City Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We'll be right back. Thank you.

Hello, everyone. We're going to get started in about two minutes. As soon as they pull this budget hearing stage, we'll get started.

Thank you.

Thank you.

OK, good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to our May 18th 2026 Atlanta City Council Full Council Meeting. I am your Council President, Marcie Collier-Overstreet.

Madam Deputy Clerk, please call the roll. Council President Marcie Collier-Overstreet. Present. Council Members Michael, Julie, and Bond. Council Member Matt Watt Moslin.

Here.

Council Member Ishae Collins. Present. Council Member Jason H. Winston.

Here.

Council Member Kelsey Bond. Council Member Byron D. Amos. Council Member Jason Dozier.

Present.

Council Member Liliana Bakhtiari. Council Member Alex Wan. Council Member Thomas Worthy. Present. Council Member Mary Norwood. Present. Council Member Dustin Hillis.

Present.

Council Member Andrea L. Boone. Present. Council Member Wayne Martin.

I am present.

Council Member Antonio Lewis. Quorum present.

Okay. I'll entertain a motion to adopt the agenda.

So moved.

So moved by Martin, second by Hillis. This can actually be done by unanimous consent. Madam Deputy Clerk, please. What is the count? 12 yeas, 0 nays. 12 yeas, 0 nays. The agenda is adopted. This brings us to our time of invocation. Today our invocation will be delivered by Pastor Theo McNair Jr. from Believer's Bible Christian Church. Thank you so much. Please come forward and deliver the invocation.

Thank you, Council President. Good afternoon and thank you for this opportunity to open this session in prayer. I stand here humbly, not just in and of myself, but I stand here on the shoulders of My parents, my mom and dad, my dad's Alan McNair singing, started a church here in southwest Atlanta over 40 years ago, and we still serve this community to this day. So I honor them in this moment. Let us pray. Oh, Lord, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth. Father, we thank you for this day. We thank you that this is the day that you have made, and we rejoice and be glad in it. Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to gather in service to the city and to the people. Thank you for the leaders seated here today and for the responsibility they each carry to guide, protect, and serve this community. We ask you for your wisdom as decisions are made and discussions are held. Grant clarity of thoughts, steadiness of mind, and a spirit of cooperation as these leaders work for the good of all who call this amazing city home. Lord, let integrity guide every conversation and let fairness shape every single decision. Help each person here lead with humility, courage, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of the people they represent. We ask you for your continued protection over our city, over our families, neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and first responders. Strengthen, Lord, what is working well and bring solutions where challenges yet remain. And Father, I will be remiss for every person in this room if I didn't ask that you would continue to guide their lives, order their steps, and draw them closer to your truth. Let this moment and this prayer be a reminder that we are never alone and that your wisdom and grace are available to each of us. May the work done in this church today contribute... contribute to the peace, progress, and opportunity for every resident of this city. We thank you for your goodness, your guidance, and your continued blessings over this meeting and over this amazing city of Atlanta. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Thank you so much for those words. That brings us to our Pledge of Allegiance. Will everyone please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance?

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. We are now at our proclamations, commendations, and other special awards. Our first proclamation is in recognition of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Brian Goldstone. This is Councilmember Kelsey Bond's very first proclamation on City Council. With everyone here to support the Pulitzer Prize winner, Mr. Goldstone, please come forward to the dais and join us.

Good afternoon, everyone. Hope everyone's having a great Monday so far. My name is Kelsey Bond. I will be presenting my very first proclamation today. And it couldn't be for a better cause. Brian Goldstone is a journalist and author of the award-winning book, There Is No Place for Us. I encourage all of you to read it at Chronicles. Yeah. This book chronicles the lives of working homeless families across metro Atlanta. This book is so important at a time where families all across the country are struggling to make ends meet, in particular in our own city where the cost of living has far outpaced wages. it shines a light on these families' lives who are so often rendered invisible, and the many ways that people can fall through the cracks of our system, even when they do all the right things, working 40 hours a week, maybe even multiple jobs to take care of their loved ones. It shows the way that the commodification of housing and gentrification leaves so many people precarious. The ways that one large medical bill or emergency can set someone behind on rent. And the ways that the lack of real tenant protections in Georgia can result in cycles of eviction and homelessness. It exposes the flaws in the temporary shelter options and the ways that endless loops of phone calls can still leave families frustrated and unhelped. Most importantly, Brian tells these stories in such a human-centered way that recognizes the important role of grassroots organizing in offering a path to win housing as a human right. The work does not stop here. It's no surprise why his book was a finalist for the Carnegie Medal of Excellence in nonfiction, named one of the 10 best books in 2025 by the New York Times and the Atlantic, and most recently winning a Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction. It is my honor to present this proclamation of Brian here today on behalf of the city of Atlanta for making these stories visible and forcing this important political conversation. And I'm going to hand it over to Brian.

Thank you for this tremendous honor, Councilmember Bund. I will resist the urge to just start preaching right now and just say that the five families who I follow in this book over close to six years who did not fall into homelessness, but very important to say we're pushed into homelessness. These families are not on the fringes of our city. They're not on the fringes of our society. They are the people whose work, whose labor day after day is making all of the growth possible in the city. who are making this city possible, who are taking care of our elders as home health aides, who are taking care of our kids as daycare workers, and on and on. And yet they're not only being pushed out of the neighborhoods they grew up in, they are increasingly being pushed out of housing altogether. And the suffering, the misery, the toxic stress that these parents and their children are exposed to, it is not God-given. It didn't just happen accidentally. It is the direct and, I would argue, predictable result of policy choices and priorities. Priorities in our budgets and so much else. And that is good news because if this suffering has been engineered, then it can also be undone. And that is the message that I hope people who read this book walk away with. So thank you so much.

Mr. Golsan, I also wanted to add that I did have the pleasure of seeing you as a panelist at the Atlanta Housing, State of Atlanta Housing. And you were so compelling. And I'm very thankful that your word is out there. Working and working homelessness should never be allowed in our city. So thank you for all of the work that you've done. Thank you so much.

Thanks, Marisa.

It's been great. It's been great.

Councilman, it's been great. One here.

One, two, three, four.

That was wonderful. Okay, our next proclamation is in recognition of Auditor Amanda Noble on her retirement from the city of Atlanta. Will all those here to support Amanda Noble please come forward to the dais. This proclamation is being presented by Chair Winston.

Thank you.

I think we got everybody up here today. Hi, everyone. I'm Jason Winston, chair of the Finance Executive Committee, and I'm honored here today as we celebrate an astounding career of Amanda Noble, who has been the city auditor here in Atlanta for several years. Like so many of my colleagues, we were very shocked to learn in one of our recent committee meetings that you were retiring from the city of Atlanta. I remember when I first came onto council, I had a constituent ask me about the independence of this office. And at the time I said, you know, I think that we can all entrust in the service of our city auditor. And over the past several years, you have proven that and shown that this office can be independent and you can do great work. And so just really appreciate the work that you've done for our city. I'm going to go ahead and read this proclamation and then I'll turn it over to colleagues and our colleagues of you that want to say something. So Recognizing auditor Amanda Noble on her retirement, whereas Amanda Noble has served with distinction as the city auditor for the city of Atlanta since 2017, bringing more than 30 years of experience in local government auditing to her role, and whereas Atlanta's second independent city auditor, Ms. Noble has upheld the highest standards of integrity and accountability, reporting to a five-member audit committee comprised of citizens, representatives, and designees of the mayor and city council president. And whereas under her exemplary leadership, the city auditor's office has conducted and released more than 83 performance audits, providing critical insights that have strengthened city council's oversight responsibilities, improved operational efficiency, and enhanced transparency for the residents and taxpayers of Atlanta. And whereas Ms. Noble spearheaded the development and implementation of the independent procure review, IPRO, functioned an innovative initiative designed to assess solicitations for completeness, conflict of interest, and procedural integrity, further reinforcing ethical governance within the city. And whereas prior to her tenure in Atlanta, Ms. Noble dedicated 13 years to the city auditor's office in Kansas City, Missouri, and has supported her professional excellence with academic achievements from Michigan State University and the University of Missouri, Kansas City, along with prestigious certifications as Certified Internal Auditor, so CIA may be there, and Certified Information Systems Auditor, CISA, And whereas Ms. Noble has demonstrated outstanding leadership within the auditing profession through her active involvement in the Association of Local Government Auditors, serving as president, treasurer in numerous committee roles, and contributing thought leadership through publications and professional guidance that have advanced the field nationwide. And whereas her commitment to excellence Excellence, mentorship, and public service has left a lasting impact on the city of Atlanta and the broader local government auditing community, ensuring stronger systems of accountability for years to come. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of Atlanta, do hereby recognize and honor Amanda Noble for her outstanding service and extend our deepest appreciation and best wishes upon the occasion of her retirement. Be it further proclaimed that the City of Atlanta celebrates her remarkable career and lasting contributions to good governance and wishes her continued success, fulfillment, and enjoyment in the years ahead. Signed by Council President and all members of the City Council. Would any of my colleagues have anything they'd like to add? Council Member Wan.

Yes.

Well, I did not want to miss this opportunity to come and express my appreciation and respect and admiration for all the things you've done. I said a lot of this in committee last week, but wanted to repeat it here again. I mentioned when I first started on council in 2010, I knew that the city of Atlanta and the audit function was the envy of a lot of our neighboring jurisdictions, largely because of the work that you have subsequently taken and to make sure that it was very thorough analysis and investigation. And you were always telling us things that we might not want to hear, but we needed to know and the public needed to know. And it was just that way to make sure we were being as transparent and as trustworthy to the public as we possibly could be. I wanted to thank you for the initiative that y'all take. I know that you respond a lot to the requests that we make as a body in terms of subject matter, but I appreciated your forward thinking a lot of times on these are topics we need to look at. No one's asked for it, but we really need to look at it. And then you mobilize a very thoughtful and intentional team to go in and do all that deep dive. I can't underscore how important the work is, and I hope that you leave the city with the knowledge of knowing that you helped move us forward in so many different ways by pointing the areas where we had work to do. I know that we don't always move as quickly as your team, which thank you all to the team, too. You want us to, but know that it has gone very, very much appreciated. The last thing I wanted to say is, The work is important and needed, and it's just gonna be a natural function, but I wanted to commend you personally for what I think you have brought to the position that has made it even more effective. You've been very steady, very calm, very reasoned, very logical, and you, while you feel a lot of the heat from folks, I'm sure from the partners, we don't even see that interaction. I know that when it comes to us and when you present to us and when we have a conversation and we push back, your personality has made the work even more effective because it's received in a much more collaborative and constructive way. And the team that you've built and sustained and held on to, despite all the challenges you mentioned to us, wouldn't be the same way without your leadership. And so we are going to miss you. I hope that in your work, you have developed at least a love for the city of Atlanta, and you'll stay tuned. And you may call us later and go, hey, Alex, or hey, Jason. I know you all are talking about this, but think about this too, because you just have that great mind. But you will be missed. I really enjoyed working with you. Please enjoy your retirement. You've earned it. And to quote Howard Shook, you know, I joke with you earlier, but Howard always says that within six months of leaving City Hall, you gain 10 years of your life back in terms of your youthfulness. I fully expect to see that the next time I see you. Okay. Congratulations.

Council President Marcy Collier-Oberstreet.

I know you're shocked, but Ms. Noble, I really do appreciate the work that you've done, and you may not know this, but our Fresh Food Access Fund was actually born out of me sitting in finance, hearing you give the audit on the municipal market. And I don't think I've shared that with you, but this is the perfect time because you're about to go. But it really inspired me that day because I had been hitting one roadblock after another to get this grocery store on Campbellton Road. And while you were doing that, I realized that we had work to do with something that the city had already bought into for fresh food for the city. And I knew that that meant that we had a pathway. So while I'm listening there, I'm jotting down everything under the sun as to how can we have this model over the city. So when you see the azalea market, just know that your audit process helped in bringing that to fruition. So thank you for the work that you've done, and just know that you will be missed, and hopefully your succession is real good at coming up with ways to make us better. Thank you.

Thank you. And without further ado, I'd like to hear from Ms. Noble.

Well, thank you, everybody. I'm really honored to have had this opportunity. We could not have been successful without the support of the Audit Committee, the City Council, departments, and my great team who are here. So thank you very much.

I bet you didn't know that though did you?

Okay, so for our next proclamation, it is in recognition of National Public Works Week and the American Public Works Association accreditation. So everyone here to support this proclamation, please come forward. Presented by the Honorable Dustin Hillis.

All right, while everyone's working their way up, I'm going to start reading because I don't only have one proclamation, I've got two, but we're going to knock them both out.

And I am Dustin Hillis, chair of the City Utilities Committee.

honoring the Department of Public Works during National Public Works Week 2026, whereas public works professionals focus on infrastructure, facilities, and services that are of vital importance to sustain sustainable and resilient communities to the public health, quality of life, and well-being of the people of the city of Atlanta, and whereas the theme, Rooted in Service, Powered by Community, reminds us that public works professionals are motivated to serve the communities that they love and that power them to always do their best. whether serving as first responders, providing regular waste pickups, or making roads and sidewalks passable after a winter weather event, Public Works put service at the forefront for their community. And whereas the infrastructure facilities and services could not be provided without the dedicated efforts of Public Works professionals who are engineers, managers, and employees at all levels of government and private sector who are... responsible for rebuilding, improving, and protecting our nation's transportation, water supply, water treatment, and solid waste systems, public buildings, and other structures and facilities essential for our citizens. And whereas the year 2026 marks the 66th annual National Public Works Week, sponsored by the American Public Works Association, and whereas public works efforts for the foundation of thriving communities, remaining reminding us that every point, seen or unseen, powers the connection between the people it supports, and whereas this year's theme also acknowledges that the roots of service run deep in Public Works and continue to propel Public Works innovations that have helped our communities evolve into places where people can lead lives of purpose and possibility. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of Atlanta, do hereby honor the men and women of the Atlanta Department of Public Works and proclaim Through week May 17 through 23, 2026, as National Public Works Week, we urge all citizens to join with representatives of the American Public Works Association and government agencies in activities, events, and ceremonies designed to pay tribute to our public works professionals, engineers, managers, and employees to recognize the substantial contributions they make to protecting our national health, safety, and advancing quality of life for all, and signed by all members of the City Council and our Council President. and also celebrating their reaccreditation, recognizing the Department of Public Works on achieving American Public Works Association reaccreditation, whereas the American Public Works Association provides a voluntary accreditation program to help agencies objectively evaluate and improve their management practices against nationally recognized standards. And whereas the American, or excuse me, the Atlanta Department of Public Works first earned this recognition in 2017, and on December 9th, the APWA Accreditation Council granted reaccreditation to the Department of Public Works. And whereas the official recognition formally verifies and acknowledges that the Atlanta Department of Public Works is in full compliance with the recommended management practices set forth in APWA's Public Works Management Practices Manual, and whereas the Atlanta Department of Public Works is committed to continuous improvement in organizational excellence and pursuing the APWA accreditation, which reflects commitment and recognizing the dedication of staff whose work supports essential services and programs that enhance the quality of life and economic vitality of the city of Atlanta. And whereas this accomplishment signifies the department's dedication to fiscal responsibility, efficient operations, and outstanding public service, and whereas public works professionals are essential in both health safety and quality of life in our community, maintaining vital infrastructure, facilities, and services. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of the City of Atlanta, do hereby recognize the Atlanta Department of Public Works for achieving reaccreditation with the American Public Works Association and commend their ongoing efforts to enhance public works management and for the benefit of all Atlanta citizens. And again, it is signed by our Council President and all members of the Atlanta City Council. And as the chair of the City Utilities Committee, which DPW is overseen by and reports to, I just want to thank DPW, our Commissioner Turner, deputy commissioners, managers, everyone in the Department of Public Works who keep our streets clean, our garbage emptied, our cars and fleet in service, and for all the great things they do. So anyone want to say a few things? All right.

Thank you, council members. DPW, I mean, we are the agency that works around the clock, whether rain, sleet or snow, our employees are out there. We kind of help keep the city going at all times, whether it's fleet providing fuel support for the city or fixing vehicles as well. I mean, we have some of the hardest working employees. I really want to thank the men and women of DPW at all levels because they do a tremendous amount of work. And also for the accreditation, just to let you know, that is a big deal. What that says is that we are performing at a high level with the SOPs that we have in place, our financial standards that we put in place. We are actually kind of leading the way in the southeast as well, too. So we are one of the lead departments within the country as well, too. So that's one of the big things that shows to the tremendous work that everybody on the stage is doing and the tremendous amount of work that everybody is doing out in the field. So I just want to thank everybody on stage today and the council as well, too. Thank you very much.

Thank you so much. Any other questions or comments, praises? Anyone? All right, well, let's do what we do best and take some photos. Thank you all so much.

All right. I think we do have one more proclamation, and it's presented by Council Member Ishe Collins. This is in recognition of 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Black History Bowl team. Everyone here for that proclamation, please come forward and join us here on the desk.

Hi.

Oh, I do love it when we have students here. I do.

