. And it was our housing our proousing aspect. I'm not sure how many of you saw on our Facebook that we've been talking about that the city of Aalanto is pro housing, but we've we're we're one of three cities in San Bernardino County as a whole who um has their six cycle element approved, right, with the state of California. And this proousing element is huge because what it does and I'm going to just talk on a couple of things to so that we can understand the importance of it. But the benefits of it is it gives us priority processing for state housing and infrastructure funded applications. Key word there community and residents is infrastructure funded applications. One of the biggest things that we've been talking about that needs help in our community and we've been focusing a lot of our resources is our infrastructure. Another access is to competitive state programs with additional funding opportunities, enhanced initiatives for affordable housing development. Now, that's great and dandy because the state of California has said that there is a a need for housing and they've asked the city of Avalanto to to contribute with arena numbers for over 5,000 homes, right? So, with with us being able to

have this expedited service to get these type of attractions and then resources and things, we have the staff, we have the council, right? Um, so when you do see a various amount of different projects coming our way, please understand is because it is it is it is in support and of the vision of what's being asked of our arena numbers. Now, while why is that housing so important? Because when I when I sat down with the city manager back in 2018 when I when I was first selected and I asked him, Jesse, how are we going to grow our city? I said, 'Help me understand the cycle on how what it is that is required to have us become a Victorville, to have us become a Downey, to help us become a Rancher Cookamonga, right? Things of that sort. He's like, "Well, mayor, first things first, you got to bring the jobs. The jobs brings the houses. The houses brings the retail and commercial, and the final component is entertainment." Ladies and gentlemen, please be proud. And and I heard it in the background. Yes, that is our McDonald's, right? Those are huge, huge youth wins. It may be small. It may not be what it is that we're wanting at the moment, but that's our McDonald's, right? That that that's point of sales that's coming into our community. That's restaurants that are coming into our community because of the housing that we have going on right now. City manager, correct me if I'm wrong. I believe we have about 800 homes currently and some phase of of plan check that's set to break ground over the next two years. Right? So all of these things are just going to expedite the retail. It's going to expedite the commercial. It's going to expedite all the shopping that we going that we're going to want to do and that we've been wanting to do in our community. So celebrate the small wins. celebrate the the the big victories because the way that this council is working and the unity this council has for the betterment of the quality of

life for everyone here in the great city of Ailanto is going to come and it's going to come very very fast. So um that's just briefly I have I've had a bunch of other meet but I don't want to bore you guys with those meetings because there's no reportable action. Um, so with no reportable action, um, I think I want to be respective of all of our times and going to just go ahead and move on to our agenda and go to our presentations. Uh, our first presentation is for a certificate of recognition for Emiliano Diaz. Uh, Council Mesa, you want to take this one over?

Yes, sir. U, before I start off, guys, give me a minute because we do have another local celebrity in the house right now. Um, her name is Maya Hernandez. Maya, can you stand up? I caught you. So, just to give you guys a little bit of background, this is uh Oak Hills Boxing Club in Oak Hills. Uh, it's right off 395 and they are producing a lot of champions out of there. And Maya, we kind of presented to her about two years ago up here, I believe it was. and she just made her professional debut and of course she won, right? She of course she won and she handled that person pretty well and scary girl that she fought. You know, we got a beautiful young lady right here face the face down was incredible and she I don't want to give all her personal information. I know a little but she took some time off. She's having a family and she this is her comeback and she went pro and yeah I know a lot about you. You're like how do you even know all that? Right. Um because I I want to know what our youth is doing. I want to see our champions go through and this boxing club is producing champions. And so I just want to say uh congratulations Maya and uh all the best for you and your f future in your career.

She didn't she didn't know that was happening but when I saw her come in I'm like oh I got to get her. Um, but what this boxing club is doing, guys, is just um it's it's an alternative to um keeping our kids off the streets. And believe me, coach is very hard on the kids as he should be and as we need him to be. And it's not for the um kids who have sensitivity issues when you go to his gym. Uh he's going to push you. He's going to make sure if you can't handle what he's saying, you don't belong in a gym, right? You don't belong in that ring because you're going to get punched. You're going to get yelled at by the crowd. you're going to get all that. And if you can't handle it on a little practice, you don't belong in in that environment, in that world. And that coach really makes sure this isn't soccer. This is this is hand-to-hand combat, right? This is a whole different thing. And what I usually don't promote other cities. Um he's from Oak Hills, but um Emiliano Diaz is from Atlanta, right? Give it up for Ailiano Diaz. Um, and if we're going to go meet down there, and I'll read this down here, but he's he's a young champion. He's in our city of Adalanto. He's representing us every time he goes out to these tournaments. Um, Golden Gloves, all these big tournaments that boxing goes through. And he's, you're going to see how big he is. He's huge, right? But it's his heart, right? He's goes in there with with just a lion's mentality when he goes into these rings and faces his competition. So, if you guys can uh bring up Ameliano and everybody can give him a round of applause. We'll meet him down there.

It's one thing to ask talk about him, but I said bring some bring some hardware. Ameiliano. Yeah. So, turn around. We got to wait for Mayor Pro Tim to do his celebrity walk.

Get out of his picture. Oh, am I in this? Who's taking Where's the photo coming from? Yeah. Put that head up. Right. So, look at this pride. this this confidence in this young man, you know, look at those shoulders. Look at this boy, right? This young man is future right here and present, right? Stand right here, bud.

Yeah. So, on behalf of the city of Atlanta, Mayor Reyes, and um the rest of council, we would like to give this certificate of recognition to Emiliano Diaz in recognition of your outstanding accomplishments and dedication to the sport of boxing. At just 10 years old, you have shown remarkable discipline, perseverance, and heart. Qualities of a true amplified to the spirit of Atlanta's youth. Training out of Oak Hills Boxing Club, we have completed seven several sanctioned USA boxing events tournaments, earning victories in six out of eight bouts. Your achievements include titles from the junior golden gloves, national blue and gold tournament, two SoCal State Championship belts, and the silver and black Raiders 49ers sponsored tournament in Las Vegas. Right. You have also been nominated and ranked number three in the youth of the year and currently hold the number three national ranking by the USA boxing in peewe division. Your dedication and passion for your sport, spending long hours training when most kids are at play, are an inspiration to your community and is a testament to what can be achieved through hard work and determination. The city of Atlanta proudly recognizes and congratulates you, Emiliano Diaz, for your exceptional achievements, commitment to excellence. You are truly a role model and a future champion in the making. Thank you from the city of Atlanta. Now, while you guys are taking this photo up, Mesa, you better be careful, man, because you you know, if you ever mouth up, I'm going just call parents to go ahead and give you a little a little onetwo combo.

Can we get the parents to come? Yeah, the parents come up here and then coach as well, coach. I got a little brother in here too. Another one right there. coaching.

Cool. Thank you guys. Appreciate you, bud. Congratulations. Congratulations. I dropped them off.

How cool is that? Alrighty. Thank you so much, Council Member Mesa, and congratulations, Behold. Uh, keep on being a great example. Keep on, uh, representing, and, uh, continue to have tremendous success and continue to be a great role model to your to your little brother. Um, going to go ahead and move on with our presentation, and we have a presentation by Miss Rhonda Dennis.

Good morning. Good morning. Um, Councilman, Mayor Pro Tim, um, Mayor Reyes, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to come and speak with you this morning. Um, u, I want to, um, start this proposal. Um, so, uh, I am proposing a partnership with the city of Atlanta and the Glasper building, uh, the former Glasp, um, Boys and Girls Club, um, that's right across the street here, um, to house our Dennis Preparatory Academy and preschool. Next slide, please. So, um, you guys have seen me. I've been around um I've been here, you know, a couple times, show show up at the uh meetings as as much as possible because I am I'm a transplant from um the city of Victorville, but uh I've been here in Atlanta for since 2018 and I am a diehard Atlanta um um person, you know. So um so you know who I am. I'm Rhonda Dennis. Um, I'm dedicated to the city of Atlanta. Um, and I'm very very proud of of what this city has has has done and has shown in in the the last, you know, several years. Um, especially since I've been here. Um, I'm dedicated. Um, my work has been with children. Um, and I'm dedicated and rooted in deep love for our community. So the R Dennis Preparatory Academy and preschool is a culmination of that work. It's it's my life's work. Um this proposal is not a simple real estate transaction. It's a

request to partner with you on a project that will ignite a movement of economic and educational empowerment in Atlanta. So, I'm asking for your trust um in a plan that is unconventional um but deeply strategic and one that is designed to ensure a successful lasting legacy for for this city. Next slide, please. So, who who are you dealing with? You're dealing with uh myself. Uh I am a 28y year career educator. Um, I've been um educ in in education um pretty much most of of my adult life and have known that this is the path that God has put me on since I was a little girl. So, um I'm a proven executive leadership and facility management. I have experience um and the experience that is required to deliver our dentist preparatory academy and preschool and this project with success. Next slide please. So a little bit about me. Why do I feel like this is something that I can do before I get into what the proposal is going to require. So um my expertise is in four different areas. So I've I've startup and ownership. I'm founder and former owner of Love and Learning Child Care, um, which I ran in, um, in the LA area. Um, I'm the current founder and CEO of Dennis Educational Consulting Services LLC. Um, we write grants and government contracts. So, we're um, uh, writing service and consulting. and also Dex nonprofit organization which has plans to offer transitional housing and um lowincome

housing in Atlanta in the near future. So that leadership ability um shows that I've successfully launched, operated, and managed a licensed facility um LLC and nonprofit businesses from the ground up, demonstrating startup acumen and financial self-sufficiency. um my executive management expertise. I've been a principal at multiple school districts including Keell USD um Woodward Leadership Academy and Excelsia Charter Schools and I've also been the interim director at Victor Valley Colleg's Child Development Center. So that that leadership ability shows that I have a the proven ability to lead complex organizations, manage multiple million dollar budgets, and oversee diverse SA staff and ensure continuous state and federal compliance. Um, another area of expertise is instructional expertise. Um, I'm currently a university supervisor at Cal State University San Bernardino. Um, I'm an experienced teacher in the Adilanto School District, Pathways to College Charter School, and Victor Elementary School District. Um, that guarantees curriculum fidelity and instructional excellence, provides the academic authority necessary to secure state and federal program funding. And then lastly, um, my project commitment. Um, I have a deep commitment to Atlanta. um having begun my career as a teacher at the former George um elementary school district um uh in 2007 and being an adalto resident since 2019. So my history um in the city although it's been short um it it ensures long-term sustainability and uh mission fidelity of uh our dentist preparatory academy as a community partner. Next

slide please. All right. So, now to the meat and potatoes. So, this proposal is a two-year lease with option to buy and um this structure is born out of financial financial necessity and strategic discipline. So, as a new nonprofit, which is what our dentist preparatory academy and preschool will be, um we have to establish a strong credit profile and a proven track record of operational and financial viability. So, this 2-year period will allow us to demonstrate the school's success to lenders, securing the necessary long-term financing to finalize the purchase. And this approach mitigates risk for the city of Atlanta while guaranteeing our commitment. Next slide, please. So, the proposals, the two-year lease with option to buy, and these are the key terms of the partnership. So, uh, first, the lease agreement. So, a two-year lease at a m mutual agreable market rate with the first year to be dedicated to renovation and a portion of the second year for operation and further fundraising. Um, the renovation um RDPAP will be responsible for and will fully fund all necessary renovations to bring the building up to code for its intended use as a preschool and community center. This represents a significant non-reimburseable investment on our part demonstrating our unwavering commitment to the property and its future. And then um an option to buy the lease agreement will include a firm purchase price for the building and land which RDPA will have the option to exercise at any point during the 2-year term. Next slide, Pet. Okay. So, the long-term vision um part one um our plan is to transform the

Glasro building and its acres into a vibrant educational and empowerment campus through three distinct but interconnected phases. Phase one, the preschool and community center, which will um come come to fruition by um early uh next year. The Glasper building will be meticulously renovated to house our state-of-the-art universal preschool um serving ages three to five. The preschool will employ um from the beginning at least 10 jobs and bring um 10 jobs to Atlanta and serve up to a 100 kiddos with one full day class and four half-day classes. our um Dennis preschool will be partnering with community organizations like moldy carts um for um for our our food program. So so um and the community empowerment center. This is one that I'm really excited about. Um so this center will immediately offer financial literacy courses, job training, and other essential resources to parents and community members during evening classes. So we will not only use th those that space for preschool but in the evening we will offer um classes for our our our residents in our community to extend um their capabilities. The completion of this phase will serve as a powerful testament to our ability to deliver on our promises and will be a source of immediate community pride. Next slide please. So why are we starting with the preschool first? Um because um the preschool currently in Atlanta, we have over 3,000 children that are under the age of five, yet we only have two preschool centers and they each have a capacity of 40.

Wow.

So they have a huge weight list. Um and so we see that this is an area that is needed. Our preschool will house approximately 100 um preschool students. and I've already met with both of those Head Start programs that have agreed to give me their waiting list. So, we already have kids that are, you know, potentially going into the program as soon as we open up because there is a need and a demand demand. Next slide, please. Phase two is the Ardens Preparatory Academy. So upon successful renovation and the establishment of a proven track record, we will use the surrounding acres to construct the new campus for our Dennis Preparatory Academy with a planned opening for the fall of 2027. Um so um we will we are work currently working with Atlanta Elementary School District to um to get our charter um approved. So, our first year will be 2026, but we're using that year as a planning year. That will give us time to build our school, to get everything situated and make sure everything is in place. Um, our Dennis Preparatory Academy will be a free public charter school that will house kids from transitional kinder through 8th grade. Um, this new campus will be uh purpose-built to support our innovative curriculum, ensuring that students have access to modern, engaging learning environments. Our mission is to provide an innovative hands-on and rigorous academic program uniquely focused on business, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and AI development for students in um TK through 8th grade. The charter school

will employ over 30 staff members from teachers, office um staff, custodians, and support staff. So, we'll also be bringing jobs into the community. Next slide, please. Phase three, the job training and and vocational center. So, um as we build the school, we will be able to also increase the space that we have for the uh community empowerment center. Um, so it's going to um include a dedicated job training and vocational center. We're establishing a pipeline for partnerships with various organizations which will provide financial coaching, home ownership programs, and small business training to Atlanta residents. I am um currently trying to um set up a a program with the the program operation hope um to bring them up here to to have that program here in Atlanta for our residents. Next slide please. So our long-term comm community transformation. So um we are we are projecting to have an innovative and engaged classroom learning experience from preschool through TK um TK through 8th grade. Um the charter school will focus on financial literacy and business and AI instruction. We will have community workshops um bringing our residents into our space and um providing family involvement and the advancement um of the city of Atlanta. Next slide. So, um, again, this is a shared investment and a shared legacy. So, again, I know this is not the typical offer that you may receive, but Atlanta is not a typical city and its children and families deserve a vision that is

bold and innovation as they are. I am asking you to say yes to a plan that puts education and empowerment at the center of our city's future. I'm asking for the chance to build a legacy of hope, pride, and prosperity right here at the heart of our community. By entering to this lease agreement, the city of Atlanta is not selling a building. You are acquiring a committed partner who is ready to invest significant capital and human resources into a long, dormant asset. So, I thank you for your time. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, amazing presentation. Uh, Councilwoman Evans, do you have any questions?

Um, I I don't have any questions. I I have more of a statement. Um, one, yes, this is an amazing presentation. Phenomenal. Um, where Oh, I wrote it over here. Sorry, I got notes everywhere today because my iPad was cutting up this morning, so I wanted to make sure I was good. Um, I would I one needed. Yes. On point. Yes. love the idea, all those things. But what I would ask you to do is to go back and review the October 26th, 2022 council meeting. Um, there was an agenda item there for the last person that tried to take over the city to take over what used to be the Glasper Center. And those comments that I made to him are the same comments and precautions and um, all things positive. Like I I don't want to make it negative, but all of the the um what's a good word? Predictions.

Concerns. And you said insurance. Concerns. Concerns. Thank you. Concerns is a good word that I had for that person are probably amplified now because the building is worse than it was then. Yes.

So, I would just ask you to look at that. If you have questions on what I said, October 26, 2022, if you need me to clarify because I I was talking in code a little bit because I didn't want to be disrespectful to the process right back then. But if you like to ask questions on what I said in those meetings, you have questions about what I'm saying, if I wasn't clear in what I was saying, please reach out to me. I will have that meet that conversation with you privately, um, just think about that because this is great. I know there's some talks, some other things going on with that building. Maybe there's some partnership that can happen there, but I don't want us I don't want to put you in a predicament where you're not getting what you think you're getting out of the deal.

That makes sense. Now, I I have had my contractor go in a few months back to look so I know what's happening there. Um and it's probably it may be even worse because the building was vandalized. um recently. So um so I'm aware of what's you know what needs to be done there but also willing to take on that responsibility because th this is this is a passion of mine and this is something that I know is needed and you know what whatever I I have to do to make sure that it comes to fruition for this city and for these kids. Yeah. Is what I'm willing to do.

I love it. He said them same things respectfully and it was still a mess. Right. So, and and and I'm not putting on him. I'm not putting on us. I'm just saying I want you to be aware of what it is fully. Yeah. And then y'all make your decision. Okay. But we will talk. Please.

Can I upgrade? Well, obviously Rhonda, you know how how much I support uh your vision as a member of your team on this project. Uh I think that the project itself is what you said. It's a it's a needed project uh for our community because of the numbers, right? Just because of the the growing population that we have. Uh, moreover, I've got to see exactly how the students have responded to your curriculum over at Excelsier. Our youth group was made up of many, many students from Excelsier from your school and the impact that you've had on them personally. Um, and the impact that your programs and your leadership has had on those students while you were there, uh, second to none. And so I still have members of our youth who have talked about how you're not there um and how they miss you and how uh what an impact you've had on them. And so for me obviously it's one of those things whether you are in this particular building or any other building here in our city I believe it'll be successful simply because of who you are and what I know you have the capacity to do and the support that I know that you have behind you. And so I I love this this program and I I am very encouraged by the program and I'm looking forward to see the program anywhere in our city.

Council me Rhonda, great presentation. Um my only concern with this is we I think you're talking to the wrong group, right? I don't know why Atlanta school district isn't on on this right. if

competitor or not the if if she's well listen to what I'm saying. If if she's saying the numbers are so low, I mean, sorry, so high of kids not being able to have a class, where are our parents not going to the school board and saying, "Where are our schools?" Right? So, this is more of their issue. Of course, we're going to share in the in the issue and resolving things, but guys, we got to go to those schoolboard meetings and demand more funding from our schools, from the school boards, and put them who these high and mighty people who don't like to take comments and make them forced to answer questions. Yeah. Well, I don't care who I piss off, but you got to you got to go to the school board. She just gave you some hard numbers. She's trying to save the day. She's trying to put a cape on and save the day, and our school boards are letting us down. All right? And our high school is not part of that school district. Our high school's on a whole different level, a whole different game. But Atlanta school district needs a little smack in the in the pants and and and talking to by all of us parents, including myself, including anyone who has any kids in these schools. We got to get out there and tell them where where are our classes? Why are our class sizes 30 to 40 kids per class? Why is there a waiting list? That's unacceptable. There's no fire that's hurting us over here. We we need to be on our schoolboard. So, I I understand what uh Miss Rondo is trying to do and I I applaud it, but this this is a bigger fight that we're trying to put a band-aid on when our school district is letting us down. So, please get in front of our school boards, grab your city uh your schoolboard members and have this hard conversations with them. Just like the How you guys doing? You know, we need to have these conversations and say, "What can we do to help with them?" I was waving to the camera, not to anybody in here.

Okay. I was like, I'm waving at the camera because I know a couple couple of people that are on the phone or watching in are on those school boards, but what kind of answers do you guys have for our community? What kind of plans do you have for our community? Because this is a crisis for our kids. We're trying to hit it on all different levels, different age lengths. Miss Rhonda just gave us numbers on how our little kids are being neglected and the class sizes are too high. So, we all got to work as a team. And I I'll be the first one to put put it out there that we need to have these strong conversations that are uncomfortable so we can all go as a team, us with the school boards, and go to see who we need to talk to because I'll if the school board's willing to march to go talk to somebody, I'm right with them. But if they're going to sit on their hands and not act like anything's happening, then I got a problem with them. So, that's my two cents on it. So, thank you, Miss Rhonda.

Mayor Brooks.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The amazing Miss Rhonda Dennis. Thank you for the presentation. We appreciate it. Um I'm going to fall in line and I agree with the rest of my colleagues. Right. I'm going to just add something though. Um I agree strongly with Councilman Mesa. However, I I do feel you're talking to the right group of people, right? But you should in addition to talk to that group of people who specialize in what you are trying to do. However, and I I'll I love you school district. This is no shot. This is no beef. This is no war, right? Differences need to put us be put aside for the betterment of our children. But there have been plenty of times when personally me and this city have gone to the school district to ask for support with programs, right? And they've shut the door in our face or have politely said no. We can't sit and wait for them to say yes. We'll figure it out because we deliver results, right? The scholarship, the cannabis scholarship being one, right? They denied or didn't want to have part of us funding future education for our kids. It's coming from legal tax dollars, right? And if Jack Daniel, if they can accept a Jack Daniels and a KFC scholarship, right, that are killing people daily, right? alcohol and fast food and they should be able to take dollars from a legal community, right, that's actually saving lives, healing people. Feel how you that's a different discussion how you feel about it, right? Um, so I feel you need to talk to both. And he's right, we do need to be more vocal, right? Just like I said earlier in my comments and updates, when we show up for mental health services and programs, they're not going to give them to us if we're not showing up. We got to show up

and one meeting ain't going to do it. Every single meeting, everybody that's here in attendance today that agrees with what Miss Rhonda Dennis is wants to do should be at those meetings, right? Supporting her.

I would caution and I would ask to if you haven't already, sit down with with these two amazing gentlemen to my right, Mr. City Manager, Mr. Jesse Flores and Mr. Gil Kanan because they're in the business of setting businesses up to succeed in the city of Alando, right? And they're right and you're right. We need it. We need it. So I coincidentally was thinking about starting an inhome daycare and that's when I found out that we only have three preschools. Like what are you talking about right now? There's so many like we have so many babies. Um, and you're right, whatever we need to do for it to come to fruition, I'm just not sure that that building is the right building. Now, if you if you haven't met with these gentlemen and you meet with these gentlemen and and they're able to to figure it out and it ends up being and you can come up with all the resources, run it. Absolutely. you know, or maybe they will come up with a more creative idea in a different building in a different area of the city that we really don't wouldn't expect, you know, for it to be or we don't know about or we're not aware about. Either way, it needs to happen. Um, I just want to make sure that when it comes to our kids, that whatever we do, whether it's a scholarship, whether it's a preschool, whether it's a daycare, whatever it is, that it's set up for success, right? because we don't want and and and thank God that you're teamed up with Molding Hearts already cuz they're the blueprint. They're the blueprint on how to come into a building that's kind of eh, right? And then boom, like two, three month Yeah. two three Yeah. two three two two three months later it's like oh my god. And everybody, not only seniors, everybody's trying to go eat, right? And it's a sustainable program. And you see every couple months like they're adding a van or new programs or new food or whatever. like they are the blueprint, right? So, I'm I'm confident that whatever it is you're trying to do when

you're teamed up with champions like that, it's it's it's going to happen, right? We just got to make sure that that that's the place, right? And is it is it would you is it better off for the program to find a better location where you don't have to invest so much money so much time in just getting it up to and then getting it up to wow when that can be spent on the babies right or the actual program itself. So either way I'm in support of it. I would say just please if you haven't already meet with CM meet with Dr. Gil and and just, you know, uh uh throw some stuff on the wall, see what sticks, see what makes sense. Um but but you're absolutely right. It's something that our city desperately needs. That's all I got. Mayor,

thank you.

Great great comments from from all of our from all of our council. Um, Miss Dennis, you know, I think all of us I think all of us are are are are supporters of you, right? I don't think that the um please don't take these comments or these concerns as not being supportive. Um because because we are right and I think because of that support being there, we're probably being a little bit more cautious because we know how much this program needs to succeed. We know how much our community and our kids need this program. But I do have a question for you and kind of along the lines of what Council Member Mesa asked. Um what what what what does Ailanto Elementary School District have planned to solve this issue, right? Because um 3,000 kids and and and no foreseeable action plan is is is is a huge huge concern of mine. Right. So what what conversations or details have you gone gone in with them? M Miss Rhonda, before you answer that, Mayor, um, very valid question, sir, but do we want her to answer that and possibly put her in a position to not get the help that she needs from them if she could get it

respectfully? Yeah, you're right. So, with that being said, answer that question. That being said, um and and then I say that through um because because I do attend the Atlanta school board meetings as well and um at one of the recent meetings it was brought up that they do need to um to start putting in in their schools um the TK programs. So, they currently don't have them yet, but they are talking about adding those programs um to to the to their schools. Good answer.

Great answer. So, what I I'll leave it at this, Miss Rhonda. I have your number. Um I should be back come Saturday um and be available possibly Sunday or Monday for a personal sit down so that we can talk more openly and freely about this. Love the presentation. Great details, great great great vision. and uh let's see what we can do to possibly assist in uh in and bringing this to fruition. I appreciate it. Thank you all.

All right, let me go ahead and go back on to our agenda. Going to go ahead and go to public comments. Members of the audience wishing to address the council, please grab a yellow a yellow speaker card and fill it out and bring it down to Virginia. For anyone online, please press star nine when you are when when you're when your hand is when your name is uh given and that'll raise your hand. Let me go ahead and go now to the screenshot of our public comments. And if I can please have, let me see. Um, is that PET?