Feel free to come on up. So it's an honor for me to present today's last proclamation of the council meeting, recognizing the 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Black History Bowl team. And it's just a complete honor to not only celebrate their excellence, but also recognize how they are living and representing not only the namesake Martin Luther King Jr., but also for the city of Atlanta and Atlanta Public Schools. And so we're honoring today, you all, some of Atlanta's youngest residents, our future leaders, and those who we all, I know I will, will lean on one day to take care of us. And so I am going to... not only read the proclamation, but talk about the importance of not only the middle school education, but this Black History Bowl team as they went completely undefeated this school year and was the reigning champions for... for this year's Black History Bowl competition in Atlanta Public Schools in the metro area. I also am going to give opportunity for Martin Luther King's Fearless Middle School, Fearless Leader, Principal Kimberly Gibbs to say a few words as well. Because I also want to shout out the fact that Kimberly, excuse me, that King Middle School is one of 32 schools nationwide that has received the National Kind School designation through the National Teach Kindness Initiative. One out of 32 schools in this entire country. And so when we talk about... So when we talk about not only walking in the steps of Martin Luther King, Jr., but also the fact of his teachings of kindness and non-violence, it is so befitting that our future leaders of King Middle School is representing Atlanta so well. And so I'll read the proclamation, and then I will give it over. Council Member Wilson, did you want to say a few words? and then President Gibbs would love for you to say a few words and then we'll take official photo. So the proclamation recognizing the 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Black History Bowl team, whereas the students of Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School have demonstrated outstanding scholarship, teamwork, discipline, and commitment through their participation in the Black History Bowl, and whereas academic excellence, historical awareness, and cultural literacy are essential to developing informed and empowered citizens, and whereas through rigorous preparation, dedication to learning, and pride in honoring the legacy of Black history and its achievement, these scholars have distinguished themselves as leaders among their peers. And whereas the 2026 Black History Bowl team members, Victoria Duncan, wave your hand so everybody can know, Victoria Duncan, Clayton Dyson, Maxie Flowers-Glass, Emmy Franklin, Josephine Kuramata. Did I say that right? Kuramata. And Evan Woods, whose birthday is today, you all. Achieve the highest honor by earning the title of 2026 Black History Bowl champions and were undefeated in the 2026 Atlanta Public Schools competition. And whereas we are indebted to those who had the foresight, diligence, and self-determination to safeguard Atlanta's architectural, historical, and cultural treasures, preserving them for future generations, and whereas this accomplishment reflects not only the excellence of the students, but also the leadership, mentorship, and unwavering support, and we have to thank our educators, Coach Mrs. Sibley, wave, Mrs. Sibley, that's with us. And supporting Coach Ms. Sullivan, that is with us, yes. whose guidance fosters scholarship, confidence, and competitive success, and whereas this accomplishment displays the team's and coaches' lasting contribution to educational excellence and historical awareness. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the members of Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of Atlanta, do hereby recognize and celebrate the Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Black History Bowl team 2026 champions and commend these scholars and coaches for exemplifying academic excellence, cultural pride, and the enduring spirit of leadership inspired by the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on this 18th day of May, 2026. Congratulations, everyone.

We are so, so proud of you all.

Councilman Lester.

So I just want to thank Councilmember Collins for sponsoring this proclamation today for these wonderful scholars at Marla King Middle School, located in the heart of my district, District 1. So I just wanted to congratulate each and every one of you for this great honor. It's incredible what you all have done to be undefeated. And so I just want to continue to just congratulate you. Second, I also have to give a great shout out to Principal Gibbs, who has done an amazing job at Marla King Middle School. She is part of the community. She's out with these scholars all the time. And so I just see the hard work and dedication that you're pouring into what are the most formative years of our youth. And so thank you for that hard work that you're doing. I hope we can get you to stick around until my kindergartner is at King Middle School long enough. But just thank you all. Thank you, Council Member Collins. And I even saw you brought out COO LaShondra Burks for this wonderful proclamation as well. So congratulations to you all.

District 11 Councilmember Way Martin.

Thank you so much, Madam Collins, from our Post 3. As a former Quiz Bowl student at Emmett Middle School, which is now David T. Howard Middle School, I am extremely proud of you all. One of my favorite shows to this day from the time I was about you all's age was Jeopardy. And one of the things my uncle taught me as we watched Jeopardy is Quiz Bowl is about being inquisitive. So I just wanted to say, don't ever stop asking questions. Question everything except your mother and your principal and your teachers. But the more you ask questions, the more knowledge you gain, and the better you are equipped to serve our community, our city, because we're depending on you. You're the future. All of these seats belong to you all one day. So thank you for being excellent. Thank you for competing well and representing our city well. Congratulations.

Thank you. And now Principal Gibbs.

Oh, I am the luckiest principal in the world because I work at the most amazing school. I used to say it was Atlanta Public School's best kept secret. But with the 870 students we now have, it is no longer a secret. And now the whole world knows how awesome and amazing my babies are. They make it very easy for me to be a principal and to come to work every single day. And this is just a small piece of what they do every day. Come visit, come see, read about us, join us on social media, and you will see how awesome and amazing all 870 of my students are. Today is about these babies right here. They have worked so hard. They gave a lot of their extra time. We have our one sixth grader. one seventh grader, and the rest are eighth graders. So we have to start fresh, but we still will be first place next year. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman Collins and Councilman Winston for always supporting us, for always being there. And they are very present with us all the time. So we know who you are.

Thank you. Well, with that being said, you all, let's come and take an official photo and join us in the front.

I don't know.

Congratulations again.

I'm going to keep you all on me.

Wow, how uplifting. That's beautiful.

Okay.

So I just received a list of our public comments. This is the time where we'll actually take a moment to hear remarks from any elected officials, if you have any remarks, any elected officials. No, seeing none, we're gonna move on to our general comments from the public. Each speaker will have two minutes or up to 10 minutes if you have yielded time donated from someone else. So pursuant to our code, the speakers that receive the donated time will be placed at the end of the speakers list. And with that being said, our first three speakers, Hannah Griggs, Henri Jordan, Walter Reeves, you three can come forward and you have two minutes each.

Hannah Griggs, you have two minutes. All right, thank you very much. Hello, everyone. Good afternoon. My name is Hannah Griggs, and I am a resident of Reynolds Town in District 5. And I'm here today to publicly support the Beltline Rail and to speak against Resolution 26R3534 to add a dedicated bike lane alongside the Beltline. I use the Beltline nearly every single day to commute to Emory University, where I work as a librarian. I'm all for a good bike lane, and as a cyclist, I feel an immense sense of relief when I ride on the Beltline because the speed limit is slow and I feel safe. There are no fast-moving vehicles. But adding a second fast lane for bikes and scooters would remove that sense of safety. It would put both cyclists like me and pedestrians at great risk for accidents and collisions when crossing to get on the Beltline. Moreover, the crowding on the Beltline only happens at certain times of day and certain times of year. In the mornings, for example, you can see the Beltline is full of other commuters like me who are riding to work unimpeded. Adding another lane does not alleviate traffic congestion. I am very much in support of expanding our cycling infrastructure, but not at the expense of Beltline Rail. Not only would light rail help alleviate these high congestion times on the Beltline, but it is safe and it is predictable for pedestrians crossing to walk on the Beltline. I am so excited for the prospect of having light rail here in Atlanta, and I cannot begin to describe to you how it would transform my life and the lives of the people in my community. It would modernize our transit in a way that would benefit Atlantans for generations. Please commit to your promise of building the Beltline Rail. Thank you.

Thank you. Henri Jordan, you have two minutes.

Give me now to the Spirit of God, everyone that's here. He that committed sin is of the devil, for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3, chapter 8, verse. This verse emphasizes that the mission of Jesus Christ was to eliminate the sinful actions and influence of the devil in the world. The thief coming not but for to steal and to kill and destroy. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. St. John 10 and 10. Good shepherd, when Jesus used this terminology, thoughtful Jews remember Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. And even understand Jesus' claim to be God. Thou shalt not covet. thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not call thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's, Exodus 20, chapter 18, verse. This directive found in Exodus 20, chapter 17, verse specifically instructs individuals not to desire their neighbor's house, spouse, or possessions. James committed adultery, I found out later in his marriage. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Exodus 20, chapter 16, verse. This directive found in Exodus 20, 16, chapter is part of the Ten Commandments and prohibits lying or giving false testimony, particularly in legal context. Jesus created the gift in me for his glory and his protection for you. It is a danger to work against God's glory. We living on God's time is what we owe Jesus Christ. That's when I speak the word of God. We living on God's time. We need him more than he need us. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Jordan. Walter Reeves, you have two minutes.

Walter Reeves, Atlanta, Georgia. Geopolitics matter because macroeconomics matter. During eight months of 2023, I developed a federal version of a Reeves-Bretton Woods four theory, which landed on the desk of federal judge Victor J. Volsky and on the desk of US Attorney General Merrick Garland. In December 2024, I called in a truck attack to the United States Department of Justice three days in advance of a New Orleans truck attack on January 1st, 2025. 14 victims were killed and 57 victims were injured. The University of Georgia Bulldogs were in town to play in the Sugar Bowl. Sonny Smart fell down and broke his hip during the commotion following the attack and later died on the operating table. Sonny Smart was the father of University of Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart. This national security public policy success accorded me political street cred with municipal workers at Atlanta City Hall. For the first eight months of 2025, I discussed a municipal version of Reeves-Brittan Woods IV with both municipal employees and municipal retirees. This included both an emergency cost of living adjustment for city employees and the Reeves Pension Security Municipal Bill for retirees. The ongoing fiasco in the Persian Gulf is destroying both the petrodollar system and the standing of the US dollar as a world reserve currency. Russia and China are now constructing a new security architecture for the Persian Gulf because the United States has lost the asymmetrical war with Iran. When the U.S. Treasury bond market breaks overseas, the entire U.S. banking system will malfunction. Mr. Reeves, your time is up. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, folks.

Our next three speakers, Jackie Halcrow, Deanna Halcrow, Andre Burgin, you each have two minutes.

Hi. Hi.

I'm terrified.

I'm Jackie Howcrow, co-founder of Emerald City Bagels. We are bagel bakers with two locations, the first in East Atlanta Village, the second in Old Fourth Ward, along the Beltline East Side Trail. I'm also a resident of East Atlanta Village. I'm here today to voice my support of Beltline Rail, as the light rail has always been at the core of the Beltline Master Plan. As a bagel shop, we rely heavily on regular customers. The commuters stopping in three days a week for breakfast on the way to work, or the dad popping in every Saturday for a dozen bagels, because getting breakfast for the family is part of his weekend ritual. When searching for the second location for our bagel shop, we were certain that the promise of Beltline Rail, along with bicycle commuters, made our chosen location in Old Forth Ward a sure bet. It seemed like the perfect pop-in location for those not relying on cars to get through the city. During the painfully long process of building the Beltline, the general view of the Beltline seems to have changed. It's being viewed as a recreational area or a tourist attraction rather than a brilliant piece of infrastructure that supports the citizens of this city. Public transit isn't new. The positive effects of public transport in growing cities is well documented. Please protect the Beltline transit right of way for light rail and allow Atlanta to grow into the city it's always aimed to be. Thank you.

Thank you. I have two minutes.

Hi, I'm Deanna Helcrow, also a co-founder and owner of Emerald City Bagels. I'm also a, not only do I own a business, I am also a resident of Cabbage Town. As my business partner just commented, when we started the plans for our east side trail location, we were counting on Beltline rail commuters to stop in for breakfast or lunch on their way to work, school, or just running errands. We had a clear vision in our heads about where the rail would be placed in relation to our storefront. Currently, we lease the space where outdoor tables are placed from the Beltline with the understanding that once the rail project began, our tables would need to be moved. We are more than happy to relinquish that space for the promise of rail. The Beltline, while a great tourist destination, was originally intended to be a way for taxpaying residents such as myself and everybody here to move about the city without adding without adding to our already traffic-clogged streets. That day seems to be slipping away. Thank you for listening. We hope that you will reconsider Beltline Rail.

Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Burden, you have two minutes.

Okay. Good afternoon, Council. I am Andre Burden, and I live in Southwest Atlanta. But more so than that, I'm a homeowner that chose to live in the same neighborhood I grew up in. I am big on data, and I know that Atlanta consistently ranks as one of the most unequal cities in America. The bottom 20% household income is around $10,000. On the top 20%, over 300,000. A child born into poverty has a 4% chance of reaching the highest income bracket as an adult, and that's terrible. That inequality has drawn a line in our city that has created basically two worlds, and your zip code largely dictates what type of life you have based on where you sit in that line. I grew up on the side of the line where life is a little bit harder for people. I'm a first generation college graduate who built a great career in tech, but I'm clear on what that looks like and what it took to get there. And I don't want to be the exception. And no community should have to produce exceptions in order to survive. So the way things happen, oftentimes when we improve, that means moving people out and not elevating them to higher heights. exactly why this TAD is important because it includes anti-displacement protections made into the initiative, and that's why I'm supporting it. The goal behind it also is not just to keep people, but to improve their quality of life. We understand for Families, this shows up in student success in terms of stable housing, fresh food, safe streets, economic opportunity. These are amenities for newcomers. They are actually things for people like myself who have been asking and deserving these things for years. So when families are stable, kids are not changing schools, they have better outcomes. So I'm asking for you all to push this path forward. Residents of Southwest Atlanta have put a lot of time and effort into getting these things, and we would like to have them

with those protections in place thank you mr bergen our next three speakers noble and tampuka and tampoa l christie lynn's and ron kirkpatrick you each have two minutes you can come forward you have two minutes

OK, greetings. Again, I am Atenpoka L., Moorish American, AA 222141. Moorish is my bloodline. I'm an Aboriginal, meaning descendant of the people in the Bible. America is my ancestral state by birthright and blood. I am a national and not a subject of the United States corporation. And I would like for the City of Atlanta official and the City of Atlanta employees to be recognized as a national and not be treated as a citizen of the United States. Okay. And I have copies here of some proclamations that indicate my status, that is the difference in the status of being an American and a citizen, and also a house resolution. And I also have a copy of the Georgia State Code, which has exceptions to more in America. OK, so I'm basically here to enforce the Constitution, which secures my rights and also guarantees the republic form of government on my land, which is America. and all of you take an oath of office to support the Constitution and basically that's all I'm asking for and that I should be recognized and all nationals should be recognized and it's up to you to inform your, I guess employees or whatever, to acknowledge us as nationals and not treat us as citizens of the United States.

Thank you.

Christy Lenz, you have two minutes. Thank you. I'm Christy Lenz with Beltline Rail Now and a District 4 resident. I know many of you, and I know how much you care about the city of Atlanta. And I know that we need Beltline Rail. Our city is in a transit crisis. Cars clog the road. Car ownership costs over $13,000 a year for many residents. And we need less cars on the road, which is what Beltline Rail would do. We know that with every dollar of investment in rail, we get $5 return on economic investment. So spending $300 million on rail would net us over a billion dollars that would go into our community. People need a way to get... around the city without a car. And that includes the Beltline. And it would also alleviate the traffic. On the Beltline, it would give a place for scooter riders to go, for bicycle riders. They could hop on the rail. They don't have to be in the pedestrian walking path. So yes, I would really encourage Atlanta. We have to do something about our transit crisis. It's not going away if we ignore it. So please reconsider rail and build it. And I do want to thank Mary Norwood for meeting with us the other day. It was really nice to speak to you more about rail. Anyway, thank you. Thank you.

Ron Kirkpatrick, you have two minutes.

Yes, I'm Rod Kirkpatrick. I'm with the Historic District Development Corporation. We are a nonprofit organization community organization been in existence since 1980. In fact, Coretta Scott King was the founding member along with some other civil rights leaders. I'm really here to represent HTC to tell you how important Invest Atlanta's Eastside TAD program has been to us and other affordable housing developers. In fact, we just completed the front porch project on Auburn Avenue. If Invest Atlanta had not come forth and put dollars in. I'm not sure we would have finished the project, but it was a stimulus for other investors, a catalyst to see that they were behind this project. In fact, they also have invested in another project that we're doing with Mercy Housing. Mercy is a national affordable housing developer. We're doing the Henderson Place project. Again, Invest Atlanta, through the ESITAD program, stepped up, made an investment, and it helped us leverage to get other investors, lenders. I think most everybody understands it takes a lot of participation to do below-market type real estate. And so it takes a whole lot of effort. But when Invest Atlanta steps up, it does make a difference to the lending community. I can assure you that. That's all I wanted to say. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next three speakers, Hunter Hughes, David Carlson, David Serrano. You each have two minutes. You can come forward. Mr. Hughes, you have two minutes.

Thank you. Hi, my name's Hunter. I've lived in Atlanta my whole life. I'm a homeowner and a business owner here. I believe in Atlanta, and I have so much faith in this city and its growth and its excellence. And to further that excellence, I really believe that this city needs transit. And explicitly, the people overwhelmingly want Beltline Rail. We voted for it, and we want it right now. Lack of transit has been a stand on our city for too long and this council has the power to push transit forward in a meaningful way and create a legacy that I honestly think you can be proud of. I can't think of a better lasting legacy than this that will impact all walks of life positively for decades to come. Expanded rail fits in perfectly with the mayor's reinvestment initiative and will connect and strengthen our communities. And there's clear examples of thriving light rail in cities like Barcelona, Amsterdam, and other urban metropolises. The Beltline vision has always included rail, and you see the success of phase one, so there's no reason to believe that implementing the entire vision would not be as equally successful. I believe this should be a topic at every council meeting, and this should be a top priority. And we need your voice, and we need your support. We have the funding, we have overwhelming public support, we all voted for this, and we have the ability to implement rail now. And I think it's time that we move this city forward, and I would really appreciate your help in doing so. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Good afternoon, honorable council members. My name is David Carlson, and I'm an advocate for rideshare drivers primarily at the airport, the ATL airport. I think the transportation, Mr. Alex Juan would probably have this better directed towards him. I rise to submit requests for clarity at the rideshare lot where the drivers congregate for the queue to pick up passengers in the pickup area at the terminal. There has been problem of overcrowding at the rideshare area for many, and things that contribute to it have to do with folks that are there that are not actually participating in rideshare activity. There is a question that we have for clarity regarding specific selective enforcement and policies that are not clear. And as one who's been affected personally by it, I have a document. I have 12 of them, actually, that are here that would explain it if I have permission to pass them to you. personal, The personal problem that I had was being banned from pickup at the airport and banned from dropping off at the airport for a citation issued by the Atlanta Transportation Parking Authority for inappropriate behavior. And the only thing I can associate this with, inappropriate behavior, is praying in the parking area there, in the rideshare area. So with your permission, I'd like to pass this to you.

Sure, we'll have someone come and grab that for you. Thank you. David Serrano, you have two minutes.

Thank you. Hello, Atlanta City Council members. My name is David Serrano, and I'm a recently sheltered resident of Atlanta. I lived on the streets here for about four months before I was able to afford a room on the west side earlier this year. I work two part-time jobs in Atlanta to afford my room while I'm trying to start my own business. I've been volunteering a few days a week at the In Town Cares food pantry near Ponce Library, and I interact with members of Atlanta's diverse population there. Many I talk to, volunteers, workers, and customers, they're all worried about affording their housing, their healthcare, and how difficult it is to get from point A to point B in Atlanta. Many also mention the invasive over-policing of their neighborhoods. This brings me to the city budget. The budget is a window in the mayor's values. With basic services like housing, transit, and parks being cut or ignored in this year's budget, the already fully funded APD and billionaire-owned surveillance companies like Flock and fascist AI corporations like Palantir, they're getting a $16 million increase in the mayor's budget. That's 84% of the $19 million of the total Atlanta budget increase for this year. Is that 84% of the mayor's values? Is the police... I don't know about that. It's kind of shameful. With this increase, APD would now represent a third of the overall Atlanta city budget. Shame. But I kind of get it. The mayor is the city's top cop, and as city council, you must remind him, the people come first, not profits, corporations, and billionaires. Parks, bike lanes, and walkable sidewalks come first, not data centers and surveillance. Education comes first, not RoboCop dogs. Belt rail comes first. A public mandate by the voters of Atlanta, that comes first, not more motorized vehicles. For safety sakes, no motorized cars on the Beltline. The Beltline is the circulation lifeblood of the city. If you add cars, it becomes a stroke. Light rail is a pump. It pumps these workers around the city. That makes it a major global city for workers, for livable wages, small businesses, and the lifeblood of local communities.

Thank you. Our next three speakers, Ray Stephens, Clary Mahaffey, Kari Kroons. You each have two minutes. You can come forward please. Ray Stephens. Ray Stephens. Two minutes, thank you.

Hey, thank you. I thought a friend of mine sent me a link about the rail, Beltline Rail, and I thought, I was just curious to see who all was gonna come up here and what the, Anyway, I just wanted to say, you know, I was blessed at a point in my life to be able to tour around the world. And I've been in a lot of major cities and used their transits. And when the Beltline first came about, I thought that was more of a bike trail. And as much as I'd love the light rail to be able to go alongside it, I think if you look at specific choke points, it's just not feasible. And my faith in Atlanta... You know, what's that spot by Fox Brothers? Anyway, all I'm trying to say is there's places where it makes sense, and I don't think on the Beltline it really does, and I don't think we need to add any more there. I think we need to just let it be what it is and try to do what we can to... alleviate the congestion and help people understand how to like go about the rail or go about the walking appropriately, I guess is what I'm trying to say. I just think we need to all understand what's realistic and what isn't. And I realize I don't make a whole lot of sense right now. So thank you.

Thank you. Cleary Mahaffey. Hi.

So, the budget as it stands right now is a bit of a joke. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, it costs $20,115 per person per year for permanent long-term supportive housing. Using that estimate with around 3,000 nightly homeless, that's around $60 million a year, less than a $64 million police budget overrun in 2025, let alone how much you're adding every single year for more military cosplay. I see there's a $60 million plan, but it's rushed, and it can't be. It's got to be long-term. The city has to buy land, build long-term social housing, and give people homes, staff those homes with support staff, including mental health professionals and folks to help get them off drugs. That will do more than wasting more money chasing folks from camp to camp, making it even harder for them to get off the streets. Let's talk TADs. You call them NRIs. You call them any other abbreviations. They're still TADs. You're taking money from already badly underfunded schools and giving it to the mayor and private developers and calling it equity. That isn't equity. That's Reaganomics. That's trickle-down economics. And if you want to know how that works, ask anyone who has to buy groceries or pay rent to a corporate landlord right now. I agree with Mr. Andre that anti-displacement helps, but it doesn't fix the core flawed solution. And frankly, 0.45% of the funds set aside for it is insulting. That's not equity. It won't prevent displacement. That is a thin smoke screen. Tab money gentrifies. Finally, Beltline Rail, Beltline is not a luxury walking path, it is a transit corridor. No amount of tab money burnt and raising rents and driving out legacy neighbors pretending it's the Beltline's fault will change the original plan we voted for. To let folks get around the city without a car, I can't afford a car, yet I get around on my bike in ways I couldn't in other cities. That's a huge success, but it is currently denied to many of our disabled and elderly residents who cannot walk or bike long distances. Those, and often these are the ones who most cannot afford vehicles. We must fund Beltline Rail.

Thank you. Kari Kroons.

Good afternoon, council members. My name is Kahari Crumbs, and I'm a proud native of Southwest Atlanta, a community directly impacted by the line the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative is working to erase. I'm a graduate of Atlanta Public Schools and Carver Early College, so I know firsthand how exposure, access, and opportunity can shape a young person's life. Now, through my work with communities and schools of Atlanta at Fickett Elementary School, I see how what happens outside of the classroom shows up inside of it. And our eye matters because it invests in the conditions students need to thrive. You're being asked to advance a neighborhood investment strategy, guided by the NRI impact framework, which measures success not simply by what gets built, but by whether residents and communities are measurably better as a result. That matters because growth alone will not guarantee that long-time residents, families, students, and small businesses benefit. We need intentional investment, real protections, clear accountability, and community voice. That is why I support the full Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative legislative package. Together, these tools can help invest affordable housing, fresh food access, safe spaces, transit, youth and family support, and small business opportunities. The children I walk with and care about should not have their future determined by their zip code. I'm asking you to move the neighborhood reinvestment initiative forward with urgency, accountability, and residents at the center. Thank you.

Thank you. Before I go to the next three, I'd like to ask David Serrano, did he leave? He did, okay. He's on both lists, and I just wanted to get clarification on that, but we'll move on. Stuart Jackson, Ivan Shustak, and Morgan Wiley are the next three. You each have two minutes. Stuart Jackson, two minutes.

Good afternoon. Hello, Mary. My name is Stuart Jackson. I live in downtown Atlanta, neighborhood MPUM, City Council District 4. Yeah, over there, Jason, hello. Just talking about the resolution to propose the dedicated lines for the bikes and e-bikes on the Beltline. I understand, Mary White, You could propose that with the congestion that's on there now. I think it's a short-term solution that really needs to be focusing on the issue that the city really has is we've got a whole bunch of bike lanes throughout the city that go for three blocks, then they end, and then they show up somewhere else. I think the reason why we have so many people riding on the Beltline on their bikes and e-bikes is because we don't have that full connectivity throughout the city. You know, I ride my bike. I got rid of my car in 2008. I moved back from Germany in 1996 to move downtown to be a protocol officer for the Olympics. At the time, I was like, Atlanta could actually be like Munich if we worked on it and tried. And I feel like we're getting that way. We have the Beltline. We've got so many more bike lanes now. Like I said, I've been able to survive working and living downtown since 2008. without a car, but I think we really just need to focus on that connectivity of having belt line, rail on the belt line, connecting all the neighborhoods, connecting within the city. I want the city to be where people talk about living in IBT versus inside the belt line versus outside the belt line, and I plan to be a full-time, long-time resident here and be finally eventually buried in Oakland Cemetery, so let's have the belt line so people can come visit me, thanks.

Thank you. Ivan Shustak? Yep.

Good afternoon, Council President and members of the Council. My name is Ivan Shustak, and I live in District 6 in Morningside, adjacent to the Beltline near Piedmont Park. My wife and I moved to Atlanta in 2013, and this city has become our home. We love Atlanta's arts, food, neighborhoods, parks, restaurants, and energy, but one of the biggest challenges we face every day is traffic, and it is only getting worse as more and more people move here. For me, transit is personal. I have albinism, which affects my eyesight, and for much of my life, driving was an impossibility. I eventually found assistive technology that allowed me to drive, but that experience has taught me that driving is a privilege, not a right. Many Atlantans cannot afford to drive, do not want to drive, or simply want a realistic alternative. However, our current tax-paid infrastructure heavily favors the privileged drivers more than those outside of cars. That is why Beltline Rail matters. I know this conversation has been had many times over the past quarter century, but it bears repeating. The Beltline was never meant to be only a trail. It was planned as a 22-mile transportation corridor connecting more than 40 neighborhoods across Atlanta. With light rail, the Beltline can connect people to jobs, schools, parks, small businesses, cultural destinations, and each other across all 22 miles of the Beltline. And by connecting with MARTA trains, buses, and the streetcar, it can help create the kind of world-class public transit system that Atlanta should be proud of. I also support safer bike infrastructure. I've even biked here today. We need more protected bike lanes, safer crossings, and better connections across the city. But paving over the Beltline Transit right-of-way for a bike lane and motor path is not the answer. A few miles of the Beltline are crowded every few hours when the weather is nice. This is a real issue. But when I biked here today, the east side was almost empty. We should manage the times when it gets busier more effectively. Maybe consider painting lane lines. Thank you. I appreciate the time.

Thank you. Morgan Wiley, you have two minutes.

Hi, my name is Morgan Wiley. I live in District 4. I'm here today in opposition of the proposal for a bike lane on the Beltline and in support of Beltline Rail. Now, I understand the intention behind the proposal is for improving safety. So with that in mind, let me tell you a story. I recently went to hang out with some of these guys back here at a bar called 97 Astoria right at the south end of the Crog Street tunnel. How I should have been able to get there if the city had kept its promise by now to build Beltline Rail would be I would take a bus from right outside my apartment on Ponce East to Ponce City Market, get on the Beltline right there, take the train to Crog Street, and then just walk through the tunnel. Quick, easy, safe. What happened instead was I walked seven minutes to North Avenue Station, took the train to Five Points, transferred and took another train to King Memorial Station, and then walked along Decatur Street for 20 minutes to get to the tunnel. I got to Decatur Street and noticed practically no one walks there, and that's because it's not a pedestrian-friendly road. Narrow sidewalks right up against a busy street with no traffic lights on that entire stretch between the station and Crog Street. The south sidewalk gets interrupted by the stairs to the boulevard tunnel, and you have to cross there with just those yellow flashing crosswalk signs. I was worried I would get hit by a car. And then when I was heading home and it was getting dark out, the lack of eyes around, because no one else walks there, was giving me another reason to feel unsafe as a young woman walking alone. Beltline Rail would be a safe way to get to so many places around the city that aren't adequately served by the transit we have currently. And it's already been approved and funded for almost as long as I've been alive. It's an easy way to help a lot of people, and it would become impossible if you were to pave over the transit corridor for a bike lane. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next three speakers, Gabrielle Moorbeck, Josh Litherland and Jack DiCarlo.

Hi, everybody. I'm Gabriel Morbeck. I'm a District 2 resident in Virginia Highland, and I work with the debate team at Emory, and I've lived on the Beltline for a few years now. I'm here today to advocate for Beltline Rail and for the city to fulfill the initial vision of the Beltline as a transit corridor. I use the Beltline multiple times a day, not just for recreation, but to live my life. I use it to get groceries. I use it to visit friends. And I use it to access basically everything that the city has to offer. Even though I'm primarily biking places, I think just the initial two lanes or two miles of rail on the Beltline would be transformative for me. I want Beltline rail so that my parents, who don't have the mobility that they used to, can get to places on the Beltline just like I can. I want Beltline rail so my girlfriend, who is an attorney, can take rail to work at her workplace on the Beltline without being worried about traffic or traffic. pouring rain or really hot weather in the summer. And I want Beltline Rail so when I have young kids, they have a safe way to experience the Beltline before they're ready to walk on a busy path. I'm asking you to protect the transit right of way for the Eastside Beltline and move Beltline Rail forward. We have a once in a generation opportunity ahead of us to get infrastructure right and take advantage of the full 22 miles of city owned land that we have across the city to create a modern transit network that permanently addresses the city's problems with traffic and makes Atlanta more equitable for people who can't drive or don't drive. That means putting public services first and voting to move forward with Beltline Rail and voting to reject the extension of tax allocation districts and voting to build a city that is good great to live in, not just for the short-term interests of developers, but for the long-term interests of what we want the city to look like for our children and for our grandchildren 10, 20, or 30, or even 50 years from now. And that means supporting Beltline Rail and fulfilling that vision for transit infrastructure. Thank you.

Thank you. Josh, Litherland, you have two minutes.

Hello, council members. My name is Josh Liveland. I'm a resident of District 5, and I'm here today also to speak for Beltline Rail and my support of that. Sorry, I'm a little bit nervous. I have lived in Atlanta for about 30 years, and... I came here to go to Georgia Tech. And since I've been here, really now that the Beltline has started to open up a little bit, I saw some of you at the ribbon cutting for the new Southside segment a couple of weeks ago. I'm able to use that as my commute. But really, what I've noticed is that it feels like I'm finally able to move through the whole city. I'm able to access the whole city and see parts of it. I went out to the quarry. the park, uh, this weekend, uh, use the belt line. And, um, Instead of just being a bunch of disjointed, disconnected islands with scary car traffic in between them, I'm able to get around in the city, which is really nice. I want that to continue, and I want it to expand. I'm able to get around because I have a bicycle, and for the time being, I'm fit and able-bodied enough to get around the city that way. But I know some of my neighbors aren't. And Beltline Rail is the thing that will allow for my neighbors and maybe me someday to be able to continue to access parts of the city that I couldn't get to any other way. So I came to urge the council to first protect the right of way for transit along the Beltline, like with the original plan. And second, with all due haste, please push forward the Beltline Rail and get it built. Thank you.

Thank you. Jack DiCarlo, you have two minutes.

Hello. I'm a lifelong District 3 resident. I've lived in Atlanta my entire life. And I've noticed that a lot of the city's problems are all interconnected and they are not isolated. If you fix one, it will help some of these other issues. And Atlanta traffic is a big one. We have a terrible reputation for it on the national stage. And when I talk to people that aren't from Atlanta, that is one of the first things that they ask me about is the traffic here. And I'm a mixed commuter. I drive sometimes. I bike sometimes to work. But when I am driving to work, I am having to hop on the 75-85 connector where I am going to be in the same lanes as people that are trying to get anywhere from Maine to Miami. And it is over-congested. It's a mess. And the only solution I see that will help alleviate that is giving people that live in the city and are commuting within the city an alternative besides driving. And that is why I am an advocate for the Beltline Rail. I think that having these affordable transit alternatives will help reduce those commuting issues. It will alleviate traffic. And that is directly connected to the mental health crises that is going on in this city. I think that... You know, being stuck in your car for an hour or two hours a day, it has a tremendous strain on people. And I think that being given these alternatives, people will flock to it if they're given these alternatives. And I think that if they're given something fast and dependable that can be an alternative to driving, a lot of people will take it. I find it kind of staggering that the money and the votes are there for Beltline Rail to already be under construction and ideally already exist. And I just think it's really unfortunate that that is not the case right now. I'm a big Atlanta history buff, and I think if you look at the previous maps from almost 100 years ago of the extensive trolley system that Atlanta used to have, I think even though it's 100 years later and our problems are very different today, it demonstrates that there is... there is potential for this, and if we were to...

Thank you, your time is up. Our next three speakers, Kay Ann Parrish, Latresha Chaney, Felicia Morris. You each have two minutes, you can come forward. Kay Ann Parrish.