Are you guys speaking on public comment or something on the agenda? I know that's if you're speaking on the agenda later on. It's later on or if you got a public comment. Yeah, they're going to wait on that one. So, this one, Mayor Plet, is for agenda item number one. Okay. I wasn't sure if that was presentation. So, um All right. So, that's one. That's one. Uh Alex Alex Dennis That's the

Okay. Uh, good morning, council. Uh, my name is Alexander Dennis. I'm the director of operations and strategic development for Dennis Educational Consulting Services. Um, I'm speaking in regards for my mother and our dentist Preparatory Academy. Um, my mother is a lifelong educator as we all just saw. She has worked in every aspect of the school from driving kids to school on the bus to putting out administrative fires within the office and everything in between. Anyone who has ever met my mom will agree that she is a dedicated and phenomenal person. Her love for teaching and developing children is evident in everything she has done for the many schools and districts she has worked for. She has an ability to bring the best out of those around her and her generosity knows no bounds. This building is more this building is more than just a building. It's the beginning of something special. A new age for the city of Atlanta. A school design designed not to just babysit kids but to grow them into innovators, creators, entrepreneurs, financial sants. This building will become much more than abandoned piece of property. will become a second home to children all throughout the city of Atlanta. With your support, we can build a legacy of greatness. I respectfully ask you to to approve this proposal, not just for the benefit of today's children, but for the generations to come. Thank you. All righty. Thank you. Next public comment would be Isaiah. Good morning, council. Um, Miss Rhonda, as I've known her, she's a great leader. And something I've learned about great

leaders, the purpose isn't to be in control. It's to serve. And Miss Rhonda has a passion to serve. She is dedicated to them chillings. She is unrelenting in her work. I have seen this woman studying just for uh to get this building, to get this school, to manage staff for several hours a day. She she wakes up in the morning, she'd be like she's still there in that room studying day and night. She is dedicated to these children. She is passionate. She has faith that this is where she is going. And her work proves that this is this is her path. She she is very dedicated. Um she's dedicated not only to just I kind of want to just talk about how the type of person she is cuz that kind of will help you see how dedicated she is. She'll she's bringing up one of her grandchildren right now. She could be bringing up more. I this is the only one I know about. She's bringing up one of her grandchildren right now and teaching them about financial literacy. She's taught me about smart goals which are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and a time bound goal. uh she's um she's really helped me and given me a lot of advice just to like life cho just certain life choices I plan to make just to make sure I like that I prosper in where I'm going that I'm truly enjoying what I do. You know, Miss Rhonda is a she's a great woman. She's looking to bless whoever she can. She's looking to reach out to whoever she can, you know, and I've been really blessed to know her. We're currently staying with her because she she she blessed us. She's looking to she's really looking to bless other people. She's she uh took a calculated loss to make me birthday breakfast.

Uh she uh but she she's just an amazing woman. She's dedicated to whatever she's doing. And to quote her, she believes whatever she does, and you heard her say it with excellence. And she believes I don't I don't even think she knows I heard this, but she also believes that whatever she does, whatever anyone does, whatever work you do, not only are you should you do it, but you should do it better than what the intended finished product is. That is Rhonda Dennis for you. All right. Thank you. Can I get Miss Rachel?

Hello. I see council members. So, uh, that was my son that just spoke and he was a student of Miss Rundas back I'm sorry, he was a student of Miss Randes, um, several years ago. He actually just turned 18 last Saturday. And, um, I'm very proud of the direction that he's going. And I have to say that Miss Rhonda has been a very she's been a I'm sorry I keep looking back at her, but that's because I really respect her. But uh she's been a very very instrumental in guiding him and in guiding me as a single parent in getting him there. And so um I've known Miss Render for about 16 years. And we met in a dance ministry at a church in Vic uh Victorville. And immediately what hit me about her was just the warmth. And that warmth exuded so much that I immediately started respecting her. and I have been stuck by her side ever since. Like I definitely support her and her endeavors and um I mean she's mentioned to her she's mentioned to you her vast level of educational experiences. I just know that um I've worked with her at Pathways to College which was a TK through 8 charter school and I was one of the aids. She of course was the teacher and uh at first we were in fifth grade and then we went on to middle school and middle school is where I got to be literally by her side um the entire time and she made such an impact on not only those students but um she integrated herself throughout the campus that uh every all the kids knew her to the point that when she left they're walking around they'll see me and they're like hi Miss Rhonda hi Miss Dennis I'm like no I'm Miss Minor and like Oh, okay. Well, hi. Um Um and so they they loved her. They were disappointed that she left. They wanted to they wanted her to be her teacher. They wanted the

experience of Miss Dennis because her reputation preceded her. And so, um even former students that we may run into uh and that remember me remembers her. They can't they see me and ask about her because that's how much of an impact that she is. she's she's loved and so um I support her endeavors. I I I support um our Danish Preparatory Academy. I support the preschool and whatever can be done to help gain a building for her to open up her school. Whatever will help this community, it will help this community grow. And I've heard the mayor speak about wanting the community to grow, wanting uh other communities, other cities to look at Adalanto different from the reputation that was known previously. And definitely this school will. And you know, as we get older, whenever we have conversations with people, we don't we don't talk about the McDonald's. Thank you that the McDonald's is coming. That's wonderful. We don't talk about the McDonald's. We don't talk about the Walmart, but we do talk about the school that we went to. I was out of three minutes.

Thank you. Thank you for those amazing comments. Um, Mayor Pro Tim, while you got the ones there in front of you. Yeah. Yeah. The rest are just for item one, right? Yeah. There's two here that for some reason aren't sent uh sending out to you right now. They're just stuck. So, I'm going to go ahead and ask them to come up um first for general public comment. Uh Miss Magna Turales, please. Yep. Thank you. Now, is this an agenda on on the uh building or just a regular?

Okay. Um Terrellis or as they call me at the uh stadium, that lady in a wheelchair, which doesn't make me happy. Um Rhonda, this is outstanding. It It's so needed and I will be contributing to that. But if the three little pigs were in there and the big bad wolf came to blow that place down, it would come down. I have been in that building. It is deplorable. We have six acres of land. And you know, there are people in this world like uh Sandra Bulock, uh Will Smith's son, millionaires that live like you and I. They don't even own mansions that take their millions to help people like you and organizations like the one you want to put together. I think you should meet with them, talk to them. Home Depot, Lowe's, whoever it takes. But not in that building. I mean, the electrical. Do you think if we had a a what do you call that? An earthquake or 90 mile winds that place would hold. We don't want to hurt anybody. Children especially. So, I think we're just better off trying to build something better somewhere right on that property. Like I said, six acres. We can do a lot. Now, um first of all, November 20th, the uh American Legion is going to have their uh community turkey dinner and uh everyone is invited, mainly veterans and their family. It is free. So, any of you that will not be able to afford a turkey dinner or have anywhere to go, please come and join us. Um, folks, I don't I don't know what uh Oh, I I I believe

it's from 2 to 7 on the 20th. Excuse me. Um, I don't know what Brown Act book you guys are reading, but the one I read that was started way back in 1953 and it still stands today says that anyone that comes up here has freedom of speech. you shouldn't be shutting off a mic or taking a mic from anybody if they have something to say. And uh

along that I want to continue by saying that uh I'm really surprised about the stadium. We've been trying to get rid of that stadium for years. Someone finally came and is able to take care of it and get it cleaned and make him look good and maybe even bring a ball club back here. And at the last minute, I don't know who did it or why, they turned around and uh took the thing away. Another thing, the Samoan Club, they this uh they've been doing that annual thing, the Samoan uh flag day for years and years of the experts there. I don't know why someone is trying to uh destroy the contract, but a contract's a contract. We don't want to get sued. Let's let them continue. They're the originals. have been doing it forever. Thank you. Good afternoon to the council and Mr. Mayor. Uh my name is Japati Matavalo. I just want to follow up on our event uh for next year uh June 21st to the 27, 2026. I understand that was already being reserved for everything for next year. Just want to follow up on that if it's still current if it's still on. That's all Mr. Mayor and I'm on flag day

for 2026. Um about the this is just public comment. So this is not dialogue. This is not where we uh would answer any uh questions. So we couldn't answer that. uh you have my number, you can give me a call if you have any questions. We can speak. Thank you. If there are no other further public comments, uh Adam, can we track online, please? There is one online. Uh your honor, Natalie Brown.

Hello. Uh my name is Natalie Brown. I'm with the Planning and Conservation League. Thank you so much to the council for giving me the opportunity to provide an update on the Kadis groundwater mining project. Um it's encountered significant new roadblocks this year and opposition that I want to tell you about. Uh for example, over the last few months, California agencies and legislators, tribal nations, and US senators Alex Pia and Adam Schiff have all taken actions to protect the desert from kitties. In June, state senator Monique Leone and Assembly Member Isaac Bryan, who are chairs of the California State Assembly, State Senate and Assembly Natural Resource Committees wrote a letter to the state lands commission. Um that letter urged deep concerns uh with the Kadis project encouraged the commission to ensure Kadis underos the legally required water code 1815 review which blocks Kadis from exporting any water unless Kadis can first prove that its water mining efforts will not harm the natural or cultural resources of the desert lands. Kadisa's own lobbyist couldn't prove this. The company has yet to start this two-year process. Um, Senator Leone, who wrote the letter, is actually the incoming leader of the California state senate as well. In response to that letter from legislators, the state lands commission wrote to Kadis's CEO stating that any attempt by Kadis to use the pipeline for conveyance without its authorization could result in significant litigation for water conveyance. This follows the commission's unanimous 3 to zero vote in December uh to reject Kadis's lease application. Um that commission is made up of the governor's representative, the lieutenant governor and state controller, which really highlights uh in my opinion the strong state opposition to Kadis. Things didn't get any better for Kadis. In July, US senators Adam Schiff and Alex Pia wrote a letter to the Interior Secretary Doug Bergen describing the problems with Kadis. The senator stated um and I'm quoting here, Department of the Interior experts, including at the US Geological Survey and the National Park Service, as well as peer-reviewed scientific analyses, have warned of the significant

and irreversible impacts that Kadisa's project could have on federal land and surrounding communities. Uh end of quote, Senators reminded federal administration of the need to conduct that legally required review that I mentioned of groundwater pumping, Kadis's long sought to evade this has lost in court every single time. Uh the conclusion is clear. 's empty promises and failed schemes are now three decades old. Meanwhile, sustainable water solutions continue to create well-paying jobs locally while protecting the environment. Water security won't come from corporate pipe dreams like Kadis. At its core, Kadis isn't offering water. It's selling a mirage. Um, thank you so much for being able to contribute that today. Thank you. Anyone else? There is no one else, your honor.

All righty. We're going to go ahead and move on and close public comment here at 12:49 and move on to the consent calendar. Items in the consent calendar considered routine in nature and non-controversial. They require no further discussion by the council may be acted upon one motion u with items city manager. Was anything pulled from the consent? Yes. Uh no, your honor, not the consent. I think they pulled there was your honor. Item number five, right? Item number six. Yes, sir. Item number six. Okay, that is correct. So, with the removal of that, do we have anything else you would like to pull for discussion?

Yeah, if I can pull um the warrant report, please for discussion and then um when it comes to the vote, I I have some different votes there. Um 12 12 for discussion, please. All right. So, pull the warrant for discussion. Um okay. Any nothing else? I move second. All in favor? Let's do a roll call. Yeah, let's do a roll call, please. Yep. Well, cuz she stepped out, but wait. We still have Corum, so it is what it is.

Yeah. Um, so I I'm sorry. Go ahead. We're going to do the roll call, right, Virginia? Yes, your honor. Uh, councelor Evans. So, I am a yes on everything except eight where I'm a no and 10 where I'm going to abstain. I wasn't here for all of those discussions. Thank you. Uh, councelor Mesa, councelor Upter Grove stepped off DAS. Um, Mayor Potam Ramos. Yes. Mayor Reyes.

Yes. Motion passes. Okay, let's pull the warrant for Counciloman Evans. Um, I'd like to touch on, sorry, one second with my great technology. Um, warrant number 151494, please. if you'all want to have finance come up or if you want me to just give my remarks for that and then we can What was that number again, Councilwoman? Yes, sir. It is 151494. Got it. Thank you.