Two minutes. Thank you. Hi, Kay Ann Paris. I'm in District 12 under Antonio Lewis. I was in District 5. I'm from the metro Atlanta area, and I've been in the city of Atlanta for the last 20 years. I think that there should be rail on the Beltline. It's not only that rail was the initial intent and plan, but that the city continues to collect extra dollars and tax dollars through TADD. and through taxpayers specifically for rail. A sidewalk is not what was sold to voters and a sidewalk does not cost billions of dollars. Sidewalks do not connect neighborhoods or cities, rails does. Not all Atlantans can walk, bike, skate five plus miles, making the current proposal inaccessible. Rail on the Beltline would reduce traffic congestion in a notoriously congested city. Rail would expand mobility options for residents and support long-term economic growth across Atlanta and the Metro Atlanta area. Motorized vehicles on the Beltline is laughable. I urge council to not entertain resolution 26-R-3534. Motorized vehicles create a safety risk for pedestrians, bikers, and families on the Beltline. The Beltline is the only protected loop that crosses tens of Atlanta neighborhoods without people having to double check for motorized vehicles. Moving around Atlanta outside of a car is stressful, nerve-wracking, and unsafe. I'm in Southwest Atlanta, as I said before, on one of the highest injury networks, and I've been hit by a person driving while riding my bike. And this was just half a mile from the Beltline and a block from my house. So please say yes to rail on the Beltline and no to motorized vehicles on the Beltline. Thanks.

Thank you. Latresha Chaney, two minutes.

Yes, good afternoon to everyone in here. My conversation is geared more toward Jason Winston. I am a native of Atlanta, Georgia, and I am one of the families that has been pushed into working homelessness. I am not homeless at this moment, But I'm not too far away from it. I don't make enough money to live where I'm currently living in the Avondale Estates area. And I work in Atlanta, Georgia, just right up the street with the House of Justice League. I'm an organizer. For the public land that is available, I am asking for the city council, the city of Atlanta, to please help the low-income working families to be placed in, based on their income, at least 30% and below. And I am displaced. I am displaced from Forest Cove, which is following Council Jason Winston District. Jason, I need your help. I need your support. My family and I are on the verge of becoming homeless because I can't afford the rent where I'm at now. I don't want to be forced with the eviction, but that's what it's leading up to. And... Yeah, so I would like to know when will you all start building back on the Thomasville land? And if so, please, in a hurry. Now, y'all have a lot of development that's going on around Atlanta and have not built back on the public land of Thomasville. So my family and I need some support. Thank you. Thank you.

Felicia Morris. Johnny Longino, also? Okay, because he's after her, so we'll move on from those two. David Mitchell, Marissa Keith, Stella Dillard. Those are the next three.

Good afternoon. My name is David Mitchell, and I'm a lifelong resident of the city of Atlanta. I was born in Edgewood, raised in Southwest Atlanta, and I currently live in the Summerhill community for the past 25 years. I am here in complete support of the mayor's plans around NRI and TADS. This legislation that will be presented to the council will be the most important legislation that I've seen in my lifetime. The ability to invest in communities that have been overlooked and in some cases forgotten for the past 50 years is a righteous cause. if you say you love all of Atlanta. So I'm asking this council to pass this legislation, which will right a wrong that has not been addressed for my entire lifetime, and I'm 56. It's time for Atlanta to grow and prosper for all. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mitchell. Marissa Keith, you have two minutes.

Hello, I'm Marissa. I got involved at Beltline Rail Now at the Inman Park Festival two years ago. And I came across the booth, and I said I thought it was happening. And I learned all of the different politics. 431 days ago, I saw Courtney English and Andre Dickens cancel the rail at a MARTA board meeting with just six of us in Beltline Rail t-shirts. And I'm so happy at all the people who have shown out. And I hope LaShonda Burks is still here to have seen everyone who showed out. And my time being with Belt and Rail, each time I meet someone new, like Mary Norwood, who put forward this motion, underneath it, I don't see someone who wants to hurt Atlanta, who wants to stop people from getting where they need to be. I see someone who may be doesn't have all the information. And just like you, I said in District 8, you weren't on the Beltline. And I learned that you have Piedmont Hospital right there with 25,000 employees who could use the Beltline rail to get to their jobs. And how many cars is that off the road? That's amazing. And each time that I've looked into each person, I've seen Alex Wan and Liliana Bactari stand up to the IGA and ask the hard questions of why we can't get the City of Atlanta, MARTA, Beltline Inc., all in the same room. And each time I see people who care, and I just really want people to start building and putting real things behind that care. So I really appreciate it. And I guess also I want to give this last time to say Emerald City Bagels is so good. And this is a great example. I live over by Piedmont Park and I never get to go to y'all because that's just like a little too hot of a walk sometimes. But gosh, I love you guys so much. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Stella Dillard, you have two minutes. Thank you. My name is Stella Dillard. I'm a resident of Midtown District 2. I grew up in District 8. I'm here to advocate for rail on the Eastside Beltline and against Ordinance 26R3534. You're going to get a call out again. The owner of Emerald City Bagels said it really well when she said we voted for a brilliant piece of infrastructure. Rail connecting Lindbergh to Ponce City Market and Inman Park would be transformative, not just for the residents, but also for the workers of what's becoming a vital commercial corridor in the city. I have worked in restaurants for over 10 years. I own my own business. I pay a living wage. I have seen personally the effect of a necessary but cheap car on people. It introduces unpredictability. It introduces financial stress. It introduces physical stress and unpredictability. Reliable and effective transit would remove that burden. And I can offer a bunch of other compelling reasons for the city to meet its obligations. My wife is legally blind. She can't drive. She doesn't always want to walk to PCN. As the previous speaker noted, it's a hot walk from Midtown right now. There are moms who want to take their kids out on the Beltline but don't want to make a toddler walk a mile. And there are people who would like to carry their groceries home and maybe sit down while they do so. Ultimately, I'm here for Beltline Rail for the same reason that I'm here to ask the council not to vote on the TADs until you've received the results of the audit later this summer. Our city government seems intent on taking our dollars, but not our direction. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next three speakers, Michael Keith, Eileen Cohen, Brooks Payne. Please come forward, you all have two minutes each.

Hi, thank you so much for having us all today. I'm sure that everybody else here has been paying attention to the sheer number of people that are out here to support Beltline Rail and also the wide variation in all the different city council districts that we're coming from. This is connecting the entire city together. We are extremely excited for this. On the topic of actually paving the Beltline, right now, there's the green space next to the paved path. We love walking on the paved path. It's fantastic. We don't need more concrete. Having a grass track rail bed is the way that we can keep it green, keep it pleasant to be on, and we have an incredibly transformative transit corridor. I'm sure you'll hear many more stories to come. Thank you so much.

Thank you, Mr. Key. Eileen Cohen. Hi, I'm Eileen Cohen. I live in Midtown. In 2016, I was really excited to vote for more MARTA, especially because light rail on the Beltline was included. As a cyclist and a big walker, I fully support safe bike lanes, but not in place of Beltline rail. Light rail provides reliable and safe transportation for all people in all weather. For me, the Beltline Rail would allow me to go to the grocery store, doctors, the gym without a car. I could walk to dinner and know I have a safe ride home. But I'm here for another reason. May is Asthma Awareness Month, a disease that I recently developed. The American Lung State of the Air Report Card gave both Fulton and DeKalb counties Fs for ground level ozone, and car exhaust is a major contributing factor. I believe Beltline Rail would provide a real alternative to driving, and I ask you to protect the Beltline Transit right-of-way and move Beltline Rail forward with especially the east side that's ready to go. So thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. George Payne, you have two minutes.

Hello, Council. Thank you for your time. After seeing the NRI data, grocery access, transit access, and child poverty, a 20-year life expectancy gap, I had to come support the TAD extension. I moved here from Atlantic Station, a neighborhood built by its TAD. I've seen what targeted investment does. Chief English put it plainly, there was a system built to work against Atlantans, and we're still fighting it. Those extensions are how we make that fight count. When I talk with community leaders, the ask is simple. Make sure these funds go where they're designated. No shortfalls. Our infrastructure needs investment in the right places. Full stop. With that said, I see many colleagues here speaking in support of Beltline Rail. And in supporting the NRI, it's important we, as I said earlier, make sure we put funds in the right places. Simply adding a bike lane isn't the right solution. We'll just see congestion shift, induced demand, and then what? Add a third for the same issue? A 2019 study by Handy and Bournette found a 100% induced demand effect for urban highways. Every 1% increase in lane miles produced roughly a 1% increase in vehicle miles traveled within a few years. Just like adding a lane on I-75 mode shift Adding rail better solves the root issue. It's what the Beltline was designed around from the beginning. Rail on the trail, bike lanes on the street, they're not in competition. They work together and are solved naturally. As a cyclist, I naturally choose streets over the east side trail. That's natural friction, solving the problem without a single dollar spent. Imagine someone just going for a walk, they hop on the streetcar from the east side over to the west side, access more green space, more of their city. That's the vision, connectivity, not just capacity. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next three speakers, Owusu Haddari, Blaine Legat, Michael Collins. You three can come forward. You'll each have two minutes.

Good afternoon. Good afternoon. I'm here representing Sloan Circle. It's a street, public street, about 13 minutes from City Hall. We have homes on that street that are old as 85 years, yet there has never been a sidewalk, never been a curb, never been any pavement. We are making very little progress, but we are making progress in terms of establishing meetings. We got a notice that they were gonna come in February and shape and gravel the street. They showed up in April 27th. They shaped part of the street Never brought any gravel, so what they did was make a muddy mess of the street, worse than it was before, and cut into our front yard even more. We need to get something done about a neglected area of Atlanta, 13 minutes from City Hall, that has never been paved. Not a private road, but a public street. Thank you.

Thank you. Blaine Legant, two minutes.

Good afternoon council members, president. My name is Blaine Legant and I live in Sandy Springs. I've lived in this great state since the age of two. I have the privilege of taking time off work to speak with you today and I do so on behalf of many who cannot be here so I thank you for your undivided attention. For as long as I can remember, we've treated transit as a service of last resort, often forcing citizens to personally finance incredibly inefficient, expensive personal vehicles just to get around. This is something less than personal responsibility and something more like a gift to auto lenders. I have to wonder, are we making it easier for people who live in Atlanta to live in Atlanta? This isn't just about a rail line. It's about choosing to prioritize a shared public life. I want a city that offers more chances to meet my neighbors, not more opportunities to separate from them. Every time I ride MARTA, I am reminded of the real community we share. I see strangers helping each other find their way and old friends unexpectedly catching up in the same car. Building great public transit brings us more together than any therapy. When change is on the horizon, it's natural to feel a fear reflex and ask, what am I about to lose? But framing every public project as a theft from the individual only leads us further down a path of alienation. Atlanta is just as deserving of a convenient, well-connected transit system as St. Louis, Toronto, or Melbourne. Taking the train should be what people do because it's efficient and accessible, not just because they have no other options. I ask you to protect Beltline Transit right of way and move Beltline Rail forward. Please do not trade away a 22 mile transit vision to solve a situational crowding problem on a part of the trail. The right of way was promised for transit. It has the power to connect us all. Let's not abandon that promise. Thank you.

Thank you. Michael Collins, you have two minutes.

Hey, Council, Michael Collins from Playfair ATL, the coalition focused on the World Cup. Just want to echo some of the comments from my Beltline Rail friends, because we certainly at Playfair ATL don't believe that we can have a world-class competition without having the proper transit infrastructure that is so lacking in this city. So it's very disappointing. to hear that we're yet again pushing that aside. I'm sure everybody is super pumped about the World Cup and excited about Scotland winning the World Cup. The council is fully behind the nation of Scotland and we appreciate it. But I'm actually here to talk about a more serious issue and that's the issue of housing and homelessness in the city. Last year, the city or the mayor's office put out a plan, Downtown Rising, to eliminate homelessness in time for the World Cup. Now, to that end, they have housed 500 people. And, you know, by all accounts, the housing is great and people are very happy and they're getting services. But we have an additional 1,000 people who are unhoused in Atlanta and living in the streets, an additional 1,500 that are living in insecure conditions, temporary shelters, etc., And the question for us has always been what happens to those remaining people. And I think what we're worried about as we get closer to the World Cup is that some of those people are going to be arrested or end up in jail. I heard rumours last week, I heard... from an outreach worker that individuals are being given tickets to be bussed out of town, which is reminiscent of what happened at the 1996 Olympics. If you go down to Woodroffe Park, a short distance from here, you'll see that the park is now closed off and the unhoused people have been evicted. In talking to them, everybody is being told that they have to clear out in time for the World Cup. And I worry about the reputation of our city that's done so much on housing. I've had outreach in the last week from The Guardian, The Associated Press, everybody's looking at this story and we're going to be on the front page of many newspapers and I want us to avoid the national embarrassment and the implications for unhoused people.

Thank you. Our next three speakers, Desiree Thomas, Safi Carson, Margie McLeod. Desiree, you have two minutes.

Thank you. Hi, everybody. My name is Desiree Thomas, and I am the local campaign manager at the Amplify Georgia Collaborative, a reproductive justice org based here in Atlanta. And I'm here today to talk about the fact that one third of the projected city budget is supposed to go to policing and incarceration. And I just think there are so many better things that the city could be spending that money on. While counties have the purview for public health, and I understand that, I think that there are things the city could do in terms of maternal health, in terms of access to reproductive health care that it's not currently doing. As you all know, Atlanta gave $300,000 to Arc Southeast back in 2022. And as wild as it sounds, that was four years ago. And $300,000 for an abortion fund that funds people getting access to care is not going to last four years. And so I know that... again, counties have the purview around public health, but there are things the city of Atlanta can do in that realm to support people's access to care, improve maternal health outcomes, especially for black women, because there are a lot of babies that are born in the city of Atlanta, including mine. And I did face adverse health outcomes as a result of giving birth in Atlanta. And there are things that the city can do to help make those less, what's the word I'm looking for? Yeah, just make the way that happens less. And if you can find funds for policing and incarceration, but funding for transportation, for parks and rec, and for public works is going down, I think that's a problem. You can fulfill the city's commitment to Beltline Rail. Atlanta is also the most heavily surveilled city in America. I don't know if all of you know that, but it's true. And so we don't need more policing. We need to divest from services like flock, reduce policing, increase funding for services like pad, improve our parks, build sidewalks, and ensure that Atlanta is a safe place to be pregnant and to be a haven for people that are seeking reproductive healthcare. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Safi Carson, you have two minutes. Thank you very much. My name is Safi Carson. I am a PhD student at Emory University, and I'm here today to talk to you all about maternal mortality. Maternal mortality is rising in Georgia, as it is in every state that has a ban on abortion or heavy restrictions on abortion. And this is especially impacting black, indigenous, and Latina people who are residents of Atlanta. I was told today that health is usually considered an issue for the counties, but I would argue that it is absolutely an issue that the city of Atlanta can address, especially when a third of the city budget is going to policing and incarceration. A study by Emory University and community colleagues actually came out recently that has demonstrated that pregnant people are waiting to seek health care and providers are afraid to offer health care to pregnant people because they are all afraid of being criminalized. This means that funding policing and incarceration is funding maternal mortality in Atlanta. Instead, the city of Atlanta should allocate funding to reproductive health care, such as Arc Southeast and the Feminist Center for Reproductive Liberation, the Beltline, making our community safer and healthier for everyone. I do urge the city of Atlanta to fund health and not policing. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you.

Margie McLeod. You have two minutes.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Michael Jackson say, love everybody. And I wanna thank someone. I don't come down here and complain, but I have to say thank you. His name's Al Carter. He saved a young lady, 30 years old. He saved her life, because Pat, I was trying to get it in Pat, but Pat didn't have no money last year. We have people that's drug and alcohol. And she want me, she's in Mary Freedom Hall. Today, she will graduate in September. When you put the money in the right place, you're saving a life. This young lady was hopeless. She would have died if we didn't get her in that program. And I thank you, Ali Carter. I thank you. for helping me to put her in Mary Freedom Hall, put the money that what they gonna help, because we got a lot of problem drugs and that, and that she gonna, when she graduate, she will get her child back, she will have housing. So that's what I'm saying, put the money where they need to be at. I don't, well, you know what, I don't understand it, I do, but human life is first. We thank you. I appreciate it. And I don't come down here all the time to fuss, but I come down to thank you. You saved someone's life. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next three speakers, Kelly Benton, John Itcham. Thanks for putting the pronunciation on here. Jay Johnson. You each have two minutes. You can come forward. Kelly Benton.

Hello. Hi. I'm Kelly Benton. Some of you know me and some of you don't. I'm so frustrated sitting here. That's why I don't come to stuff like this because most of none of this stuff is news to anybody. And I wish that the constituents time wasn't wasted with hopefulness thinking something's going to be done about stuff that everybody already knows about. None of this is news. I'm here because I feel like I was wrongfully terminated for the same reason I complained about stuff that's not news to anybody. But because it's not news to anybody, also a lot of people are doing the same things that I complained about. So how can you undo something that I'm complaining about about someone else if you're doing the same thing? Nobody knows how to undo that. As an employer, the city of Atlanta does not have anywhere for employees to go and complain in real time, meaning I need help today, I don't know if I should come to work tomorrow. We don't have a space like that. We have somewhere that we can call anonymously or send an email, but if you send an email, it's gonna go all across the building because everybody's business goes everywhere. Because everybody is so comfortable, they have no idea who they're sharing your information with, and it gets back to you. There's no way that a lady should come here to advocate for her sister's sex life here. That shouldn't be that somebody has to come to a forum like this to complain about something like that. We complain about Donald Trump and his behavior, but the city of Atlanta is treating our people just the same way. Sexuality is so comfortable that people just do anything and everything at work. Thank you. I'm sorry.

Ms. Binton, your time is up. Absolutely. John Itchen, you have two minutes.

Hello, folks. I wish I had more than two minutes to talk to you all about this Beltline Rail project and this bicycle appropriation. Madam Norwood, we've spoken before about the bicycle lanes on Peachtree Road, and you explained your opposition then, so I find it surprising that you are in support of bike lanes, of course, without taking away the car lanes like they did in Buckhead. So maybe we can have a conversation about that. I hope you don't reintroduce this measure. And anyone else that wants to talk with Beltline Rail now, I think we'll have a presence at the World Cup festivities in Centennial Park. It's one idea. I think June 15th is the first match, and there will be lots of opportunity between those matches. I echo earlier sentiments that we should be a world-class city with world-class transit, and I think they go hand in hand. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Jay Johnson. You have two minutes.

All right, good afternoon, city council members. My name is Jay Johnson, and I'm the founder of Dream Builders of Atlanta, which is a nonprofit based right here in Atlanta. I'm also a member of Circular Safety with the ecosystem of a list of organizations, Gangster to Growers, We Care, and Hope Hustlers, just to name a few. But I am also a son of the city of Atlanta, born and raised Peoples Town, right down the street. Atlanta has been my home for the last 36 years. I came back to do work in community violence initiative because I had an experience with community violence myself personally, and I wanted to be sure to prevent any any type of occurrences that I could. Community violence intervention works through credible messages. People with lived experience interrupt violent cycles, mediate conflicts before they turn deadly, and connect people with services that change their lives, like the one Miss was just speaking about. The research for CVI is clear. It reduces shootings. about 30%, 30 to 60%. And I'm just here to advocate for funding for the Care First strategy. This summer, the World Cup will be in town. It'll be a lot of youth outside of school. I myself was a member of Count Best Friends, Rick McDivitt Youth Center way back in 98, 99, 2000. So that was the urge that gave me to come back home to start a non-profit with these kids. And we just need the money to float around the city to provide these services for these young people, to help them put their guns down, but also getting them gainfully employed. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Our next three speakers, Matthew Nicholson, Nick Spiva, and Matthew Rao. You each have two minutes, you can come forward. Matthew Nicholson, two minutes.

Good afternoon. My name is Matthew Nicholson. I am here to talk about Resolution 26R3534, the resolution to build dedicated bike infrastructure or bike lanes along the Beltline. I rode my bike here today. I often ride on the trail when I'm in Atlanta. And generally, I'm in favor of cycling infrastructure. But in this case, the Belt Lane is the wrong place for a dedicated bike lane. So there's a few reasons I think that. One of them is capacity, right? The Belt Lane is busy now, but there's already a bike lane there. There's also infrastructure for walking. If you want to ride somewhere in Atlanta along the Beltline, you can do that today with the infrastructure that's there. A bike lane can take, depending on the source you look at, about 7,000 to 9,000 passengers per hour. A better alternative there, that's good, but a better alternative there would be a train, which can carry more than that, maybe upwards of 10,000 passengers an hour, depending on headways and number of cars and other variables. But it's a higher capacity transit option for that corridor. Additionally, trains are more accessible than bikes. There are ways to cycle if you have limited mobility, but trains are more accessible than bikes. And also it would be a profound mistake to give up the right-of-way along the Beltline where you could build a train to instead build a bike lane. Instead of a train, you should build bike lanes, or sorry, build a train. Instead of a bike lane, you should build a train. Instead of a bike lane on the Beltline, you should build bike lanes on the streets around the Beltline instead. Thank you. And get rid of the traffic there. Thank you.

Thank you. Nick Spiver, you have two minutes.

Thank you, council members. I'm also team rode my bike here today, and I've also jumped on the MARTA. So I did both the bike and the train thing. And I think a lot of people have made great points today. I'll just echo a couple. I think the congestion is an issue, but I think if we build out the bike infrastructure, that's really going to help with the congestion on the trail if we build up the bike infrastructure elsewhere in the city. I really support Beltline Rail committing to finish the vision, complete the loop around the city that connects us. I think the impacts of that could be huge. We've heard from business owners. We've heard from people trying to go hang out with their friends, people trying to get to work. I live in Council District 5 in Kirkwood, and we have lots of people, kids, riding bikes all around the neighborhood. So just finishing some of the infrastructure plans that we already have in place through moving Atlanta forward and other things will also make our own neighborhood safer and give people more options to get to school safely and things like that. I think one thing that hasn't been hit on a lot today is just that it's really important how we pay for this stuff, and that's where you guys come in. Atlanta Public Schools has voted to close 16 schools. I'm just really skeptical of taking away future revenue that they're planning for and counting on. to do things like this. So I think we should grow the pie. Let's not pit bike lanes against light rail. We can do both and have great infrastructure for both and have a bold vision to do both. And let's not also pit the public schools against light rail infrastructure. I think we can have funding for public schools and there's other financing mechanisms that we can use to get the money we need to get light rail done. So thank you all for your time and have a good day.

Thank you. Matthew Rao, you have two minutes.

Thank you, Council President, and I just want to say before really getting to my comment how moved I am at the kind of people we have in the city of Atlanta. Behind this lectern, all of you, the people you gave proclamation presentations to is quite amazing. I appreciate your patience in listening to all the public comment. It takes a long time. And I appreciate the time that people have taken out of their lives, out of their jobs, sometimes giving up an income to come here and address you. I live in District 4. I operate a business in District 4. And I have to say that when I hire someone, one of the factors that I consider is whether they can get to work reliably and on time. And they don't always know I'm considering that before I make the decision to hire. But I know that it doesn't work out when someone who lives far away is stuck in traffic, or when they have to get dinner on the table and go home, and they're the caregiver and provider in their family, and they can't get home in time if they don't leave early. So that goes on in the background, and as I do that and I chair Beltline Rail now, I think about that and the transit crisis we face, and I'd like to frame other people's comments in that light. We are facing a crisis of affordability, sustainability, and access to opportunity. and you are considering extending six of the eight TADs in order to fund the neighborhood reinvestment initiative. For that initiative to work in each of those TADs, there needs to be something more, a transit infrastructure, and Beltline Rail is one of the key projects to making that transit infrastructure work. The World Cup will be here shortly and we're gonna all take a break from all of this and the budget and pay attention to the World Cup. And we're gonna do a great job with MARTA and with the city moving us forward, but we're also gonna show that that income divide and that lack of access and that lack of transit is what's keeping us from being all that we could be right now. And there I end, thank you.

Thank you. Our next three speakers, Michael Haleke, Khadijah Amin, Claudia Calican. You have two minutes each.

Excellent. Members of Council, I'm Michael Haleke, President and CEO of Park Pride. I'm here to provide a perspective on the city budget as both a partner to the city and an advocate for parks. First, I want to thank members of Atlanta City Council who actively engaged during the Department of Parks and Recreation's budget presentation on May 7th and questioned whether parks funding should be decreasing as it is now rather than increasing in the proposed city budget. For years, the conventional wisdom in cities like Atlanta have been simple. When times get tough, parks budget gets cut. Despite the fact that parks are essential for infrastructure, just like public safety, transportation, and stormwater systems, parks have too often been viewed as optional when it comes to the annual budget when times get tough. I'm here to suggest that Atlanta has outgrown that thinking. The proposed FY 2027 budget includes nearly a 5% reduction in DPR's budget, about 2.7 million. At the same time, Atlanta continues each year to add acreage of parks, build new amenities, and invest millions in park improvements. A growing park system requires a growing parks budget, and the stakes are high. Atlanta has risen from 49th to 21st nationally in the Trust for Public Lands Park Score rankings in just a few years. 82% of Atlantans now live within a 10-minute walk, and that's up from 72% from just a few years ago. The progress reflects the leadership of the mayor, city council, DPR staff, nonprofit and philanthropic partners, and community advocates working together. But rankings do not maintain parks. Residents experience parks through daily conditions. Maintenance is not glamorous, but it's foundational. It's also an equity issue. Parks are essential infrastructure. They improve public health, strengthen neighborhoods, reduce flooding, help combat extreme heat, and generate economic value for the city. As Atlanta's park score is rising, our investments in parks should rise too. I urge the administration to reconsider these cuts. Thank you.

Thank you. Khadijah Amin, two minutes.

Hello, my name is Dr. Khadijah Amin, and I am a public health researcher, reproductive justice advocate, and city of Atlanta resident. This budget season, I'm asking for sustained investment in reproductive health care and disinvestment in surveillance, criminalization, and incarceration. Reproductive health is expansive and relevant to every city of Atlanta resident. Our city can and should be doing more to protect and strengthen the reproductive health of our residents, particularly in this moment where the federal government and Georgia legislature are actively dismantling reproductive access rights and protections. As you all make decisions about how resources are allocated, I urge the council to more explicitly commit to not using city resources, including funding, personnel, technology, and equipment, on surveillance of organizations, providers, and patients in our city seeking and providing abortion, miscarriage, and gender-affirming care. Rather, I urge our council to reallocate funds away from surveillance, policing, and incarceration and towards municipal level sustained investment in reproductive health, including adopting a regular line item in our city budget for reproductive health and establishing long-term service agreements with our plethora of local reproductive justice organizations. Thank you for your time and consideration. Thank you. Claudia Colletan.

Okay, good afternoon, council members. My name is Claudia Colichon, and I am an Atlanta resident. I'd like to ask you to move the neighborhood reinvestment initiative legislative packet forward. Through my work in civic engagement and elevating the voices of those closest to the issues, I've learned that people truly value being part of the decision-making process. The NRI package before you includes five connected components, the NRI impact framework, TAD extensions, the NRI trust fund, the anti-displacement playbook, and TAD advisory committee reform. The most important part is the standard this package sets. The NRI impact framework makes accountability the governing principle. Every investment project and funding decision most show a measurable connection to improving outcomes for residents and neighborhoods. Many existing TATs are approaching expiration. Extending them preserves the long-term capacity and local flexibility Atlanta needs to support housing, infrastructure, stability, and opportunity. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next three speakers, John Amon, Cedric Jackson, Nell Pepper. You all have two minutes? Two minutes, Mr. Amon.

Good afternoon, Madam President and members of Atlanta City Council. I'm John Allman, President and CEO of the West Side Future Fund. WFO is a not-for-profit, and we're a proud MPO partner as part of the Mayor's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative. We've worked in English Haven and Vine City for over a decade. I served on the NRI Commission. I'm also a resident of Vine City. WFF submitted extensive public comments to the Commission, which is included in the appendix of the final report. First, on the Westside Tide renewal, I support it. The Westside Tide has changed. When WFF started, the increment generated in English Avenue and Vine City was minimal. Today, WFF developments are transferring blighted properties into productive assets, producing real tax increment and lifting the overall health of these neighborhoods. The NRIC said it well. Atlanta's TADs have generated significant tax revenue that can support the realization of the NRI's ambition. The West Side TAD now has revenue to invest. Extending it to 2050, it gives us the time horizon to compound that investment in English Avenue and Vine City. Since the legislation has just been submitted today, I look forward to studying and learning about the broader package, sharing with WFS board of directors and the community, and serving as a resource to council as you work through it. Second, on infrastructure, NRIC recommendation five was unambiguous. Public infrastructure improvements are essential for the long-term success of the NRI and the subsequent cross-sector improvement, close quote, end quote. Public capital from a range of sources is the best source of funds for public infrastructure, close quotes. In English Avenue and Vine City, that means sidewalks, streets, and utilities. WFF currently absorbs these costs with each development permit, which diverts philanthropy away from housing. Investing Westside Tad dollars in and corridor infrastructure unlocks the next chapter, new residents into homes we're building, conditions for commercial and community services, and anchorman back into the TAD. Thank you.

Thank you. Cedric Jackson. You have two minutes.

Just a moment of personal privilege, yeah.

Yeah, good to see you here. Two minutes, Mr. Jackson.

Good afternoon, council members. My name is Reverend Dr. Cedric Vaughn Jackson. I am the senior pastor at the historic West Hunter Street Baptist Church in the west end of Atlanta. And I want to tell you about a man named Terrence Cobbs. We called him Johan. He was one of ours, a member of the West End community and family. He was homeless. And just last week, he was struck and killed by a vehicle on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard. Just like that, a life was gone. And because he had no address, No stable ground to stand on. Far too few people noticed him. Terrence Cobbs, Johan is why I'm here this evening. There is a line running through this city. You can feel it when you cross certain streets. In the quality of opportunities, the distance to a grocery store, the life expectancy of the people on the wrong side of it. Displacement is happening in our neighborhoods. Families who have been here for generations are being priced out, and with them goes the culture, the history, and the community. One Atlanta is booming, the other is being pushed to the margins and sometimes to the streets. TAD extensions fund affordable housing and anti-displacement programs that protect existing residents. They can require developers to include affordable units. Without them, there is limited dedicated money to keep people in their homes and limited money means limited protection. Terrence Cobbs deserved a home. The next Johann is still out there. So please vote yes to extend the task so our communities can grow without losing the people who made them. Thank you.

Thank you. Nail Pepper, you have two minutes.

Hello, as mentioned, my name is Nell Pepper. I'm a resident of District 2. I'm here to speak against the extension of the tax allocation districts. While the TADs have been touted as a solution to Atlanta's inequality, the funding from the existing TADs has most benefited the private developers whose property taxes have been frozen. Perhaps this was not the intention, but the fact of the matter is that the glassy high rises full of luxury condominiums are robbing Atlanta public schools and city services of crucial funding. Schools are closing, and this has been reported, excuse me, schools are closing, and as has been reported by the Partnership for Southern Equity, the Atlanta TADs have caused, quote, poor communities to subsidize their own displacement, close quote. And now the mayor's office is pushing to extend the TADs for another 30 years. The TAD audit won't be completed until June, but the mayor wants this council to just wave the extensions along in May? If the TADs have been an unmitigated success for assuaging Atlanta's income inequality, why doesn't the mayor want the audit released before you are expected to shove the TADs through for another three decades? Perhaps it's because the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Do not extend the tads. You already know that they will not do what they claim to do. Thank you. Thank you.

Our next three speakers, Dakara Johnson, Scott Jones, Kelly Klocow. We have, you have two minutes each. Can you three please come forward? Dakara Johnson.

Okay, I'm nervous too. All right, my name is Dakara Johnson, and I just wanted to physically show up to express some concerns about what I consider to be unrealistic pathways to permanent stability for families doing everything that they can to break past systemic barriers. Throughout the last eight years, I and my soon-to-be 15-year-old son have been forced to move more than 42 times, navigating shelters, temporary housing, and programs in and throughout the city, participating in multiple programs presented as pathways towards stable housing. Despite this, permanent housing opportunities remain unavailable unless individuals are disabled or experience experiencing severe mental illnesses, and many shelters impose restrictions and schedules that make it extremely difficult to maintain consistent employment, especially while caring for a minor child. To make this long story short, I'm respectfully asking council to consider expanding permanent housing solutions for families. Investigating and reviewing shelter and transitional housing practices, procedures, and conditions to ensure humane treatment and realistic pathways to independence. Creating support systems that allow unhoused parents to maintain employment, including transportation and program requirements, and ensuring accountability for programs that fail to deliver promised outcomes. Ultimately, I am advocating for council to take a serious look at agencies receiving funding to service us, fostering oversight, transparency, accountability, and realistic accessible pathways towards permanent housing solutions for families doing everything that they can to break past these barriers.

Thank you. Scott Jones, you have two minutes.

Good afternoon. Yes, Scott Jones. I am a resident of District 1, served by Jason Winston, one of my long-term neighbors. I moved to Atlanta in 1987. I bought my home in 1988 in Boulevard Heights, a neighborhood where I still live. I am an advocate for rail on the Beltline, and I have been since Ryan Gavell brought in his proposal many years ago, and I was an active participant in all the public discussions leading up to adoption of the Beltline. I definitely oppose the proposal to build a paved lane over the place where it's designated for rail. I do support policy and strategy promoting multiple transit and more bike lanes and other kinds of public transit. And there are many reasons for the belt line to, for the rail to be on the belt line. And they could be environmental and health reasons. practical commuting considerations, economic arguments. I mean, there's obviously not enough time in two minutes to go over all of it. You could write lengthy treaties about it. The existing road infrastructure in Atlanta is really insufficient for the growing car traffic and the growing population. And we need to look at alternatives. And I thought just in the few seconds that I have left to just say, you know, I have lived in the South area for a long time. Driving between, say, Grant Park and Piedmont Park is a nightmare. and it's getting worse. Commuters on the weekdays coming up from the southern counties are getting off 7585 earlier. They're getting onto Moreland Avenue, Capitol Avenue, Lakewood Avenue. It's backed up from Grant Park all the way to the freeway. I have driven, I have opportunities to drive south, and I see the traffic coming up. It's getting worse. We've got thousands of units coming online around the southern crescent of the Beltline. It's only going to get worse. We have to have these alternatives. The Beltline will be a key component in our transit in the future as we get more dense in the inner city. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Kelly Clocal. Does anyone know Kelly? Okay. We're moving on. Our last three two-minute speakers, Kevin White, Ramona Houston, or Houston, Devin Barrington Ward. Kevin White, if you three can come forward. Each get two minutes. Okay, what about Ramona Houston? Is that you? So Kevin White is also missing? Had to go? Okay. Are you Ramona?