So, I'm just going to make a statement and then we can move there. Um I'd like to address the issue with the invoice um that was recently provided to the city regarding the services for the city's fireworks stand for the 2025 year. The invoice includes charges totaling $1,859 broken down as follows. $1,000 for security, $750 for two generators, and $109 in taxes. While security services are absolutely necessary to protect the stand overnight, this cost along with the generator expense should have been included in the original revenue totals. Those totals were then split evenly between the city's benefit corp and Atlanta Heat Youth Football and Shear as part of the original agreement. That means these operational costs were supposed to be shared, not placed solely on the benefit corp after the fact. Additionally, I want to make it clear that the 109 tax charge should not have been applied under California Department of Tax and fee administration regulations, on-site security guards, and patrol services are not taxable because they are considered labor only services. There's no sale of tangible property. In other words, charging sales tax on that security service is incorrect and should be removed from the total. Once the tax is removed, the remaining balance should be divided equally in accordance with the original revenue sharing agreement. Meaning Atlanta Heat, Youth Football, and Shear should reimburse the benefit Corp for half of the adjusted cost minus the tax. Um, I'm raising this not only to correct the invoice, but to also make sure we're consistent and transparent in how we handle shared cost and revenue going forward. It's important that both parties, the city and our partners are held to the same clear and fair standards.

Thank you.

That's that's what I vote on the warrant or would that just your statement or do you want an answer? I would like an answer. I think our accounting has something to say. I don't know how to answer that. What was your question? So, I I don't know that it's a question for accounting to be to be fair, right? I think that the the issue comes back to council. Um I don't right now it's a warrant. So, they've already paid this out to the organization, right?

However, I believe that we overpaid. If the invoice came in after we already paid the the 50-50 split, right? Then the invoice came after that. We should have only paid half of the services, not the complete services. But even that, the invoice is off because you didn't can't tax a service. So

yeah, I I agree with what you're saying. I'm just like we made the mistake. Not like So I don't that needs to be looked at for sure for next year, but I don't want to penalize somebody. Hey, we didn't charge you enough or we didn't we didn't we we didn't see the invoice. That's our bad. And I agree with you 100% that needs to be rectified going further. But I don't know about going back and penalizing somebody for it. That's my thoughts on it. Well, I wouldn't see it as a penalty. I would see it as making us whole, right? It's not a penalty. We're I'm not faulting anybody. I'm just saying I'm faulting us. I I think it's us. I mean, it was our

Well, I'll speak on it, right? I'll speak on it. So, what happened was when we were submitting the receipts, you we got to do that end of the year form, right? The deductions, the X, Y, and Z's. Um, and when I was asked by by Brenda, right, what what were the expenditures, they said, "Hey, we paid for security and we paid for the generators." She said, "Present the receipts for those." And and that was that, right? So, for it to be a And I think this is, and I think this has always been my biggest frustration with you, Councilwoman Evans, is that like that's a staff question, right? Like not a grandstanding question, right? Like you could have easily have asked me what it was off the dis right so that's a that's a hey why was this done hey Gabe what were the receipts because you know I was the one that was working it with the heat organization right so if you have any questions I don't see what the whole wait until you get the council to get clarity or I I just don't get it right it's a simple phone call conversation and just how it hindered our relationship back in 2019 19. It's the same things. Pick up the phone and ask. It was Brenda asked if there was things that we paid for so they can be reimbursed. I gave her the transactional receipts that were reimbursed and that was just submitted. So again, if you had questions, that's a Brenda question, that's a staff question. That's a come in Monday, Tuesday, send an email, have a conversation, not wait till the DAS to ask the questions. So there's your answer whether you like it or not. Brenda, if there's anything else needs to be added, please add it. Or if I miss something like it.

No, I don't have anything else to add. U perhaps it was a mistake on my part for submitting that for reimbursement and it should have only been half the amount. Um, so that is something that I will work on finance and we will get an invoice over to the heat

and if we need to submit something in return then we can most definitely submit something in return but it was paid for out of the heat. We didn't do any of that. So that's why it was refunded. We didn't get any money from city hall to pay for those things. Things that need to be paid for. They paid for it. That was that was it. So, I guess we can bring that back to a vote and I'm a no on the warrant report. Virginia.

Yes, your honor. Councelor Upgrow. I mean, I'm sorry, Councelor Evans. No. Councelor Mesa, yes. Councelor Upgrowth, yes. Mayor Prom Ramos. Yes. Mayor Reyes. Yes. And then do you want to ask Councilwoman Upgrow for the other items on the consent? Yes, sir. I was about to ask if I can do that. You walked away, ma'am, when they took um uh roll call for the consent calendar. Can I please get your vote on the consent calendar? Yes. Yes. Thank you. Thank you.

All righty. Moving on to the public utility authority consent. Again, items of routine in nature and non-controversial, they require no further discussion. Uh, I move. Second. Second. Roll call, please. Virginia. Yes, your honor. Councelor Evans. Yes. Councelor Mesa. Yes, ma'am. Councelor Upgrowth. Yes. Coun. I mean, Mayor Prom Ramos. Yes. Mayor Reyes. Yes. Motion passes. Thank you. All

righty. Moving on to our public hearing. Item number one, general plan amendment GPA2-01 and zone text amendment ZTA25-01. Um, not sure if Lewis or Naika will be presenting.

Good afternoon, honorable mayor and city council members. like I will be presenting the general plan amendment uh 251 zone text amendment 25501 ordinance number 658 on behalf of Lewis Morales who um we teamed up to get this um proposal to you guys. The applicant is the city of Atlanta. Next slide. General plan amendment number 251 and zone text amendment number um zone text amendment 251 is a proposal to amend the Atlanta north two 2035 comprehensive sustainable plan the general plan land use and zoning map to incorporate the northeast mixed use overlay zone. The purpose of this amendment is to increase residential and commercial density, expand opportunities for housing and mixeduse development, and promote economic growth and land use flexibility in the northeast area of Atlanta. The amendment includes a general plan amendment to add the proposed overlay zone to the land use and zoning map and a zone text amendment to revise appendix A of the zoning code incorporating development standards and design guidelines specific to the northeast mix use overlay zone. Next slide. The general plan uh 251 and zone text amendment 251 focuses on the land use element which is a mandatory general plan element. It is also the elements that may that may be amended four times a year uh which contains um this will be the first general plan amendment in 2025. This amendment aims to increase both residential and commercial density, expand opportunities for housing and mixeduse development, and allow single family residential homes up to 1,100 square ft on a minimum lot size of 3,600

square ft. It will also permit HUD approved prefabricated and modular housings within the overlay zone. Next slide. The city adopted its first general plan amendment in 1973. Since 1973, the major amendments to its general plan occurred in 1994 and and 2014. The current Atlanta north 2035 comprehensive plan sustainable plan was adopted in 2014. The city of Alanto has been receiving inquiries u from applicants interested in applying for general plan amendments and zone changes to carry out commercial and residential development with increased density and to address non-conformity issues resulting from the previous general plan amendments. In addition, the city is only allowed to amend a general plan amendment four times per year and this the city has not um generated any general plan amendments this year of 2025. Under a general plan amendment, a city may make many changes. In an effort to address the many challenges faced with being limited to four amendments per year, the city initiated the following following of general plan amendment number GPA2501 and zone text amendment 251, the mixeduse overlay zone of the city to address the wake of commercial retail, the housing shortage facing the state and region to address non-conforming uses and to increase density and expand housing. The intent of this ordinance number 658 is to amend the general plan land use and zoning map that would establish mixeduse overlay within the b business park zone. The mixeduse overlay will allow all uses permitted under the current mixeduse zone and will also allow for single family residential units up to 1,100 square ft on a minimum

lot size lot size for 3,600 square ft and permit HUD approved pre-fabricated in a modular housing within the overlay zone. Next slide. In front of you is the general plan is the original general plan of zoning map. Uh this is a history map which consists of a large manufacturer industrial area. Um in the city of Atlanta there was no mixed use and no business park zones. On this map in the original and the original northeast area area there was a mix of housing, commercial and manufacturing in the business which is now in the business park zone. Next slide. The current general plan and zoning map. Um as you see um in the business park zone which is um the um outlined in the purple it is uh mixed use was increased airport park was increased and the last general plan update was in 2023 which established a mixture of manufacturing industrial zone east of highway 395. Next slide. In front of you is the proposed northeast mixeduse overlay which will um which is outlined in the red which will increase the residential and commercial density expand opportunities for housing and mixeduse development. It will also encourage growth and land use flexibility in the northeast of Atlanta and once again will allow for residential units to um units up to 1,100 square ft on a minimum lot size of 3,600 square ft and permit HUD approved pre-fabric prefabricated and modular housing within the overlay zone. Also, homeowners will be also um will also be able to refinance their property um which would not which would not um

affect the overlay zone. Next slide, please. Environmental considerations. The project was subject to SQUA an addendum to the um environmental quality act uh state clearing house number 2042031034 for the Atlanta 2035 comprehensive plan was prepared for the project in accordance with the city guidelines which determined from the whole accordance with the city guidelines was determined from the whole record that the project as revised would not have a significant effect on the environment. The city did not receive any comments from responsible and affected agencies. Next slide. Staff recommendations to adopt resolution P2517 recommending the city council adopt the addendum to the previous adopted 2014 environmental impact report. Um, state clearing house number 2014 2031034 and adopt ordinance number 658 approving the general plan amendment 251 and zone text amendment 251 establishing the northeast mixeduse overlay based on the findings. Introduce the first reading of ordinance 658 to adopt findings and approve general plan amendment number GPA 251 and zone text amendment 251 to amend the Adalanto general plan amendment to the revised appendix A of the zoning matrix. Schedule the second reading and adoption of ordinance 658 for the next regular council meeting. This conclude my presentation. I'm open for any questions if you may have. Thank you. Thank you so much, Na. Uh, Councilwoman Evans,

great work staff. Um, this is long overdue. This is an issue that was brought to me, us in 2018 when somebody that now sits on this diet with me decided to have us go out and do sandbags and stuff because they presented some stuff. We not get into that. But you did a great job, by the way. We we filled them sandbags, though. We stopped that water.

This is awesome. Um, I think that the what makes me most excited about this is the part where current homeowners can't refinance their houses. Um, the reason why we were out there filling sandbags is because there's a dip on a certain street that floods, the water was coming into the houses, they couldn't refi to remodel their homes because of the way that we had it zoned. So, I want to thank staff for getting this together. And while it has many other amazing features and being able to bring in more ADUs and doing all those great things, um that's something that's been asked for since at least 2018 and probably before then. I don't know. I wasn't paying attention, right? But I I want to thank you guys for getting this done. I think this is an amazing amazing opportunity for so many different things to happen. So, thank you guys.

Councilwoman Grove, I have no comments. Council member Mesa,

again, this is just shows the difference between 2018 staff council and now where we're at today with our council and staff and how we're getting things pushed so much quicker and faster. Uh, this also opens up opportunities for uh mixed use when it comes to housing with Starbucks attached to it or or different types of buildings attached to it right off our 395. So, that's kind of the newer uh type of housing that you'll see in other communities where they have other uh commercial buildings underneath. So, you're come downstairs and go to the restaurant, right? And that's going to be something that's we going to be able to offer off one of our busiest highways. And it's it's it's going to be amazing. Um the opportunity opportunity zone right there that we're we're creating by by reszoning this. So, I just wanted to make sure you guys understand this is more than just what Councilwoman uh Savannah Evans said about, you know, it's great for other residents that have already been here. they're going to be able to take advantage of but future projects of us being able to capitalize on what the market is going towards um when it comes to single and multif family usage in our city. So great job on putting this all together. It's in the correct spot um where we can have businesses and housing um all mixed together. So I appreciate you

mayor prom mayor. No yeah I agree I agree with all the comments and that that's you know going back to that demographic workshop. It's that balanced housing and you're able to attract residents here and keep them here, right? You literally could potentially live, work, and play in your building, right? You can live upstairs, you can work down at Starbucks like you mentioned, and then, you know, hang out at the coffee shop or whatever. Um, and shout outs to 2018. And we'll go we'll reminisce back and thank you, Councilwoman Evans and Mayor, and and uh and rest in peace, Gator, and to that Ranga guy wherever he's at, right? Because he was out there filling sandbags as well. Um, but it was great. It was great to see the council and the commission and staff, you know, answer the call and we weren't afraid to, you know, put on our boots and get out there in the rain and fill up the sandbags. And we did make an impact, right? We did make an impact. Um, thank you for the presentation. I don't have any questions. I'm excited, but I do just want to give you a specific shout out because not everybody knows the amount of work and manh hours and stress and that you've had to put up with in the last couple of weeks, right? So, I'm going to take this opportunity to give you the your flowers and tell you thank you for going above and beyond and working outside of your scope of work and doing things that you really don't have to do that's not in your job title. But again, right, it speaks volumes to to your commitment to the city of Idolanto, to this council, to this team. And just want to take this opportunity to say thank you, Na. I appreciate your hard work.

Thank you. Appreciate it. Na, you are amazing. You know that you are amazing. We uh we we wouldn't be where it is where we are without all of your knowledge, all of your expertise, and um and everything that you do. I feel like it's 24/7, right? But uh I know that it's not cuz I don't want to get you guess you in trouble. Um, but I feel that you are someone else who just lives, breathes, and um and and is just a phenomenal asset to to to to our city. Um, thank you for keeping this hot and keeping this going um and ensuring because this has been a project that um I believe it was what 2014 when they made this horrible um zone change, right? that that hindered the community. And I'm glad that, you know, fortunately a decade later, we were we were finally able to get find a way. Um because it wasn't like we weren't trying, it was just finding a way to to to get it done. So, thank you for all your hard work. Um I'm going just throw it out there, Jesse. Maybe we need to change uh you know, Jonathan Street to uh you know, Naika. You know, Naika was my Naika's wife, right? So, um, but with all jokes aside, thank you for all your hard work. And I'm going to go ahead and open up public comment here at 112. And I believe those other ones were for new business.