Yes.

Okay. You have two minutes. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Thank you to members of the City Council for allowing us to have this public comment. Thank you President Collier-Overstreet, and of course, welcome back, Councilman Bond. Good afternoon. I am Ramona Houston, and I'm an American historian focusing on American civil rights and race relations, specifically its African American and Mexican American dimensions. And I am here to support the TADS, the Tax Allocation Districts. Previous speakers, Mr. Bergen, Mr. Crooms, and Reverend Jackson have already addressed the realities of the invisible line that divides our beloved city, creating two different outcomes depending on where you live in the city. My comments will focus specifically on the role of government in dismantling the structures that have created the divide. In his book, The Color of Law, scholar Richard Rothstein talks about the role of government in creating the systemic inequality that has developed in our cities. The state or various levels of government have built racially and economically segregated neighborhoods. the government has promoted racial zoning and it has advanced discriminatory infrastructure practices. So since the government created those systemic structures, government should be a part of creating the solutions that dismantle these issues. It is the role of government to remedy and correct past challenges. So please support the tax allocation districts to create financial resources in order to invest in our communities. Thank you.

Thank you. Devin Barrington-Ward, you have two minutes.

Good afternoon. Welcome back, Councilmember Bond. I'm here today because, unfortunately, I still do not believe that we are ready for the World Cup. And one of the reasons why we are not ready for the World Cup is because our diversion programs continue to be underutilized. I was just informed of some information from Atlanta Fulton PAD And it indicated that there is a number of calls that police are receiving via 911 that actually qualify for a PAD referral instead. In one council district, I believe it was Councilmember Winston's district, there were over 760 calls between January of 2026 and April of 2026 this year that were divertable, calls that could have been routed from 911 instead of to APD to the diversion staff at PAT. That's really important because when those calls result in an arrest, it exacerbates the crisis that is taking place at Fulton County, which is already under the federal consent decree for overcrowding. And part of the challenge over there is that they are chronically understaffed. and they are not able to staff up in time to create safe conditions there. So we need to keep as many people out of Rice Street as possible. And one of the ways that we do that is making sure that calls that qualify to be diverted and sent to PAD actually make it to PAD because they have the resources and the staff needed to address those calls effectively. so that other public safety personnel can deal with priority calls that are priority one and two calls instead of coming out for priority three calls. We'll continue to share more of this information. I believe some information is circulating with you all around their recent dashboard that illustrates this via council districts and citywide. Thank you.

Thank you. That brings us to our yielded time. Our first yielded time speaker is Kendall Long. You have six minutes. You were yielded time by Conette King. Conette King, are you here? Oh, thank you. And just a minute. Did you speak today, Ms. King? Okay. And Devin Franklin. Thank you. You have six minutes.

Thank you. I'm Kendall Long, First Amendment Policy Counsel at the Southern Center for Human Rights. I'm also a civil rights attorney by training, trained by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the likes of Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley. The recent Supreme Court voting rights decision, Louisiana versus Calais, is rapidly leading to the erasure and silencing of black voices throughout the country. Just last week, Governor Kemp called a special legislative session to redraw maps that would likely work to suppress and silence the voice of Atlantans in Georgia and across the state. This council has the opportunity to distinguish itself from efforts to curtail speech, especially as you approach controversial proposals such as the 30-year extension of TADS, a continued attack on police alternatives and diversion initiatives, a record budget amid a deficit, and of course the World Cup and the attendant criminalization of people experiencing homelessness. And today, as you've heard, many sides of the issue with Beltline Rail. The reality is that it's challenging for people to come during the middle of the day, during the work day, to give public comment. As we've all observed, people have missed the name being called because of having to leave, because of when they've been called, as well as people that have said they have to take off work to be here to speak. It's even more difficult to give public comment when rules are put in place that favor individual speakers over people that have donated time or speak on donated time. This is the exact preferential treatment that is achieved by requiring seated speakers to wait until the latter portions of public comment for the chosen representative to speak. For example, it's 333 right now, and the council meeting, of course, started at one o'clock. I was here at noon to place my name on the sign-up sheet, and I was number eight on the list, and the people that I signed up with have long gone and spoken before I'm able to speak now with the seated time. And so the implicit effect of moving people to the end of the line to speak disfavors people from speaking on seated time. We've already received additional reports that people have forgone their opportunity to speak if too much time has passed, and we've seen you reduce the amount of time that seated people are allotted because of their seaters having to leave by the time their name is called at the end of public comment. The council should be invested in encouraging people to participate in public comment rather than curating rules that deter thoughtful public engagement with elected officials. but we offer solutions. This morning, every member on the council received draft legislation that would increase the accessibility of public comment so more Atlantans can make their voice heard and protect their free expression. Briefly, the key aspects of this legislation that we're proposing would ensure that people speak in the order that they sign up and they're not moved to the end of public comment if they receive seated time. It would explicitly not require people to remain in chambers if they chose to donate time to another speaker. It would clarify when people must sign up to speak and it would align what constitutes impermissible speech with constitutional standards. As I mentioned the last time I gave public comment, the purpose of our repeated comments and raising concerns through correspondence is not for argument's sake. At such a pivotal time in our city, state, and county, open forum for dialogue and talking directly to our elected officials is a key in order to promote a vibrant and inclusive democracy. We want to ensure that the Atlanta City Council can be a positive exemplar in a time when basic principles of democracy are being eroded. I welcome the opportunity to meet with any and each of you to discuss this legislation further. For members of the public, the legislation can be found at schr.org slash the people's voice. At this website, you can also find our correspondence with the City Council, as well as a forum to share your reports of any challenges you've experienced in utilizing public comment. As I mentioned, I've made copies of the draft legislation available to you this morning, but I also have copies of y'all here today that I can pass up. Thank you for your time.

Oh, thank you, Mr. Long. And just so you know, you actually could have used your two minutes anytime before the seated time. You can always use your two minutes. Everyone can have their two minutes. Even if they have to leave, they can say, I no longer want to seat my time. Everyone that signs up can have their two minutes, just so you know that.

Thank you, and I think I had a few moments left on my time.

You do, that's why I spoke back.

Thank you. I would say, too, that I think a benefit of utilizing the seat of time is that, as you can see, everything cannot be covered in just speaking in two minutes, and especially with the many complicated issues that are before you, sometimes that time is better utilized by having people combine their time together so you can actually get the nuance that underlie each of these issues and as we mentioned our correspondence this form is the best form to talk to each of you i know you've mentioned opportunities to talk through like correspondence or office hours or committee meetings but this form here does not like it to be able to speak directly to y'all and be able to use that seated time so that everybody can get to the nuance of these cells and not just talk rapid speed or try to speak through very complicated issues that affect large swaths of our community, that's the benefit of having seated time. But when people have to wait over two and a half hours to utilize that seated time, that disadvantage to the council because you don't get as rich and vibrant and nuanced discussion on many of the important issues. And so I think that is a part of what our concern is with making sure that people that receive seated time can speak in the order that they sign up so that it doesn't disfavor individuals from utilizing seated time and so that the council can be best served with hearing from public input. So thank you.

Okay. So thank you. Oh, sure. We are going to go to our next yielded time. Steven Aimo, you have four minutes. And Ben Bynum, are you here also? Ben? Oh, thanks. You have four minutes.

Thank you. My name is Steven Imel. I'm a resident of Old Fourth Ward, and I oppose the legislation that would ultimately end the purpose of the Beltline as a way to connect Atlanta and cement it as a tourist attraction for the wealthy. How can we say it connects neighborhoods when walking half the loop on foot would take five hours for an able-bodied person? The legislation to pave a separated bike path in the transit lane would be an enormous mistake. Not only would it be wasteful to pave it and then rip it up later, but Atlanta is not known for temporary fixtures being anything other than permanent. Most people who are here were able to take time off from work to spend $10 on parking and three hours in a room just for two minutes of your time. Go to any place of employment on the Beltline and ask employees there if they are able to do the same. Ask them if they make enough money to live near their place of work and how they feel about the streetcar extension, and I'm sure you will hear them be elated that they would not have to drive to their place of employment. The Beltline was pitched as a way to lift up its neighbors and revitalize communities and reconnect the city. Maintaining it as a tourist attraction will ensure that it never does any of that. Another reason the Beltline is on my mind. Those who used to call the East Side home are not unaware of the results of the Beltline. I am one of the people who moved into the neighborhood unaware of the problem I was contributing to. I was unaware of the displacement caused by an intentional effort to draw people in like me to build a larger tax base. This investment may have been well intended, but we have a clear picture of its results today. Residents who called Atlanta home now call the suburbs home, and some now call the streets home. Today, the mayor's office introduced legislation to extend the tool responsible for this, the tax allocation districts. Their extension would continue the system, which has the stated goal of using your tax dollars to encourage private investment, which directly funds the displacement of those whose taxes they misappropriated. The city has spent a large amount of hours and time putting together a propaganda campaign to tie these development tools to a false promise of rebuilding neighborhoods and revitalizing communities. While the city has said the TADs build affordable housing, you can look at Atlantic Station and the East Side Beltline to see what the results of TAD investment looks like. Apartments and property taxes in the thousands of dollars and new homes in the millions of dollars. My last remaining neighbors who have called Old Fourth Ward home for decades are nearly all gone or forced into the margins. The legislation introduced does not mandate any of these recommended anti-displacement work, and nearly everything it does suggest is prevented by state law. The legislation does not bind the city to its promises of keeping communities intact, and instead offers study committees and an opt-in for landlords on the only real anti-displacement policy mentioned in the document. The Tale of Two Cities is a real story, one that Mayor Hartsfield helped write by ensuring that I-20 was a purposeful and physical line that divided our city by race and income. We need a real plan to close the book on this story. That plan involves planning at the city level, using our housing trust fund to purchase land as the city, developing it as the city with intent and purpose, transit-oriented development, grocery stores owned and run by the city, I could go on. While I believe that we need a plan to reinvest in our neighborhoods, I oppose the extension of the TADs. We cannot expect that private investment will ever be the solution to solving the problem that private investment created.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Matthew Nersi. You have four minutes. Matthew McLaren. McLaren, are you here? Thanks. Four minutes.

All right, thank you, council. My name is Matthew Nercy. I'm an organizer with the Housing Justice League. Really glad to see the council recognize Brian Goldstone today. If you all haven't read his book, There Is No Place For Us, I recommend that you read it. I saw a lot of folks handing out their cards and exchanging information with Brian, and I hope you take heed the message that he sends. I will personally buy you a copy if you haven't read it. And I was at the state of Atlanta housing as well. And Brian really spoke the truth there. So really, I hope we take what he writes and says to heart. I'm here to speak first about the housing help center legislation that is living in this body right now. I know a lot of council members direct folks to the Housing Help Center. Some of us even put it on like our constituent services literature and stuff. But I have found that the Housing Help Center seems to be kind of just nothing but a black hole for people. And so we really need to look into, you know, the efficacy of that, of the Housing Help Center. Because I can say, working with Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, there's a lot of these great pilot programs and things like the Housing Help Center that are implemented, but then they aren't funded properly or really staffed to be run efficiently. And so those things like what the AVLF are doing really need to be scaled up citywide, quite honestly. And so we need to be real intentional and committed in the investment and the kinds of housing assistance we're providing, like legal aid for eviction, rental assistance, and emergency housing. We already know Atlanta is ground zero and leads the nation for evictions and corporate landlord monopolization of housing. And so when I look at the budget, I'm really curious why every department, except for the police, is being asked to scale back by at least 5%. But we continue to, yeah, again, put more and more money into the police, which is why we're in a budget problem to begin with. Remember Cop City? Oh, yeah. So the... Tax allocation districts and neighborhood reinvestment initiative, I thought were supposed to be separate, but now it seems like you can't do one without the other, right? And so we're not against neighborhood development. I know the mayor has this narrative. He really likes to lean into reactionary MAGA talking points and try to divide us based on race, but we want everybody in Atlanta to have access to good and nice things, but it's about Who gets to enjoy those things? Who's still going to be there to enjoy these things? And so when we keep relying on entities like Invest Atlanta, which I know a lot of things wouldn't be done without Invest Atlanta. So I understand we have to rely on... various different types of revenue sources, right? But Invest Atlanta is not accountable to the people of Atlanta, all right? Invest Atlanta is not a democratic institution, okay? Instead of creating an NRI trust fund, we already have a housing trust fund. The NRI has this anti-displacement package apparently that the mayor is pushing out, but as Steven mentioned, none of that crap is binding. It's all advisory and pilots, right? And when we continue to go to places like Invest Atlanta that are relying on philanthropy and private developers to get this money, they have a bottom line in mind, right? And so what are we gonna get? Crumbs, maybe a handful of 30% and below AMI, right? maybe a chunk of 50% to 60% AMI, which is not really affordable, but mostly it's going to be 80% AMI, which is, that's just market rate, folks. Let's call it what it is. And so we need to stop relying on institutions like Invest Atlanta. We need to start developing alternative revenue sources. Private development, as Stephen mentioned, got us into this mess. It's going to take public development to get us out of it. It's insane to keep using the same playbook. It's insane. We're just afraid to use public investment, and we're confined by our own reality.

Thank you, Mr. Nersi. Our next speaker is DeJuan.

This is a choice, it's a choice.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Dr. DeJuan Robinson. You have 10 minutes. Is Ricky Cummins here? Yeah, yeah, okay, I see. Carolyn Dabney. Carolyn Taylor. Thank you. Michael Blatt.

Dr. Dewan, you have 10 minutes. Before I start, Madam Chair, can I ask that we give a moment of silence for one of my good friends, Mr. Beauchamp Carr, that helped, I don't know if many know, but Mr. Beauchamp Carr was the gentleman that helped save the Fox Theater on his funeral this weekend. So I'd just like to give a moment of silence and prayer.

Okay, and I'll also add it to our remarks at the end so that we can do that too. Okay.

Oh, you started my, okay. I asked you to pause before I got to the microphone. It's okay. So what you have that I just gave counsel is a hard piece of evidence because I know most of you guys are busy, you don't get time to check your emails. So I gave you guys that because as you know, I think around May 6, Ms. Crystal Davis was escorted from the airport, a woman who had a stellar career of 30 years at the airport was escorted out and you also have information on a contract that Ms. Myrna White has received at the airport with her company, Everest Global Engagement, before her cooling off period and the party that the airport gave Myrna White with airport funds that was unsolicited and has not been paid back by the city as of yet. Key questions for the record. Was there a public RFP for Everglow's engagement? And was the cooling off period followed, waived, or ignored? And by whom? Why was the gentleman, Ricky Smith, not informed or involved in the removal of a 30-year employer, Krista Davis? And why are we ignoring and pretending that we didn't hire someone that was the third-ratedest general manager in the United States of America? Are we just going to pretend that this guy is chopped liver and just treat him any kind of way? Why are we trying to boost our own agenda by promoting a former warden, Jan Lennon, who Delta didn't want, and we still trying to force her down the throat of the Atlanta airport. And by the way, you guys need to ask why she's still making $394,000. Why are you guys not asking that? We have a million dollars in salary and insurance between a general manager and someone who... The mayor didn't choose, and Delta didn't want as a general manager, but you guys are still allowing her to make $394,000. I think that's a big problem. Third, was there an independent investigation conducted on finding Ms. Crystal Davis? And where is that? I've heard the second floor say there's eight. Complaints. I wish that you guys would ask, where are the complaints? Like, why we can't ask to see the complaints? You guys just letting them tell you that there was a complaint. And I want you guys to also know, Ms. Charmaine Freeman, who made the complaint, is now replacing Crystal Davis. One thing my grandmother and mother always told me, they said, DeJuan, in life, your biggest degrees in life will always be common sense. Common Sense tells me that, how is my accuser, Mr. Bond, is now replacing me, who was Jan Lennon's secretary now. Charmaine Freeman was Jan's Lennon's secretary, promoted to director, now AGM, in three years. On her LinkedIn, it says that she worked Miss Maryknoll Wood for Bell. So she was making $30,000. Airport brought in, making 80. Now she's gonna be making 190. Where is that possible except for the criminal enterprise disguised as the sisterhood at the airport? So the evidence submitted today shows that the official Department of Aviation, and in this case you're hearing the Hartsfield logo confirming the retirement celebration. So the picture that I gave you guys of Myrna White, it shows that she's standing in the building that the airport paid, so there's no discrepancy on whether or not the airport paid for her retirement party. And I think that we gotta stop allowing people, just because they are part of the same fraternity, sorority, to get away with things. I often say nobody's above reproach. And we have to live that way because you guys know that they're operating like it's a slush farm out there and it's a criminal enterprise at the airport. And you guys have in that folder everybody that are friends with Jan Lennon, Myrna White, and everybody else that are committing fraud out there. The IT guy out there, Jan brought in, because what was Jan over, Mr. Bond? Maintenance and security. This is the guy that erased everything they asked him to erase out there, Mr. Donnell Cozy. He's the guy that they used to erase emails when people filed on grievance on them. April Bordas was over HR. Now Kathy Roby is there. Her last sister that replaced her when they promoted her to AGM. So what you guys are allowing the airport to promote anybody, you can go from a secretary to AGM at Hartsfield? How? How? Come on, man, that is impossible. And we're not asking the questions and I don't know why. The young lady, Ms. Brunch, she works for the AJC. I may be saying her name, Ms. Bunch or whatever. I think that she is one that should be reporting these things, but it seems like, to me, that we can't get anybody at the airport that is not in favor of the mayor's office and the airport because they're receiving funds from the airport and the mayor's office. Not saying they're paying them to be quiet, right? But I'm just saying, we need independent investigators because when the mayor's office Hire an independent investigator. They came back and said they found no wrong doing with Ms. Crystal Davis and Ms. Norwood. But the mayor's office is saying that there were. Why can't we ask to see it? That's all people's asking. Let's just see it. If it's wrong doing on her behalf, let's ask to see it. Because when I looked at it, it said Charmaine Freeman need additional training. But that's Jan Gurl. Like we running the plate for Jan Linden. She's not the person that we should be trying to force feed as an airport general manager. You go from a warden to over maintenance to interim GM. And now we're trying to force her to be the GM by running away a third rank. general manager in the world. Like, we're disrespecting Mr. Ricky Smith as if he's chopped liver. He's the third-ranked general manager in the world, and we got him. But we want Jan Lennon, who nobody wants. You guys seen 78 maintenance workers say how she mistreat them and talk to people and treat them like dirt. And we can't ask? It's the same counselor that voted Charlisha Smith in as HR commissioner. She had five open investigations in Miami. Nobody look and read that? Like, come on, man. And I'm so glad that most of my white citizens stayed because you guys need to know that we are so important together. In Atlanta, we stand together. It's important when we're together. And I'm glad that you guys are standing and fighting because we need that in Atlanta. We need black and white standing together, gay, straight. We need that. And I'm glad that you guys are here. Mr. Bond, I'm glad that you woke up from your surgery and you're well, man. I love you. I appreciate you. And I think that you guys need to understand that that airport contract that was also canceled, that $26 million airport contract that was canceled, Mr. Warren, right before you guys were getting ready to vote on it and for a council, now it went seven yays, zero nays out of transportation. So why was it a problem and filed, which means killed it, And for council, when it's supposed to be a blackout period, the city attorney said that before she left, that once they get here, it's a blackout period. But there was a phone call made, and they canceled that $26 million contract. And we know why, and we know who made that call. But we got to ask these tough questions. Now, usually when these come up, y'all go into executive session. But y'all haven't went in there in a long time. And I just don't like that we just take, like we go along for things and we're getting peanuts from it. And that's the thing that I don't understand, that we'll go along and get along for just peanuts. And we should be standing up for what's right. And y'all know this airport is a mess and it's wrong. And before my time conclude, last four council member, I had a situation with Ms. Collins and we kissed and hugged and made up. This past week I made up with a friend and we had a falling out publicly right here in Ford Council and we had some things out and we heard each other out and I want to apologize to Matthew Westmoreland because I accused you I think once of are probably lying for Ms. Liliana and talking to her and several people. I don't take mental health serious. And when Ms. Liliana had a breakdown, I accused her of trying to duck some things and we got passed and I apologize to her. I'm in her office, but I want to take this time in the public and apologize to you, Ms. Liliana. We got past some things and I've said some things and you said some things. And I appreciate you and Nick for sitting us down. And I want to publicly apologize to you and make up in front of everybody. If you don't mind, you know what I'm saying, let's hug and let's make up. Because, no, because, listen, as a man, You know what I'm saying? When it's time to sit down and apologize and say, hey, we've gone too far, just in the third, so I just want to take that time in front of the world and just let them know that when you make up the humility, like God said, pride goes before the fall, and I'm not a prideful man, and I, you know what I'm saying, thank you, and if you don't want to come down and give me a hug, it's okay, but it's okay with me.

Your ten minutes is up. She's on the way. Our last speaker of the day is gonna be Donald Brooks. You're gonna have four minutes. I'm sorry. Okay, yeah, so is he yielding time to you, Mr. Prophet? Okay, so you can come on down, and you'll have four minutes. Donald Brooks is yielding his time to you.

Hello, everybody. How's everybody doing today? Praise the Lord Jesus, right?

Amen.

A lot of talk about God, but I'm the only person who said Jesus. But again, I'm here to talk about the homelessness in Atlanta, Georgia, Fulton County, DeKalb County, and mental health that's running rapid in our streets. Good to see everybody. And Well, I want to talk about something specifically, which is the job market, what's going on on our jobs. When I say for jobs, I'm talking about McDonald's, I'm talking about Burger King, I'm talking about jobs that are truly impacting our daily lives. And what I mean by that is the hiring and firing of and how employees are being treated. You know, I like to get straight to the point. It's like saying, if I'm going to work every day and I'm on time and I'm doing what's required of me, then one, why should I be promoted? And two, why should I be fired? Now, I'm saying this like saying, but if someone, if your boss, man, or supervisor has anything against you in the sense of a personal vendetta, then you're at odds. You're at odds with making money on a job. Then we relate that to homelessness. Then you get fired from your job. Then you become homeless. But then over a situation that you had on your job. And I think In Atlanta, see, in Atlanta, we're what, 75% African American, 80%, something like that. Atlanta, Georgia, Fulton County, DeKalb County. Now, case in point, and I'm a real person, right, so I deal with real life, you know, issues. Now, say if you're a heterosexual man and your supervisor is gay, or if you're a gay person and your supervisor is not gay, those type of situations are occurring and happening on your jobs. You know, so I'm trying to be nice and polite as I can. Now, in Jesus' name. Now, I'm saying this because I am a prophet. I mean, a prophet. I'll see you next week. So I'm going to let you write that down. Now, I'm saying this. Riding is the voice of those that have tried everything else. And, again, I'm saying this, too, that we as African-Americans, we come down here about issues. about life issues, and I've said that 10, 20 times. We don't come down here for, because my bike, you know, but a bike line and my car messed up. We come down here because folk are being discriminated against on jobs. We come down here because people are being discriminated against in their homes. We come down here because people, we got slumlords in our neighborhoods. Those type of issues, our elderly are being mishandled. That's why we come here. So understand that. Now, like I said before, I have nothing against no one. I love everybody. And you can write that down, too. I love everybody, but I know everybody don't love me. But what I'm saying is this, that you have to face real issues in real time. The government in Tennessee is telling the officials in Tennessee they cannot talk about black issues on their job, and that's their job to do that. So you can come full circle. You can run to a rock, but you can't highlight that rock for so long. If you, me, you, they don't face up, if we don't stand up now, and I've said that 10 years ago, if you don't stand up now, you might not have a chance to stand up no longer. Do you understand? This is not a game. This is not a game. Your life, and then sex trafficking is number one, number two. The adoption of children is number one, number two in Atlanta, Georgia, Portland County, DeKalb County in America. Have a good day.

Thank you. Okay, public, that concludes public comment for today. As always, I want to thank everyone for taking time out of your schedule to come and speak with us. We had at least 85 voices that really wanted to make sure that we understood things that are important to you, and they are. So thanks for coming and giving your speech to us today. With that, we can move on to our report of the journal. We are now... At the report of the journal, Madam Deputy Clerk.

Theresa Payne-Clark, Deputy Municipal Clerk, do hereby certify that the minutes of the regularly scheduled meeting held May 4th, 2026 and the special call meeting held May 13th, 2026 are true and correct.

Thank you for that. I would like to take a moment because I forgot to recognize that we have been joined by Councilmember Michael Julian Bond.

So glad to have him back today. Thank you for being here. So glad to see you.

You look fantastic. Thank you. So with that, I will entertain a motion to adopt the report of the journal. Motion by one, second by Lilliana. And this can be done by unanimous consent, please, Madam Deputy Clerk. What's the count? 11 yeas, zero nays. 11 yeas, zero nays. The report of the journal is adopted. Communications.

25C5046, a communication from Council Members Dustin Hillis, District 9, Andrea L. Boone, District 10, Wayne Martin, District 11, Antonio Lewis, District 12, and Ishea Collins, Post 3 at Large. Appointed Mr. Dwayne Martin.

All right.

appointed Dwayne Martin to serve as a member of the community SS media board. This appointment is for a term of two years staff recommendation to refer to city utilities committee and committee on council. Let it follow that course. 26C-5047, a communication from Mayor Andre Dickens appointing Ms. Dorothy Hurst to serve as a member of the License Review Board. This appointment is for a term of two years. Staff recommendation to refer to Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee and Committee on Counsel.

Okay, let it follow that course. Any considerations of veto legislation? There are none. Okay. Any unfinished business? There are none. All right, then that brings us to the consent agenda, section one. We're now there, and these are the items that received unanimous votes out of committees. Are there any items that need to be removed from our consent agenda, section one? Council members. Wow. I thought we did have a couple. Oh, look. Council Member Kelsey Bond? Yes, one moment please.

Sorry, okay. 26R-3429, that's item one on page 14. And 26R-35, oh, you got it. Just say it twice if you can. They're recording it as well. 26R3429, item one on page 14, under transportation. 26R3593, that's number 13 on page 16.

You want to remove those? Yes. Okay. Thank you. All set? Do you have those? Thank you. Okay, those are removed. Any post-haste items? I thought we had a couple. Okay, so I will entertain a motion to adopt the consent agenda with those items removed. So moved by Juan, second by Martin. Madam Clerk, can you please sound the count under unanimous consent? Yes. I think we should. Madam Clerk, can you open the vote then?

Yes, you do.

Okay, go ahead, open it up.

One moment, please.

All right. We'll open them up.

The vote is open. Please vote. Mr. Bond, how do you vote?

Vote is closed, 12 yays, zero nays. 12 yays, zero nays. Consent agenda section one is adopted with those items removed. Council members, are we, okay. Would you like to be, Yes, Council Member Warren.

Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to move 260-1290, that's item number four on page five. Again, that's 260-1290, item four on page five. Make a motion to move that to the mayor's office for signature post-haste.

Post-haste. Any other council members for any items post-haste? Okay, CNN, 260-1290, Is there a motion? Oh, is there a second? This can be done by unanimous consent. Madam Deputy Clerk, can you sound the count? No second is necessary. It can be done by unanimous consent. 12 yeas, zero nays. 12 yeas, zero nays. This item is sent to the mayor's office post haste. We are moving on to consent agenda section two. So we're now at consent agenda section two. These are the items that were introduced for first reading committees and are referred back to their respective committees. Are there any items to be removed from consent agenda section two? Colleagues? Okay, move to accept and refer by Council Member Wan, second by Norwood. Madam Clerk, please open the vote.

The vote is open. Please vote.

VOTE IS CLOSED, 12 YAYS, ZERO NAYS. 12 YAYS, ZERO NAYS. CONSENT AGENDA SECTION 2 HAS BEEN, WELL, CONSENT AGENDA SECTION 2, THESE ITEMS ARE BEING REFERRED BACK TO COMMITTEE. AND THAT BRINGS US TO OUR STANDING COMMITTEES. CHAIR WESTMORLAND, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

Good afternoon, colleagues. Madam President, I am delighted to inform you that today's report requires us entering Committee of the Whole. To conduct our business, I will make a motion to enter the Committee of the Whole.

Motion by Westmoreland, seconded by Wan, to go into Committee of the Whole. Madam Clerk, this can be done by unanimous consent. Levene, zero nays. Guess what, we should open the vote, actually. Madam Clerk, please open the vote. The vote is open. For Committee of the Whole.

Please vote. Vote is closed.

10 yeas, one nay. 11 yeas, one nay. We are in committee of the whole.

Thank you. The first section on our agenda today is communications. Colleagues, without objection, I'm going to move past number one. I'll come back to it later and make a motion to hold with two other items later. Takes us to item number two, a communication from Mayor Andre Dickens appointing Mr. Colin DeLargey to serve as a member of the Fulton County State of Atlanta Land Bank Authority for this appointment for a term of four years. Mr. DeLargey, are you present? Will you please come down and introduce yourself to the body and explain why you'd like to serve?

Hi, everybody. Can y'all hear me? Great. Yes. I see a lot of familiar faces and some familiar names. My name's Colin DeLarge. I'm the Assistant Director of Strategy on the Mayor's Housing Team. I've been working with the Housing Team for about four years now on all things affordable housing, public land development, and the like. I think it was literally on my first day on the job that a stack of papers got dropped on my desk that introduced me first to working with the land bank. And it's been a thrill ever since. It's one of my favorite parts of my job is working with Director Norman over there with Ms. Roberts and the whole team to ensure that the land bank play a vital role in our housing work, along with some of our other public agencies, like the Housing Authority, the Development Authority. Oftentimes, the land banks lower down on the list of names, but they're absolutely vital, and I've really enjoyed being able to partner with them over the last few years. So when the, sorry, I'm a little shaky, but when, thank you. When the opportunity came up and when I was asked to be a part of the board, it was a true honor. And so I'm looking forward to it. It's a 30-year-old land bank, and I feel like it's full steam ahead there, and I'm excited to be a part of that.

Appreciate it. I'll make a motion to approve. Is there a second?

Motion by Westmoreland, second by Ishe Collins. Madam Clerk, please prepare to vote.

The vote is open. Please vote. The vote is closed. Ten yays, zero nays. Ten yays, zero nays. Item is adopted.

All right, next up, colleagues, is the consent agenda. Items three through nine, I will sound. Item 26013, 13 ordinance by community development human service committee authorizing the mayor as designee on behalf of the city of Atlanta to exercise a second final renewal option to the services agreement with the Atlanta Belt and Line for one year beginning July 20th, 2026 and ending July 19th, 2027. An amount not to exceed $1,050,000 to provide for the continued maintenance, design, construction, renovation, and repair of certain parks and green spaces where park property is procured, leased, and or managed by the city that is located at least in part within the Belt and Line Tax Allocation District on behalf of the Department of Parks and Recreation for other purposes. 26.0.13.21, an ordinance by CDHS to amend the land use element of the 2025 Conference Development Plan so as to redesignate property located at 1116, 1130, 1166, 1184, 1186, 1250, 1264, 1274, 1284, 1294, 1300, 1330, 1346, Logan Circle, and 1325, 1379, 1389, 1391, 1395, Chattahoochee Avenue, Northwest from I. development pattern designation to HDMU and for other purposes. 2601322, an ordinance by CDHS to amend land use element of the 2025 comprehensive general plan so as to designate property located at 1119, 1149, 1177, 1209, 1225, 1301, 1311, 1325, 1335, 1369, Logan Circle and 1405 and 1417 Chattahoochee Avenue from industrial to HDMU. 26.013.23, an ordinance by CDHS to amend the land use development plan of the 2025 CDP so as to designate property located at 708 Kirkwood Avenue Southeast from the LDR development pattern to LDMU. 26.013.24, an ordinance by CDHS to amend the land use element of the 2025 comprehensive development plan so as to redesign any property located at 2514, 2520, 2526, 2032 Bellevue Avenue Northwest from LDR to MDR. Item 2601325, CDHS, to amend the land use element of the 2025 CDP so as to redesignate property located at 963 Eileen Avenue Southwest from MLSF to LDR redevelopment positive designation. 26R1326, an ordinance by CDHS to amend land use element of the 2025 CDP. So as to redesignate property located at 860, 866, 870 Fox Street Northwest from the MLSF to the LDR redevelopment pattern designation, those items will all come back to us next Tuesday, which takes us to regular agenda. H, ordinances for second reading. Colleagues, without objection, we can take items 10, 11, 12, 13. 13, and 14 as a block. I will sound those together. Please do. An ordinance by CDHS to authorize the marriage of Disney on behalf of the City of Atlanta Department of Labor and Employment Services to accept a donation and execute a grant agreement from the Annie Casey Foundation in an amount not to exceed $35,000.00 to support the City of Atlanta's Department of Labor and Employment Services Initiative, including summer jobs to permanent jobs in the summer jobs boot camp, to amend the F-26 budget by adding anticipations and appropriations, the additional donated amounts and funds not to exceed $35,000.00 and for other purposes. 260-1277, ordinance by CDHS to waive the procurement SOURCE SELECTION PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN DIVISION 4 CHAPTER 2 ARTICLE 10 OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA'S CODE OF ORDINANCES AS WELL AS ANY OTHER CONFLICTING CODE PROVISIONS TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR OR HIS DESIGNATIVE ON BEHALF OF THE ATLANTA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ATLANTA TECHNICAL COLLEGE TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM MATERIALS AND TO DELIVER TRAINING FOR THE APPRENTICESHIP ATL PROGRAM. THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING SHALL BE AT NO COST TO THE CITY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 260-1278 ORDINANCE BY CDHS AUTHORIZING THE with RAHF4 Edgewood Court, LLC, aka Columbia Residential, to provide a public trail known as the Imani Trail Spur located at 1612 Hardy Street Northeast to authorize the mayor on behalf of the city to execute an easement agreement and for other purposes. 260-1279, an ordinance by CDHS authorizing the mayor on behalf of the Department of Parks and Recreation to accept a reimbursement grant pursuant to the United States Department of Agriculture Child and Adult CARE Food Program in an amount not to exceed $790,680.00 to establish a dedicated grant account to manage the reimbursable grant funds for the IFBS 12-10-0202 Summer Food Services Program with Meals Pro, Inc. and to be charged to and paid from the accounts listed herein for other purposes, 260-1280, an ordinance by CDHS authorizing the mayor's designee to authorize the First Amendment to the lease agreement between the City of Atlanta and the Blue Heron Nature Preserve by extending the effective date through August 31st, 2026 on behalf of the Department of Parks and Recreation and for other purposes. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, I will make a motion to approve.