Uh, correct, mayor. Those were you're correct for item one under new business. So, go going to go ahead. I'm going to put a comment here at 112. Do we have anybody online? There's no one online, your honor. And no one in person. All right. So, we're going to go and close public comment here at 112. And uh I'll motion that we accept staff's recommendation. Second.

Can can I have one more comment since you guys gave flowers real quick? Uh Naika just always was with us at planning commissions and this is a great planning commission project that that's been elevated. And for anybody here, if you ever see these two names together, because we gave flowers to Naika, but if you get Luis Morales on this, it's a home run home run. So, I'm glad Naika was here. Wish Luis was here because we haven't seen him in a while. But those two names get things done and he still gets things done even though he's not with us 247. So, I just want to make sure he gets a little shout out as well. So, thank you, mayor. The first and second. All in favor? I I

I moving on to new business donation for Gus Franklin STEM Academy Science Camp. Council member Mesa.

Well, we got half the crowd had to stay for this one. So, I appreciate you guys staying. Who says you can't get people here at 11:00, right? When it's something on the agenda that the people are really looking for, we get a full house. We had a full house today. Um, so I appreciate you guys being here. Um, again, this is, um, I think we all agreed. Everyone was fighting to kind of get this on the agenda because of what we heard and what we what we were saying. Um, so I I was honored to kind of put it up there. Again, it goes back to uh, Councilwoman Up to Grove saying, "Hey, there's other people that do things besides sports. What can we do to help our our kids?" Uh, so we challenged this team to come out and give us some numbers about how many kids were from Atlanta. What's the breakdown? Because we're not about funding the whole high desert. about funding our our our kids in Atlanta. And um um that's kind of what we're about to, you know, look at right now with this club. Um I think they're going to have a lot to say during the public comments because that's where most of them are. So I'll I'll stop there while they come up. And if anybody else has anything Evans,

uh no questions right now. Thank you. Council North, no questions. MPT.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I'm just going to start off by by um by saying I appreciate your guys's effort um in not only following up and delivering, you know, the data that that uh that we requested as a council, but like getting up getting out and getting dirty, right? Um just seeing you guys, especially the little ones, you know, out at the um the the fall festival, the pumpkin patch, you know, selling whatever you guys could possibly get your hands on to make a buck, right? Whether it was candies, whether it was goodies that you guys made, chips, water, um sodas, I I there was a list of items that you guys were selling, right? Um it's really great to see that and it makes us it make Well, I'll speak for myself. Um it makes me want to do whatever we can to help you guys as much as we can, right? Because there's a lot of people that come in and ask for money and then they go back to their office or their home and they chill and they just wait to get a call from the city manager or city clerk, right, to come pick up your check. And that's not the way it should work, right? You you guys still have opportunities to to get down and get dirty and sell chips and sell candies and you were doing it. Um,

and they came prepared today.

And they came prepared. And they came prepared today. And I just have a feeling that it's not going to stop right now, right? You guys are on a mission. you're on a goal and I see it and I love it and I think more more organizations that come out and ask for money should should kind of take a page out of your book just like you know Miss Dennis is taking a page out of out of Molding Heart's book. Um, I I actually last minute cancelled out the the art programs that I was going to ask council for money on because I got a couple cool text messages that we have a couple organizations here and companies in the city that are going to want to support, you know, financially. So, um, I'm going to take that off. I'm not going to ask money, but right off the bat, I will just throw a number out there that that I would like to start with if council, you know, when we get to the point we're going to discuss, if you guys want to increase, decrease, you know, it's up for discussion. But I was going to ask for 5K from our from our benefit corp to go towards some more artistic work in the community. Um, I'm going to pull that and I'm going to ask that we start at a minimum of 5K to donate towards the science camp for our Adilanto residents. Um, I'll stop there. I'll put a pin there. And mayor, you can take it, please. Sir,

you're muted. Mayor, I went back and I listened to Thank you, Council Me. I went back and I listened to the agenda because that was the day that I had to step away for that um housing uh meeting with with uh the BIA, right? So, um I I do have a a rough understanding of of the issue. Um my question is on a followup. Uh you know what? Maybe I I'll wait for mine because let me hear from Well, because they're public comment. Yeah.

I if you ask the question, I I might or one of us might be able to answer. So what where did the money magically disappear to because the school district doesn't know, right? So what was the reasoning for pulling that large amount of money for the school? Mayor, can we bring can we bring the representative up so she can answer some uh some of those questions? Yes. Thank you.

Hello again everyone. Hi. Hello. I hope everyone's doing okay. So, I actually brought one of our wonderful fifth grade teachers. She's one of the three from our school and so she hopefully she can answer some hopefully. If not, she's I'm telling you that it's not there's no transparency and she's a teacher that works at the school. Okay.

Hi, good afternoon. Thank you guys for having me. Um that that's the same question that we're asking. Um we have been fighting with the district figuring out where these funds are coming. um where these fun I'm sorry where these fence are going or where they're disappearing to and no one can provide us answers. Um and that is a huge problem because um we last year we were able or the school our school was able to fund half of the trips and the students and parents only had to fund raise half of the trip. Um but this year because our funds just magically got cut um we were not able to fund any of the trip this year and so we don't know where the funds are going. um they don't give us answers or they their answers are buried under other answers and other questions and so we are under the same uh or we have the same information that you guys have. See, and to me you guys, that's that's the problem, right? Because um Todd, correct me if I'm wrong, the money that we give out of our benefit corp has to go to another 501c3. Correct. It has to be used for items that benefit uh the Adelanto community either aesthetically or through civic engagement and cultural opportunities. So um it cannot go to a for-profit entity because that would be inappropriate, but it technically doesn't have to go to a nonprofit entity as long as it's used specifically for community beneficial activity.

Okay. So, how can we ensure that it goes with with the school? And again, I'm not this is going to sound like I'm throwing shade, right? But this is this is my un this is my uneasiness with the situation is that the the school board isn't here or hasn't provided answers and now we're stepping into a situation that isn't necessarily in our direct peer view, if that makes sense. Right. If we let's say we do agree to the to the number that Mayor Pro Tim threw out there, how do we know that that number is going to go to this transfer project when the money allocated to that is missing?

Hey, and who do we give it to that we know it's not going to the school board, so it could be possibly misused again? You could direct it directly to our school which would then put it towards our fifth grade fund for the science camp or you can pay it directly to the camp that would then go to our okay account to our account totals. Okay. Okay. That seems fair. I think when you said pay it directly to the camp as part of the invoice that's probably the cleanest, frankly, right?

And I I just wanted to um make it a little bit more than that. It's $400 per kid. Um, we wanted I wanted to do half, which is 200 times a 38. I believe it's like $7,600 if my schooling was good. So, I was thinking about uh the donation of $7,600 to pay for half of all the kids that are at Atlanta residents. So, I I a couple things, right? I 76 is kind of weird, so let's just round it up to eight would be my ask. Um, that seems fair. However, right, however, because because there is bus, there is some other

there's also there's also, you know, we've been talking behind the scenes. There's also a couple other meetings that are that are still yet to be held. Um, I'm going to commit to re once if this passes. Um, and we set the example for other cities, right? You have my commitment and we've talked off off record that I will reach out to Mayor Nassiff, Mayor Bera, and Mayor Lee. Yes.

To ask if they can potentially come to their councils with the same type of support. Right. We did it. Let's let's let's challenge you guys to do it. Whether they do it or not, that's not that's out of our control. Um, but I would like when we do stuff like this, guys, like it has to be highlighted, right? It can't just be the city manager or city clerk cutting a check. Come pick up your check, right? Marketing media, if you're on the line, we need a big massive check. Like, put the order in yesterday, right? The kids that this money is going to, they need to come to city hall or we need to go out to the school to take a picture with this big check, right? Those things need to be highlighted. And I don't mean to like say wave it in school district's face and other people's face, but it needs to be waved in their face, right? They need they need to see it. Um, we can do that.

So, so if it's a if it's a list of the kids, right, and broken down and how much dollars did each one of those kids get that lived in Adilanto? I'd like to see that. Um, but for sure like just the big check, the highlighting it on our social media platforms, the highlighting it in our newsletters. Um, we need to take advantage of those situations because if we keep doing things, you know, just, hey, come pick it up, then, you know, other cities aren't going to see that. They need to see that and they need to, you know, they need to follow suit, man, at the end of the day. And we need to do our job to to potentially challenge them as well.

Hold on, Mayor Pro Tim, on that. Like, look, you guys, I I'm for first and foremost, I'm for supporting the kids. I need I need I need everyone to understand that, right? But also at the same time I feel that we're overstepping because there is a reason where why they did it or not. There's a reason why that governing board and that elected body did what they did. Like when Jesse defunds something, when Jesse removes something, whenever this that and the third happens, we as a council know, we vote on it. We we we we we either are for it or we're against it, right? So like the fact that that whole board and that superintendent is doing nothing about this. Here's and again I tell you guys, it's about setting precedence right now. We're opening up another president that the school district can defund any program that they can do this, that they can do that, that they can remove X, Y, and Z, and the city council is going to step up and save the day. They the the Alanto Elementary School District, if I'm not mistaken, and I've asked the city manager to pull this report for me, gets more than 60% of all of our taxes. You get what I'm saying, council? Like they're they're they're our kids. We already prioritize all. And again, I could be I'm I'm last time I heard last time I can recall, city manager, I think you said something like closer to like 66 67%. Right. But it's a huge chunk of every

penny that comes through the city of Alanto that already goes to the school district. When is this transfer? Is it next year? Yes. Yes. The first week of April. Okay. When does everything have to get paid? Oh, that was a question for our teacher. Um, our first installment payment is this upcoming December and then the second one I want to say it's February. Our last one will be like in March, but we already gave a down payment with everything we fundraised. Um, so far we've we've just been hustling out there. Yeah. We're not going to stop.

Yeah. And and and again, like please, this body will find a way, right? like that that that that's what we do. Like we're we're problem solvers and and we're going to support and ensure that like these kids do get there. But council, what I'm saying is it's just like I'm not trying to say that it's not our responsibility because the well-being of our kids is our responsibility. But when they have a governing board that is failing, that isn't doing their job, that isn't being effective, and they're allowing their kids to suffer, us as a city, us as a community, we deserve answers on why we're doing this before we just start cutting a whole bunch of checks. Because remember, council, we want to do Christmas parade, right? we want to do like like we then if we're going to give away this 7 this $8,000 which I'm in total support of doing then the next thing I'm going to put on the agenda is where are we taking the money away from cuz it's wrong that our school board is taking from the programs taking from their kids not giving them answers not there's no accountability being held on their side that we just have to come and save the day and rescue. I think that's a problem. I think our city manager needs to speak with the superintendent. You know what I mean? Like there has to be answers on what it is that's going on because then the next program's going to come. Then the next program's going to come. Then the next program is going to come and now we're going to have 15 to $50,000 of school funding programs that we're going to have to take care of yearover-year because the school district has got in the habit of us picking that up.

Anybody council? Anybody got if not so I can jump in. I I hear what you're saying mayor. Um I agree with you. It's just if there were a cheerleading team coming to, you know what I mean? Like cheerleading teams come every year, you know? So, baseball organizations come every year. Um, football organizations come every year.

Yeah. Right. So, I just think uh I but I do think parents need to really get involved. We need to get involved and challenge our school board like we talked about earlier on other topics. There's a whole swirl of topics that we should be having the discussion with the school board on why why why what's going on and what's the mismanagement what's the defunding um what what is going on with our 67% when we get like I believe it's 1% 1% that this city gets the city council that we are able to use for public funds we get 1% and they get 67%. And that's what we're talking about. Yet, we're able to try to figure out a way to help with our kids because we, you know, we we live this. This is our kids. And what the mayor is saying is, well, yeah, we because we're good people and we love what we do, but what is that 67% going to? Why is it not being filtered back to our kids? What programs are you cutting? And why what programs are you keeping? And I don't want to get too political, but I'm pretty sure I know what some they're keeping for sure.

Yeah. But one thing one but also too to to that note you know council me cheerleaders football baseball all these sports they have no governing body that funds them right no one funds little league but little league no one funds cheerleading but parents and fundraisers right so like they don't have a governing entity that is responsible to manage and be physically responsible over their allotted funds right for the programs that they're responsible for that's the big difference from the people who come and ask the city and and then that's why you know what I mean we utilize our nonprofit to be supportive of them and then you know this situation and it sucks right like please understand like whatever decision we move I'm I'm totally for this is not me saying that I'm a no vote because I'm not right like I'm I'm I can't say when I am but like what I'm saying is like council Like before we just want to throw on the cape and save the day, like there's conversations that like serious conversations that need to be had. This is just a bigger issue than them not funding 20 grand or 40 grand for a science pro for a science camp. That's the only point I want to stress. council. Again, whatever we do, um I'm never going to say no to to supporting some some of our youth and some of our kids and whatever their strengths and and everything is, but also understand like we are stewards for for for the city, right? And and our responsibilities are very different than than than the school districts. Very different.

That's all I want us to just keep in mind.

Yep. No. and uh mayor MPT here and and you know I same thing with with Councilman Mesa you know I I agree with those points and I agree with those with with facts right that we're all spitting when it comes to the to the school board district and I don't know I look at it a little differently right with all due respect to to mayor and the entire council we do got to save the day like it's apparent it's obvious it's in our face we've done it before we're do we're going to we we're we're This isn't going to be the last time, right? We've saved the day from from DVL to Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to the Queens to the Heat to all kinds of organizations, right? And you're right, some of them don't have

DVL. I'll sell. Yeah. Sorry. Sorry. Like EVL and and Hispanic Chamber. Yes. But

to your point, right, we we a lot of those organizations don't have that governing body, right? But at the end of the day, I feel the convers and you're right. we're all right. Like there has to be some serious meetings like in the very near future tomorrow with the school board district. But I feel the conversation is different and those meetings are different when we come to the table and we say, "Look what we're doing. Look what we've done to play our part to help our kids, to help our residents in a school that's not even in our boundaries, in our city limits, but but we acknowledge that our kids go there, right? What are you going to do, school district? Or we challenge you, school district, to help us to match it, to figure this out because we are kind of getting tired of having to put on a cape and save the day every single time something comes up or every time you guys cut your budget. But Mayor Reyes and the city council of Adilanto, that's the kind of leaders we are. We'll save the day for these kids, right? Because we know it's going to come back twofold. So, I would encourage us, you're right, like I would encourage this council to move forward and I'll make the motion on the AK, right? We'll open it up.

But but it has to come with a plan, right? Like you're right, the meetings have to be set and and to the parents and to the school to the schools, to the kids, right? Because you guys have already showed that you can come up and you can speak and you can ask, right? You've already showed that you can go out there and hustle and sell, right? Those same presentations have to be at that school board meeting. All those kids have to speak. All those parents have to speak. Even for the parents and the kids that don't live in Atlanta that aren't going to receive no funding, those better be the first ones, right, that go up and speak. Look what the city council and the mayor of the city of of your city is doing for our kids, right?

You guys get your guys budget is how many x more than ours? and you can't donate AK or 10K or take care of the whole thing right

now. We do have to potentially cut back on some of our Christmas parade charades, right? Or maybe we have less pumpkins to give away next year. Maybe we don't have no pumpkins to give away next year, right? But at the end of the day, like I'm willing to take that sacrifice. I'm I'm willing to make that sacrifice because it speaks to the it speaks volumes of the type of leaders that we are, right? We just now have to figure out a way on how to wake these guys up across the street and start to get them to realize like, look guys, like we can't continue to solve your problems. We can't continue to solve your problems. We can't we can't continue to to to to pick up your slack, but what we're not going to do is we're also not going to leave our kids in the streets or leave them uneducated or or or

miss out on or miss out on an opportunity that every single kid got before them. Yes. and might get after them, but they're not going to get

if if I may. I'm sorry. Um, so I hear everybody and and one thing the mayor and I are are kind of in tandem with most times is numbers, right? So, I'm going to do some math. Y'all might want to write down how I'mma break this down because I came in at a lower number than your original ass MPT. And then when Councilman Mesa said a higher number, I said, "Well, then MPT's numbers in the middle, so I'm cool with that. But I'm gonna I'm gonna break down where I feel we should consider going." Right? So, here's where I'm at. The total for Oh, I'm missing a number. Okay, hang on. The total for just the trip is $14,42 for just the Atlanta kids. If we add in the transportation, that's another,000 that $1,73.88. I took that number, combined it, and took half of that because y'all stated the parents have always paid half, right?

Yes. So, we'll take that down to half. That puts us at $7,738 is half. Okay. My proposal to council would be that we take half of our half. And so that would be $3,869 for the city to cover. And the other half we put back on the kids to work for what they want. They've already been doing the fundraising. They're raising the money. So that other $3,869 would fall back on the fundraising efforts of the students.

And and we can definitely help aid in the fundraising of that extra almost $4,000, right? Why not? That's a fourth. We're giving a fourth if you do it that way. I'm I'm going to make a motion and I don't mean to interrupt. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Let's not rush Let's not rush through it. I mean, we can still make a motion to go to public comment, though. No, you ain't making the motion right now. So we if you want to call it a fourth that's fine. Half on the parents because they're their kids. That's their half that they've always paid half. Yep. So that puts us at only a half. Correct. Right. And then we take our half and divide it in half. So that is a fourth.

The city will cover the fourth and then the students will raise the funds like they've already been doing to cover the other fourth making it the total. to pretty much the kid, the parents of the kids are going to raise their two or three quarters of it is what you're proposing. Yes. [Music] And I and I'm I'm open to as we've always done with any other organization, reaching out to our our partners and helping them raise that other corner. I'm I'm down for that. But I I just one it's it's going back to teaching what we've been talking about. The responsibility on the kids is to raise the money. The parents have always paid half. However they figure out their half is their business. Absolutely. But y'all have raised funds in the past, right? Yes.

And you've covered that other half, right? Yes. We're still continuing to fund raise and there's ongoing fundraisers and still in the in the agenda. So I feel like that's fair for everybody. It it kind of helps uh mayor with your um hesitation in continuing to give out and give out and give out these big numbers and and continuing to depreciate or dwindle our our community benefit CP. But I also on the flip of that mayor to play the devil's advocate to that argument is we've always raised the money specifically for the the Christmas parade specifically.

So this time we kind of have a bigger nest egg than we're used to having. You're welcome Virginia and Brenda, right? But we've always been able to raise those funds to cover the Christmas parade. So I don't want that to also be what hinders us from giving. So that's my I got a quick question. the fundraising efforts so far. Uh what have you guys raised so far? Let's see. Let me make some quick math. Hang on. And just so you guys when she gives the number, that's total for the whole school at that point, not just our 38 kids. Yeah, it's for all fifth graders, all 92 students. You know,

so we've raised about give or take 1,500, but they want me to pay for yearbooks for each student, and that's due next week. Okay. So that's where my money is going to right now. So the fundraising that these So for example, these boxes that were that I have way too many of um that I need more of, by the way. Um this doesn't go specifically to this particular field trip. It does. So what happens is we order over 300 boxes of those chocolates. $26 of each box goes towards their student account or student science camp fund and $34 goes into that the bill of ordering that amount of chocolates.

What? And so each parent then so every year what they do there they can they only sell what eight I want to say give or take eight boxes of chocolates to cover for the expense of science camp. But because there's no money this year, now the parents have to sell 16 boxes per student per per child. But not every family sells the chocolates. Not every family gets those chocolates. It they find other ways to fund for the trip if Okay. So just you're good at math. I'm like the only Asian person who can't do math. So in the whole world. So the total amount for their half was what? $7,000

and the parents are used to paying half of that. Yes. So, yeah. Well, we don't look at it, we don't divide it between cities. We just see the fifth graders as a whole regardless of where they live. And so, they give us the big number, the 38,000 something for science camp. And so, Adela, well, the school usually pays for half of that. And so, the parents raise half of that. That's what I'm saying. It's getting it's going to get I I respectfully I know what you guys are trying to do, but it's going to get messy because now we're we're breaking away the students certain amount of students over here and now we got to take add that up and take away from the full 38 and then break that. How do we know what we donate goes to our kids?

Well, like um like the teacher said, we can use what however we are forever grateful. You can use it directly to the camp. Send it directly to the camp. And so I have a track of how many students have paid for, right? And so then I can tell those students that live in Atlanta, hey, you're it's covered for you. It's covered for these students is covered. I can do that. Have some of those parents already paid? Yes.

Yes. But only two their first payment. Yeah, for sure. The first installment. Yes. I have only two students that pay the entire the $425 for the for the trip. And um I don't even know if they do live in Atlanta, those two students, but it's only been two students so far that paid for the entire trip. Todd, Todd, are you on the line? Todd, I know you're on the line, but I just like to ask that.

Yeah. Is there any way, you know, legal wise, um, that if we move forward and if this council on whatever amount this council agrees on that we can and, you know, in is it a contract, some sort of stip, you know, if this money is is if the check is made out to the camp, you know, that we get a list of the students that it went towards, like, can we require that from them so that we know at least that those Ailanto kids were taken care of or or or can you come up with some sort of creative idea so that we know they're going directly to those kids and not to any other kids.

I also think us taking the photo with the kids that we sponsor is going to say, "Hey," the parents are going to be like, "Hey, I don't give me half my money, so I should only pay half." So, I think that pressure is also, which is exactly to the point that I made of like median marketing, we need the big check, right? Or you want to make little individual checks for all these kids, you know, we can, you know, dry race marker it in and take a big picture with them, right? That's now public record. That's now, you know, putting them on blast. Hey, we issue checks for these specific kids. Um, but Todd, back to you.

Yeah. Uh, MPT, that that those types of procedures, yes, if that's what the council directs, we can uh definitely do that. Really, the legal limitations are on the uses of the money. How we get it to that particular use is subject to whatever restrictions we want. So, that is fine. And it's almost guys kind of like the scholarship, right? Like we don't cut the checks to the kids that get it. Like we cut the checks to the the institute institution so that we know it's getting paid, you know, for that specific, you know, kids. So maybe it is a good idea to pay it to the camp with the list of the kids that it's going to and then they can figure out how to disperse that amongst those kids. Yep.

Yeah, I'm okay with that. I'm going to make a motion, but I'm waiting for public comment before I'm still I'm still I'm still contemplating, man. It's public

before we'll just do public comment because the last thing I want is for my my my my my thoughts and my opinion to feel like I'm not for this, right? Um, I'm for I'm I'm I'm for supporting the kids, but I'm really struggling with the fact that we're allowing a go a government entity off the ropes without any like scrutiny on their failure. Like that's so please understand like Gus Franklin that that's where my frustration is stemming from, okay? It's not that you guys are here asking. It's not that we're here helping the kids, but it's just up until this point, I haven't heard I haven't seen I haven't seen no um attacking or no protesting or no and I know the teachers are limited to, right? Um because of your jobs, but like when it comes to the parents,

like they have to be wanting this as bad as you guys, right?

Like why aren't they why haven't they been because this is something that's probably been going on for some months. Like, you get what I'm saying? Like, why haven't they been publicly going to to the board meetings and demanding answers? Why haven't they been putting this all over social media? You know what I mean? Like, this is a big deal. And it's like getting swept under the rug. And that's my problem with this, right? That's my problem with this because the the the the the political this is going to hinder our relationship council with Alan Elementary School District. Just how when we voted to do cannabis, right? When we voted to do cannabis because it was going to save the city and X Y and Z and how they alienated us and kicked us out and no, we're not doing this. You like, you know what I mean? And then then like this we're we're slapping them in their face. You guys please understand that like as much as I do not agree with with with their board president directly, right? And some of the trustees directly. I would never I would never want to be sidelinded to this degree on a political relationship. That's what I want us as a council to like we have to be better than them and how they're handling this situation.

Mayor, if I may, can I give like a like a because that's hypothetical, right? Because we don't know their reasoning, right? So, can I give just the the other side of the hypothetical, right? Maybe there's a legit reason why they had to reallocate these funds, right? Right. And so maybe they will thank us for stepping in when they couldn't. Maybe. And that's what I'm saying. Like I wish the conversations, you know what I mean? Like there was more dialogue and more conversation and more understanding to the matter instead of making these teachers like have to do all of this. You get what I'm saying? So

and mayor and just to add to that, you know, I app I actually appreciate the comments that you just made, right? And I love the I love the dialogue, right? Because it it's again I don't think anybody here in attendance or that's listening online or I don't think the message will be sent back that there's a certain council member or certain mayor or certain individual that doesn't support. I think it's pretty clear that we're that we support it. And we said it from the from the jump from the beginning that we will try and do whatever we can to figure it out. Me personally, and I'll speak for myself, mayor, I'm okay with hindering a relationship with the school district that's already been hindered. Um, that for some reason cannot just come to whole, right? And and again, maybe this is the beginning of it. The conversations will be different when we step up to the plate, but I'd rather have that relationship hindered than hindering the relationships of our community members, our constituents, and our kids.

Right? And that's that's just me. Like there's there's so much work that needs to that needs to go on between us and the school district, right? And and it might not even happen in our term or in our lifetime and and and maybe it'll never happen, right? Because it's always a a I was about to say something I shouldn't say, but it's always a a measuring contest,

you know? Um, it's always a measuring contest and it sucks because like our kids and our parents and our teachers, our underpaid teachers, our understaffed teachers, and I can speak from experience as a substitute teacher, right? They have to suffer. They have to pick up the slack. They have to sell potato chips and waters to send like our kids to science camp, right? So, that relationship, with all due respect, school district, because you're probably going to hear this, it's already hindered.

Yeah. I I'll step on that as well. We know that there are people that from the school district that watched this, right? So, they watched it two weeks ago when you guys were here and they're not here today to say, "Yes, thank you. Oh, this is how we messed up." But they, believe me, we know a few of them that are always listening in ready to phone call a friend when when we're speaking on something that is not part of their agenda. So, you know, they're asked to, huh? They're asked to.

Yeah. So, that's what I'm saying. They they know they know what's going on. They know we're about to do this. They could have been here. They could have said, "Hey guys, whatever." They could have been on this call and spoke up for themselves, but today all of a sudden, they're not on the phone calls calling in. So, they they did get warning two weeks ago. They did get a heads up two weeks ago. So, that's that's my point on that. I know we still got to go to public comment. I know we still got to go to public comment, but I'm going to say it anyways. I want to make a motion for five.

Wait, sir. Wait, sir. Wait. We're not making a motion. Because here's the thing, right? Like I said, my thing with this council is for us to understand and all all of us to be in agreement on what the repercussions are going to be moving forward, right? If we're okay with everything that I'm saying, if we're okay with my concerns and we're all on the same page, I got no problem in fighting the fight. And if we're going to do that, then we shouldn't do a third. We shouldn't do a portion. We should do the whole thing. Okay. So, I'm saying then it should be closer to 8 to 10. I'll second that motion.

And that's and that's and again and again, mayor and again and I don't I'm not trying to go back and forth, but again, that's why I feel there needs to be a motion made so that now we can go to vote and figure out if this is going to pass or not, right? Whether whether whe barely addressing the concerns that I have. So, I'm not we're not able to all be on the same page, right? So, that's what I'm saying. Like, you're rushing the motion, Danny. Mayor Pro Tim, but like what I'm saying is, okay, cool. Now that we've addressed my concerns and how we want to move forward with this, then we should do we should do what the ask is. The ask is 14,000. I I just want to put on record, Mayor, I'm I'm willing to if there is a fight for whatever reason, I'm I'm ready for it. Um because and then parents, if there is a fight, we know how to vote,

right? That's your fight. That's your tool is voting. And if you don't like what we're doing, vote us out. If you don't like what they're doing, vote them out. Sure. That's the fight. There is no fist to cuffs. I We saw them protesting the other day where they protesting about this. Like sometimes you have to risk losing your job to to do what's right. Right. And where where's all the funding going? Why why aren't they questioning their We're questioning each other right now. Right. Where does that dialogue happen? This is how much we care about our community and we're willing to step out. I'm willing to step out and see what they have to say. if they're against maybe they're totally thank you and there is no fight but they still have to get questioned

right and then and my point on the whole amount right guys and trust me I wish we could like I don't think we should do the whole amount because that's bailing them out that's really putting on the cape and that's really slapping them in the face and what they don't need and what we don't and what we shouldn't do is bail the school district out we should set an example for them and say look we're gonna we're going to do our part do your part right right not We're going to do our part and your part. So, we're going to do our part and we're going to pay half of what this is for and take care of our kids. We challenge you to do half school district, which are x amount of billions of dollar budget. Pay 7,500 bucks. We figured it out with our zero budget.

Right? I I also kids listen up real quick. I always like to use this analogy. When someone holds up a side that says I need gas, not too many people stop. But when someone's out of their car pushing their car, you'll get like five or six people to go help you push your car. And that's what you guys are doing when you're out there making your your sales and and doing it. You're pushing that car and saying, "Hey, I'm not asking for a hand out. I'm asking for help." And that's the difference of what you guys are doing and someone who just comes in here and asks for free gas.

So before we move to public comment, my last comment will be on this, right? if if it cost $400 for the 38 Alvalonto kids and we're talking about because here here's here's what I don't want to have happen right is come March when the school district doesn't do their job and they don't bail them out because you got to like you got to look at like this they were okay cutting the whole thing they the the the governing entity of those kids and and of that pool was perfectly fine saying, "We're not giving you 40 grand." So, we can't expect them to come in and be like, "Oh, well, thank you, city of all, for covering a a quarter. We'll go ahead and we'll cover the other quarter." They've already said no. They've already been okay with saying that they're not going to get nothing. That's what I'm saying is I would hate for the school to come back in two months and three months and be like, "Hey, guess what? the school district didn't do anything. We're short $7,500. If we're going to do this, let's just do it and get out of the way. And so, and really support them. Don't say, "Oh, we want to partially support you now. Go ahead and fund raise the the additional quarter that that that's still going to be needed." No. If the parents are used to doing half fundraising half, let's then then let's really let's really do it as a 152.

That that's where I'm coming from. So half is a 79, right? The 77. I thought it was 400. I thought it was $400 a kid for 38 kids. Correct. 400. It's 425. 425. Okay. 425 time 38 kids. So the total portion for the Alvalanto kids is 16,150. Correct. So So that's where we got the 8,000 from half of that. because the the parents are already used to and able to fund raise the other half.

Can I add to that? So, we've also had to cut other events for our fifth graders because we've focused heavily on the science camp. If if it if there's going to be one big activity for these fifth graders, it's going to be this science camp. So, we have been heavily heavily focused on raising funds for this science camp. And that's taking away from other events for these fifth graders that how is it that previous years they've been able to get science camp plus knots plus field day plus dance plus yearbooks plus shirts plus you know like promotion that comes out of pocket of parents. And so we sat together in June right June right before the school year started and said okay hey you know what we can't fundra for it all. What do you guys want to cut? That was our first our first meeting. What are we cutting? What are we cutting? Oh, and what are we focusing on? Well, science camp.

Half of these kids have never been down the hill. Half of these kids haven't been up north. So, if it's one thing that we're fundraising for is the science cap.

And that right there, council goes to my point, right? If we see what the ass started of a couple meetings ago was support for one, and now it's a lot more. This school district is proving time and time again that they're okay taking away from their kids and they're not gonna bail them out. And now look at the Pandora's box that because we were willing to do more now we're getting told this this this and this and this and this has already been cut. So again that just proves that those few statements just prove to my to my point that they keep on cutting. They're not going to help them. and there's going to be another ask and more people are going to come if we step in and save the day in any way, shape or form. So, with that being said, I'll go we'll go to public comment and we'll open up public comment to this um item. And can we please get all open public comment here at 158?

Your honor, just a quick uh reminder that after this comment, we will have to ask for an extension. Can we make the motion now, please? Motion to extend. Council mayor. Yes. All in favor?

Uh, good afternoon, Mayor Cotm, and members of council, guests, parents, and students. And boy, we sure cleared out, didn't we? Um, I am a maternal grandmother for Aubrey. Uh, we live in Edilantto and I just wanted to say a few words on behalf of the students. Um, they since last year had been looking forward to this. That's all they had been talking about when they were in the fourth grade. And this would be an exciting adventure in the science camp program which is a learning experience as well as fun. And like Naomi was saying, some of these children don't even have the opportunity to go go down the hill, have never camped. And I really feel that this is a great opportunity for them. and it would be terrible for them to miss out. Now, I'm only speaking from a personal view. After listening to all this, it's just there's a lot. Um, so I am hoping and after hearing all of you, I believe we will get the funds to enable these children to go and have fun and learn because that's what STEM is about. science, technology,

engineering. Engineering. Thank you. And techn and um math. Yes. Um so and again like Nomin was saying, we have been working really hard in trying to raise this money or as much as we can and they have done a wonderful wonderful job. very very committed children and parents and some grandparents. So I want to thank you for your support and giving me the time to speak with you. Thank you.

Thank you. Next comment is Aubrey. Good afternoon, mayor, mayor prom, and other city council members. My name is Aubrey Penfield. I am a fifth grader at Gus Franklin at in the Adalto school district. I am here to thank you for the help with with our science camp cost. We have been looking forward to the fifth grade activities that we are able to do. But because of the budget cuts, we have to we had to take a vote for which field trip we would want to go to. Our choices were not sperry farm or science camp. By the number of votes, it was science camp. Though some people can't or don't have the money, well, they won't be able to have a field trip for their last year before middle school. Thank you for your help and understanding. Let's see. I think those were the only two on the agenda as item. Uh is there anyone in the audience that like to speak on this item who hasn't yet?

No sir, but there is someone online. Perfect. Miguel stood. [Music]

Good evening, uh, mayor and council. I I really appreciate the the concerns that were brought up and the questions that were brought up and I want to be really transparent in answering them. Um there has been there has recently been a change in board leadership. We just had a reorganization and part of what this new board is doing is taking a hard look at areas where things may not have been aligned with our expectations, including how funding was previously managed. Uh specifically on the lottery funds being brought up, there are two categories, restricted and unrestricted. The restricted portion can only be used for specific student materials. The unrestricted portion had already been spent before this new leadership team stepped in. So right now we're what we're doing is actually getting to the bottom of how those funds were used, making sure nothing like this happens moving forward and just restoring restricted funds back to sites as quickly as possible. Uh I can't speak for every individual trustee, but I can speak for myself in saying this new leadership is taking this seriously. We're not here to defend past decisions. We're here to correct them, rebuild trust, and make sure that our schools and students come first. Since the reorg in August, this board has already been taking ma major corrective states uh steps and we would be more than happy to share that progress with with you all. Um, you know, I truly want us to work together. I appreciate the opportunity and I'm committed to being transparent and collaborative as as we move forward. Thank you.

Thank you. There is no one else, your honor. All right. I'm going to go ahead and bring it back to council. Councilwoman Evans, I'd like to make a motion. I'm just Oh, no. Mayor Pro Tim was on that. All right. I was joking. You couldn't see my face because you were over there. I'm too far away. You're too far away. You couldn't see No, I I'm I'm good here. I'll wait for his motion, then I'll stop motion that. Council woman. Thank you. Did you say something? I'm I'm good. Okay. Sorry, I couldn't hear you. The the it was bad. Uh Council Ma, I'm good. Mayor Broim,

thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um before I make this motion, thank you, Trusty Sto, for calling in and and clearing up some of those uh those questions or answering some of those questions. And um I believe you, man. I believe when you say that you're looking forward to collabing and figuring this out and and working together with the uh with the city moving forward. I I I I commend that and and I hope that's true. Not for the benefit of the school district, not for the benefit of the city of Adilanto because both of us will be okay regardless. We're going to continue to grow, develop, and be great. but for the benefit of our children that are attending and that are in our school district. With that being said, I'd like to make a motion that we move forward with the original amount of 8K, which would cover half of the expense for all of the Adilanto kids with the with legal coming in and setting guidelines that it's pay to the camp with the list of the kids from Adilanto that that those monies have to go for or towards. Um, and we need pictures. We need pictures with these kids with us donating the checks and giving the checks the full the full package. Mr. Attorney, um that's my motion that I put on the table.

I'll second that. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Virginia, you can do a roll call, please. Yes, your honor. Councelor Evans, yes. Councelor Mesa, of course. Councelor Upgrow, yes. Mayor Proam Ramos, thank you, Mr. Mesa. Thank you, Mr. Mesa, for bringing this to our attention. Yes. Mayor Reyes. Yes. Motion passes. Thank you. So, can we do it um to add on? Oh, man. I should have didn't want you to added that on, but can you make a note that um when we do do the funds that we have them come by city hall and we do a presentation of the item with the check and everything. Mayor, I I would like to go to the school and do it at the school. I think it's a better photo op.

Maybe the photo op would be at the school, huh? Yeah, the photo would be great. I want to be there with Yeah. First school. So, would you like it to take place at the school? Yes, if we could actually. Can we go to camp with y'all? Add an extra 400. I'm going Let's go and add on an extra 1,200. What is it? 400. An extra 2,000. We cancel one of our next conferences and just hit the needs to go to the new members, you know, League of Cities. We'll go to this one. Yeah. All righty. Um, thank you so much. Going to go ahead and move on with our agenda to item number four, city manager, uh, National League of Cities Conference.

Thank you, your honor. Members of the council, one moment, please. Awesome.

You guys are good. You'd be surprised if people leave after their agenda item. You're fine. Go ahead. You're good. You're good. You're good. I appreciate that. So, Mayor, she she just came up and apologized for having to step out. She already missed her daughter's award ceremony, so she's gonna um step out. Oh, yeah. Of course. Congratulations, kids, and hope you guys have a good time.

Thank you, Mayor Reyes, and uh members of the council. The city has expressed uh positive interest in attending the upcoming National League of Cities Conference. Uh, this administration strongly supports continued education, professional development, and relationship building opportunities that enhance our collective ability to better serve our residents. It's important to note that uh this level of city council engagement and participation represents positive progress. This city council is more active than any any previous council members ever before in attending regional and national events to learn best practices and advocate advocate on behalf on behalf of our residents. However, because of this increased participation, our council travel and conference attendance budget is running low. The total fiscal year allocation is approximately $30,000 uh dollars and uh to date 20,000 of the 30,000 has been spent. Attendance at the next National League of Cities conference may cause a city to exceed the current fiscy year budget. Please note that our our fiscal year uh runs from June to June and therefore we need council direction uh before booking any additional conferences to to ensure we remain fiscally responsible while supporting these valuable conference opportunities. Thank you.

Thank you, city manager. Um when is the is is the national The leaker city is going to be is is that the one in this November or are we trying to go to another one? This November, November 19th through the 22nd. Yeah. In Salt Lake City. Right. Right.

All righty. I'll go and open up the council for questions. Councilwoman Evans. um not so much questions, but just to give kind of um a rundown on why I believe that this is something that's pivotal for us um to attend. When when when they started talking about this at League of Cities a couple weeks ago, um I looked into what sessions are they going to have that are different than we what we see. Sometimes a lot sometimes the sessions are repetitive, right? that we could get the same information, you know, maybe presented or packaged a little bit different. So, I pulled up their agenda. Um, and just the first day of sessions, I mean, with before 10:00 a.m., I was like, I think we need to go to all these sessions, right? It was crazy. So, um, we have sessions like bridging the funding to impact gap, which something we have an issue with, right? Um, local solutions to ending homelessness, which Atlanta as a as a city may not have that. We may not need to go to that one. Um, housing as an economic development tool, governing cities for health equity and well-being, driving community growth through retail and restaurant development, the art of downtown. There you go. NPT Ramos, they got one for you. Um, and this is all before nine o'clock on the first day. And so it gets better. They they get deeper. And what I do like about this one is unlike um California League of Cities where the sessions don't repeat. Um if these sessions are happening at the same time, a lot of them will happen again at the sec at the next day in a different block. So like if you wanted to go to two but you couldn't, which we at this one we have to split up and divide, which we do anyway, right? But if I also want to go to, let's say, the housing and development and the funding the gap thing and they're in the same block, funding the gap is probably going

to happen again tomorrow at a different time. So I have two opportunities to to hit the ones that I want to hit. So um I think that it's beneficial. Um in addition to that, it's getting into um just widening our network. I think that we have done a phenomenal job of making those relationships statewide. Um, but now we're looking at making those relationships nationwide because all of the leagues of city of of states, right? California League of Cities, um, Texas League of Cities, New York League of Cities are all coming together um to network that way. So, um, I think it's beneficial. I think that it's a cost that we should figure out. I think that if those of us that want to go can commit and then actually go um then it it make sure that we're only spending what we need to spend um for that. I think that that's is something that could benefit the city. Those are my thoughts.

Counciloman Grove. I agree with all those thoughts. Council me,

I just want to highlight the part national. um when we're in the le when we're in the rooms, we can handle ourselves and to go to national levels and talk with everyone what's doing across the country and seeing ideas and exchanging ideas with people all around our country where you get different backgrounds, different issues. You're going to see a whole lot of answers to problems you might not even know you're facing yet. Um those conversations more than even the conferences are invaluable to have. So, some of us are in meetings and some of us are in conferences. It's just it's just a win-win. We can see what happens when Mayor and Daniel go out to Washington by themselves and come back with millions of dollars and funding and everything they do. Um, this is just another way for us to leverage our ourselves um when we go to these meetings. So, I'm I'm all for it.

Mayor Pat. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, give me one second. I'm trying to pull something up right here that I uh that I lost. Um, echo, right? Echo the sentiments of the council. Um, you know, we'll continue to make we will continue to strengthen and cultivate and and create new relationships, you know, at the county level, at the state level. We we have to we can never stop doing that, right? we're we're on a we're on an insane path of growth when it comes to to you know um those relationships. Um something that I'll continue to say over and over the city of Atlanta has never ever had right and it began with our city manager and he's done an amazing job at showcasing the the the desperate need for those relationships to happen here at home. Now we should complete really start focusing on those national level um relationships, right? Um some of the problems, hurdles that we face here in the city of Ailanto, you know, they have to be addressed at a federal level. They have to, right? And and when you pull up this agenda, and I and I encourage council to pull up this agenda, right? Um, there's four of them right now that I'm looking at that we need to be at. Somebody from this city need whether it's one person, five people, whoever, somebody needs to be there. And it's all uh housing at a federal advocacy committee meeting, right? Um, uh, economic growth, federal advocacy committee at a federal level. So, there's there's just there's so many sessions and committee meetings that happen with federal representation. That's the next check. That's the next box box box we have to check. Right. We do have granted an amazing team out there in DC and an amazing congressman.

But I don't expect them to take 24 hours of their day to work on Alilanto. Even though they probably do, but I don't expect them to, right? So, if we can do our share to send um to deploy one or two of us or or whatever the budget may may um may allow for to get in front of these federal level types of committees and and representatives, we should do it, right? Um but I really feel that we should take time to dig into all the agenda, all the sessions that they're having. Um and I'll be the one to say it, right? if we got to go into the red a few thousand dollars, but it potentially, you know, allows us to go out there and create these stronger federal relationships, um, it's worth it to me, right? If that's what it's going to take to get out there and start figuring out this dang Joshua Tree issue or this, you know, 395 issue or if it's just going to strengthen, you know, our fight, I'm for it. I'm for it. So again, I it's it it is in November. It's in it's in uh Salt Lake City, November 19th through the 22nd. Um I do like that the sessions do, you know, replay every day. So we don't have to spend 15 minutes in one and then run to another one and 10 minutes there and then run to another one and we don't really get the whole, you know, the the the the whole meat and potatoes, if you would, of the of the of the session. We can pick some day one, pick some day two, pick some day three, and and try to knock them all out. But um again, if if we're able to attend um let's be sure about it. Let's make sure we go out there with with a purpose, with a cause, with some expectations to deliver, you know, to come back and deliver to, you know, CM mayor and our residents. Um but I definitely feel if it's not now, then it definitely needs to be on our radar for uh for next year because that was a question that was asked throughout the the League of Cities in in the city of Long Beach this a couple weeks ago. Why

aren't we there? Why aren't we there? We should be there now. We should be there now. Um again, as we grow, we should go. Um and we're growing at a state level. Now it's time to grow at a national level.

City manager. Um when it comes to who all can go, right? Um one, I I would say we need to most definitely consider on doubling our conference budget. I think that is something that as we sit on more committees and we sit on more boards and we do more things um that's something that needs to be considered on doing also I think we need to consider on um these dang pdiums with the way that inflles is going um for for these conferences but uh council what do you think okay well I guess I'll ask this question who all from council would be available to go to this conference That's a Wednesday through Saturday.

Thursday through Saturday. The 19th pack. I think it stays in one of the trucks. My suitcase. My suitcase stays in one of the vehicles ready to go. I'm available as well. Are all five of us going to go? Six? What? What? What are we looking at? I know. I need Jesse there in my right hand. He knows Salt Lake better than I do. So, and so noted. I So, if I may, if I may, mayor, if I if I may, I'm sorry. I'm just waiting for one more answer. Sorry.

I If I'm Is talking or no? Yes, I was. No, I'm unable to go. Okay. So, four of us, five of us. I would say, can we reach out to our lobbyists and see if they could join us? I love that idea. Wouldn't that you know what I mean? If these are federal issues and this things of that sort, right, I know he's probably going to know everybody there,

but one of the things that's always made Alanto um impactful is that when we go, we go with the movers, right? So, I think that's why I'm asking who's all going to go. I think Councilwoman Upg is not necess So, I will be in Salt Lake City. My son is in Salt Lake City. So, those are the dates that I will actually be in Salt Lake City. So, um I I will already be there.

Okay, perfect. So, what I would say is this. If we can get our federal lobbyists to meet us there, I think it would be a great time that where we would need to pull pull away as a city and spend some time with him as well, right? Because I think it was council me who said mayor mayor pro Tim and Jesse when they go to DC this that and the third get to sit down to meet the man who who makes this stuff happen for us on a federal level. So, if we can all go, including the city manager and maybe our economic developer and and and um and and our lobbyist, I think that's something we need to to make happen.

Okay. So, Mr. Mayor, um this is Jesse, city manager Flores. So, you've given direction to double the budget for next fiscal year. That's number one. Uh Taiisha, our uh finance department accountant, is here with us today. Okay. So, she's making note of that. And number two, we're going to uh probably end up moving some monies around in order for to in order to accommodate the the the trip, the total uh total in attendance trip. So, I will get with finance department shortly thereafter. Is there another item as far as direction goes? We trip like the suburban will fill us all. No, you don't want to do that. You don't want to drive through those mountains in November. Oh, yeah. Uh, MBT, uh, you want to add one more thing.

You missed it. Yeah, you walked away. Yeah.

No, again, I I I thank you, mayor, for bringing up that that point about, you know, having our our federal lobbyists out there because there's I'm I'm just these three keep popping out, you know, um um energy, energy, and uh and water, you know, federal advocacy committee meeting, transportation and infrastructure, federal advocacy committee meeting, and housing, right? Um I if I'm not mistaken those were three key things that we were going out to DC for to advocate for and almost you know declare a state of emergency here in the city of Atlanta. So if we can have him out there um and make sure that those are three meetings that we are sitting in um I I think it'd be of great value to have him out there with us.

Perfect. So with that being said, uh going to go and open the public comment here at 2:23.

There is no one online, sir. All righty. No one in person. So I'll go ahead and I'll close public comment here at 223. And um I'll move for the motions of everything that city manager has mentioned. doubling next year's conference, moving funds to accommodate all of us going to this one. And um yeah, that's it. I'll second with the caveat that we double confirm with each council member privately to ensure that we want to put the money that that they're they're going to for sure go so that we can allocate properly. Yep. All in favor? I

I Okay, moving on to future agenda items. Councilwoman Evans.

Yes. Thank you. Um I have one. I had two, but I didn't write the segment down, so we're going to go with one. Um I would like to going back to the the demographics workshop. I'd like to have a future agenda agenda item for discussion on the standards we set for developers coming in for housing. Um, one thing that stood out to me was the importance of ensuring we are are providing all types of housing, right? U Mayor Pro Ramos did a great job of explaining what that looks like. So, I'd like for us to ensure that we have options to help uh hold on, I skipped some stuff. Ensuring we have all options um to help us not only attract residents, but to keep them. Um so my ask is that we uh set a policy that will have a minimum requirement um for the housing development folks.

Before we move on to that city manager, shouldn't didn't we do all of that with the pro housing the sixth element? Wouldn't that just be a staff meeting because we already have that in our housing element, don't we? That is correct. That's all part of the six cycle housing element, your honor. So we wouldn't that wouldn't be need to be uh an agenda meeting. Councilwoman Evans. Okay. I think I should just have schedule a meeting with Dr. Gil and uh city manager and they can go over the housing element for you because that covers all of that.

Did you have another one? No. I'm sure I'll have one after I sit down with them because you need Yeah, I'll No, that's it. Council woman up the Grove. I'm good. Thank you, Council Mesa. I got two um for Jesse and staff to look at all-incclusive for the parks funding uh grants that we can add that. Again, that's with the handicap um and um special need kids that will have opportunities to be at our parks. There's funding out there. Um if we can put that on and see if we can look at that and then put it on an agenda. Can I get a second? Second. I'll second. I'll second that.

All in favor? And the second one, I would like city manager to extend an invitation to our school district board to come over here and give us a presentation. I I don't want to say what it should be under just a meet and greet. I want it to be a friendly interaction. Um and they can invite us to theirs as well and we can start the conversation, the dialogue. So, if we're going to do this, let's do it. and um send out an invitation for them to respond to. I will gladly second that. So noted. All in favor? I I

Okay, Mayor Bartin. Um, I'm not sure if this is mayor, would this be an agenda item or if we can just, you know, you know, if CM can move forward with it, but I'd like for us to, I guess, collectively decide which links to the different uh boards that we sit on uh to integrate those to our to our city website so that our residents have easy access to them and can jump on there and then, you know, link them to to these boards with these with these updates that we give. So, I'm not sure if that's can just be direction or if we need to bring that before the council. I think I'll second for a discussion item to then give direction with the discussion. Perfect. Yeah, that could be a discussion item for sure. All in favor?

And that's all, mayor. Oh, lastly, just everybody have a safe Halloween. If you're driving out there, slow down. If you're in costumes, wear lights, wear bright clothing. We'll have a safe Halloween coming up. Wear bright clothing on Halloween. Doesn't be hard. There'll be some ghosts and some No, just kidding. Um, no, I don't have anything. So, no more public comment. I'll move for our journment. The next regular city council meeting will be held November 12th at 11:00 a.m. Our timeout here is 2:28. Can I get a second? I'll second. All in favor? All right.