Move by Westmoreland, second by Dozier. Madam Clerk, please prepare to vote.

The vote is open. Please vote.

Council Member Bond. VOTE IS CLOSED. TEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. TEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THOSE ITEMS ARE ADAPTED.

ITEM NUMBER 15 IN 26-013-09, AN ORDINANCE BY COUNCILMEMBER BYRON D. AMOS, WE HAVE ANY CONFLICTING PROVISIONS CONTAINING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 10 OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA CODE OF ORDINANCES IN ORDER TO AUTHORIZE PERSONS EMPLOYED OR DESIGNATED BY THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR MATTERS RELATED TO THE ASHBY MARTA LCI STUDY CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT AND REAL ESTATE CODE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Westmoreland second by Amos. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open. Please vote.

Council Member Bond. The vote is closed. Ten yays, zero nays. Ten yays, zero nays. That item is adopted.

I'll make a motion to send this to the mayor's office post haste. Do that at the end. Hold that thought. Come back to it later. Next up is item 2601310. An ordinance by council members Dozier, Wan, Westmoreland, Lewis, Boone, Bond, Bakhtiari, Hillis, Martin, Worthy, Amos, Winston, Norwood, and Collins to amend chapter 142 outdoor events to create a new section entitled special provisions for races and athletic events that provide for additional requirements for such events on public streets and for other purposes. With no objection, colleagues, we can take items 1 and 19 in this same motion. Item number one is 26C5040, a communication from Councilmembers Winston, Bond, and Bond, appointing Mr. Forrest Coley to serve as a member of the Atlanta Urban Design Commission in the neighborhood representative category. This appointment is for a term of three years. And item number... 26R3539, a resolution by Bond, Winston, Bakhtiari, Lewis, Dozier, Westmoreland, and Collins requesting the City of Atlanta's auditor's office in coordination with the City of Atlanta Housing Commission conduct a comprehensive performance and outcomes audit for the City of Atlanta's Housing Help Center and for other purposes. I'll make a motion to hold.

Motion to hold by Westmoreland, second by Martin. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open.

Please vote. This is, so we have a council member that would like to speak, no? Okay, not yet. Madam Clerk. The vote is closed, 10 yays, zero nays. 10 yays, zero nays, these items are adopted.

They're held.

Okay, they are held, they are not adopted, they're held.

Thank you. Next up, colleagues, that takes us to resolutions. Without objection, we can take items 17, 18, 20, 21, and 22 as a block. Item number 17, 26R3535, a resolution by Amos authorizing the mayor as designated to accept a donation of a public art mural from the city of Malaga, Spain to be installed at the Vine City Martyr Station to authorize the mayor as designated to execute any agreements necessary to effectuate the acceptance of the donation and for other purposes. 26R3537, a resolution by Lewis, Wan, Bakhtiari, Dozier, Winston, Boone, Norwood, Martin, Worthy, Westmoreland, Hillis, Collins, Amos, Bond, and Bond requesting the Mayor to update the summer camp fee schedule based on the sliding scale presented during the Community Development Human Services meeting and to further update the scale to ensure that Any child qualifying for the fee or reduced lunch deserves enrollment at no cost and for other purposes. 26R3540, resolution by Winston authorizing the mayor as designated to execute an agreement on behalf of the Mayor's Office of International Immigrant Affairs with Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to establish a welcoming Atlanta fund for the acceptance of donor gifts to facilitate grant painting and philanthropic services And to implement the Welcoming Atlanta Food and Security Initiative for a term of three years at no cost to the city and community foundation of Greater Atlanta shall receive a 3% administrative fee annually from donations received and for other purposes. 26R. 3547, a resolution by CDHS on behalf of the Department of City Planning to authorize the third renewal option for special procurement listed herein with Granicus SAAS LLC for one year commencing on May 30th, 2026, ending May 29th, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $204,320.81, all contracted work to be charged to and paid from the accounts listed herein for other purposes. And 26R3548, a resolution by CDHS authorizing the mayor or his designee to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Georgia communities for the purpose of partnering on a publicly presented oral history project on behalf of the Atlanta Department of City Planning to identify an amount not to exceed $2,500.00 for the program partnership and for other purposes. I'll make a motion to approve.

Motion to approve by Westmoreland. Second by Martin. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open. Please vote. The vote is closed.

Ten yays, zero nays. Ten yays, zero nays. These items are approved.

That takes us to J, dual referred items. There is one from FEC, 36R3538, a resolution by Lewis, Winston, Dozier, Martin, Boone, Bakhtiari, Hillis, Collins, Bond, urging the Fulton County to prioritize hospital investment and funding on the south and west sides of Atlanta, including the metropolitan area, through collaboration with the City of Atlanta and the Morehouse School of Medicine, and for other purposes. I'll make a motion to approve. Second. Motion.

Motion by Westmoreland, second by Martin. Madam Clerk, please prepare to vote. The vote is open.

Please vote. The vote is closed, 10 yays, zero nays.

10 yays, zero nays. That item is approved.

Colleagues, one item from held is prepared to move forward, and that is 260-1129, item number 27, an ordinance by Community Development Human Services Committee to amend the land use element of the 2025 CDP so as to designate property located at 1175 Johnson Road Northwest from industrial development pattern designation to MUMD mixed use medium density development pattern designation and for other purposes. I'll make a motion to approve.

Motion to approve by Westmoreland, second by Dozier. Madam Clerk, please be prepared to vote.

The vote is open.

Ten yays, zero nays. Ten yays, zero nays. That item is approved.

It concludes the business before us. I'll make a motion to exit Committee of the Whole.

Motion to exit Committee of the Whole, Westmoreland, seconded by Wan. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open. Please vote. The vote is closed, 11 yays, zero nays. 11 yays, zero nays.

We have exited Committee of the Whole.

I'll now make a motion to adopt all actions taken in Committee of the Whole engrossed.

Motion by Westmoreland, second by Wan to adopt all of the items engrossed. Madam Clerk, please- The vote is open.

Please vote.

The vote is closed. 11 yeas, 0 nays. 11 yeas, 0 nays. Those items have been adopted and gross.

I'll now make a motion to send item 260-1309 to the mayor's office post-haste.

Motion to send the item post-haste to the mayor by Westmoreland, second by Martin. Does not require a vote, but unanimous consent. Can you please sound the count, Madam Clerk? 11 yeas, zero nays. 11 yeas, zero nays. That item is sent to the mayor post-haste.

Thank you, Madam President. That concludes our report. Maybe we'll do that again next meeting.

No, we're not doing that again. And so you're our in-house auctioneer. It's clear.

I got you.

Because you did that in how many minutes?

17 minutes and 51 seconds.

17 minutes. Wow. Okay. Yes. Oh, sorry. Now we have moved on to transportation. Chair Wan.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, we are on page 40 of your agenda. First item up, actually, if I may, Madam President, I'd like to take items one and two together. You may. First item is 260-1293. It's an ordinance by Transportation Committee authorizing the City of Atlanta to waive the competitive procurement source selection provisions containing 2-1187 and 21547 of Article 10 Procurement and Real Estate Code of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances, along with any other conflicting code provisions, authorizing the mayor to execute a lease agreement with Altecon... ATLICON, RATHER, FUEL LLC FOR BULK FUEL STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION PREMISES THAT SUPPLY AVIATION FUEL TO GATES AT CONCOURSES E AND F OF THE CENTRAL PASSENGER TERMINAL COMPLEX AT HARTSFIELD JACKSON ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. AND ITEM 2 IS 260-1294, AN ORDINANCE BY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. authorizing the City of Atlanta to waive the competitive procurement source selection provisions contained in 2-1187 and 2-1547 of Article 10, Procurement and Real Estate Code of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances, along with any other conflicting code provisions, authorizing the mayor to execute a lease agreement with Alticon Fuel LLC for bulk fuel storage and distribution premises that supply aviation fuel to gates at concourses E and F. Wait a minute. It's the same caption.

It's the same.

Okay, I got it, sorry. I've got my original email. Yep, it's 260-1294, an ordinance by Transportation Committee authorizing the City of Atlanta to waive the competitive procurement source selection provisions contained in 211-87 and 215-47 of Article 10, Procurement and Real Estate Code of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances, along with any other conflicting code provisions authorizing the mayor to execute a lease agreement with ATL City Fuel Facility LLC for bulk fuel storage and distribution premises that supply aviation fuel to gates at the domestic concourses at the Central Passenger Terminal Complex and gas-diesel fueling islands at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and for other purposes. These came favorable out of committee. The motion is to adopt.

Motion to adopt by Juan came out of committee favorably, so it does not require a second. Council Member Amos, if you'd like to speak.

Yes, thank you, Madam President. I will be voting no against both of these papers. I was the one who abstained out of committee. The reason I abstained, because I was waiting for information from the legal department of the airport, because I got a note that the way that these contracts were negotiated, it would... I guess, sidestep the EBO requirements of the city. And that is very concerning to me that our legal department will participate in this action. These contracts, my understanding, has always been put out for bid, but now this consortium of airlines have gotten together. I don't know who they are, and quite frankly, don't care. But when we're talking about one of the basic fundamental things of our airport, to ensure and engage that smaller companies have the ability to participate, it is very troublesome to me. But more so troublesome is the time it took for me to get this type of information back from our legal department. And then to see that our EBO requirements would not be one of the standards of this consortium in moving forward. So I just want to explain my no vote in this action.

Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, CNN, Madam Clerk, please repair the vote. The vote is open.

Please vote. Ms. Collins, how would you like to vote?

I'm sorry, Madam President, I do have a quick question. I was just trying to kind of get a deeper understanding. Is that okay?

Now we have to wait until we see what the, we're in the middle of voting now, so give me just a moment.

Okay, I can abstain as well just because I need more information.

You can't abstain in full council ever.

Okay.

Did you vote already? No, I didn't. Okay. Guess what? Let's hear it.

I mean, the only question I have, which is one I think may be necessary just based on Council Member Amos' point, is hearing just, you know, giving space for the law department to share any additional information in terms of this wavering piece that is up for consideration.

Okay. So you would like to hear from law? Is that what you're saying?

Yeah.

Yes, from my understanding. Yeah, just kind of understanding in terms of the basis of it. If we can get some clarity from law.

Please introduce yourself.

My apologies, Madam President.

Marquetta Bryan, city attorney. I don't have a response to Councilmember Amos' statement. I don't necessarily agree with that. But Councilmember Collins, what is it specifically that you are looking for?

Yeah, I mean, in terms of, I mean, you know, just understand he raised the question of concern in terms of waiving the competitive procurement source selection provisions for this particular vendor. And so I know normally, you know, we have a couple more that is for consideration as well. I was just curious in terms of the main issue with this. Will the main request to waive this provision, is it just one that's done procedurally, or is it just a standard part of the procurement process?

That's a procurement question. These aren't law decisions. So that's not properly answered by law for you, but we have responded to council member Angus, what we received about the legislation, but you're asking about the procurement process and those are mutually distinct things.

Okay. All right. Thank you. So, um, madam clerk, if you could just prepare that vote and yeah, I don't have, we'll proceed.

The vote is open.

The vote is closed.

Eight yays, three nays. Eight yays, three nays. That item is adopted.

All right. Next item is 260-1296. There is a substitute that doesn't change the caption. It is a substitute ordinance by Atlanta City Council authorizing the City of Atlanta to waive the procurement selection. Oh, it does change the caption.

Okay.

This is the new caption, and I'll make the motion after I read it. Authorizing the City of Atlanta to waive the procurement source election provisions contained in Division 4 of Chapter 2, Article 10 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Atlanta, Georgia, as well as other conflicting code provisions to authorize the mayor or his designee to execute an amendment to agreement number listed Airport Survey Solutions Program at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. with the AVS America LLC on behalf of the Department of Aviation to extend the agreement on a month-to-month basis not to exceed six months retroactively effective April 29, 2026 in an amount not to exceed $200,000.00. All contractor work to be charged to and paid from account numbers listed herein and for other purposes the substitute shortens the length of the month-to-month and changes the dollar amount. I'll make the motion to bring it forward.

Motion by Wan. Is there a second? Second by Martin. I'm sorry, motion by one. The vote is open. Okay, this is the deliberation time, sorry, I should have asked.

So for this item is that, is this 200,000 in total or 200,000 per month for nine months?

It's in total.

Okay, great, thank you.

Anyone else? No, it's okay. Seeing none. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote for bringing forth the substitute. The vote is open. The vote is closed, eight yays, zero nays. Eight yays, eight? Who's missing on this vote? How do you vote, Council Member Bond? Yes for Kelsey Bond. Yes for Michael Julian Bond.

Hillis is away too.

Hillis, how do you vote?

Where is it?

Hillis says yes. 11 yays, zero nays. 11 yays, zero nays, the substitute is before us.

All right, so when the substitute is before, I'll make a motion to adopt on substitute.

Motion to adopt by one, is there a second? Second by Martin. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Please vote.

VOTE IS CLOSED, 12 YAYS, 0 NAYS. 12 YAYS, 0 NAYS. THIS ITEM IS ADOPTED AND SUBSTITUTED.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM IS 26R3554, RESOLUTION BY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR HIS DESIGNEE TO EXERCISE THE FIRST RENEWAL OPTION FOR AGREEMENT'S NUMBER LISTED, UNIT PRICE CONTRACT IDIQ, SMALL CONTRACT NUMBER LISTED A, ASTRA GROUP LLC CONTRACT NUMBER LISTED B, CONSTRUCTION 57 INC CONTRACT NUMBER LISTED C, PRECISION 2000 CONTRACT NUMBER LISTED D, Southeastern Site Development Inc. and Contract Number E SD&C Inc. on behalf of the Atlanta Department of Transportation each for a one-year term on a task order basis with no additional funding required and for other purposes. The motion from the committee is to adopt.

The motion is to adopt from the committee. It does not require a second because it is coming favorable from the committee. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

The vote is closed, 12 yays, zero nays. 12 yays, zero nays.

All right, and then we now have the item. This item is adopted. Sorry, Madam President. We now have the item that was pulled off of consent. It is 26R3429, a resolution by Councilmember Byron D. Amos requesting that the Department of Aviation commission a formal feasibility study with an independent third party consultant to evaluate the potential conversion of a Transportation Security Administration security operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to a private screening model under the TSA Screening Partnership Program and for other purposes. Motion from the committee is to adopt.

The motion from the committee is to adopt, does not require second. Madam, any discussion? Council Member Kelsey Bond.

Yes, thank you. I will be voting no on this. I received a number of emails from concerned voters and Atlanta residents about the continued privatization of the public sector. You know, the privatization of TSA is a part of Trump's Project 2025 for the exact reason that the Trump administration is trying to defund and illegitimize the private sector. And I think it is our responsibility as, you know, the city of Atlanta to stand back and defend the public sector and the union employees that are employed at the Atlanta airport. And so I will be voting no on this.

Thank you. Anyone else? Council Member Isha Collins.

Yeah, I did have a question about this. Thank you so much for putting this resolution for Mr. Amos, but also thinking about the current climate and just following what is happening. Just wanted to hear more in terms of rationale for this resolution being necessary for us to consider.

Council Member Amos.

Yes, thank you for the questions and considerations. You know, I worked at the airport for several years on the security team. I have seen backed-up lines and long lines. Over the several couple of years, we have seen governmental shutdowns that directly affected our TSA agents being able to work. All of that matters. But what matters to me is that 70- or 50-year-old person standing in a line that stretches throughout the atrium outside, and the only thing we can offer them is TSA is not at work. As everyone talks about Project 25, they need to talk about that this program pre-exists in the TSA mandate already. It has been a part of the TSA program for the last 10 to 15 years to where they have and organize private security in smaller airports. So this feasibility study is only asking about what it would look like if we can better serve Grandmothers standing in line all day long because our federal government can't get their act together to keep our TSA employers, TSA workers employed. Our customers are the people that frequent our airports. They are the ones we should be worrying about. And as leaders, that is what we really should be looking at. How do we make things better? This feasibility study also says if we decide to do it, it gives TSA workers first right of refusal to come over as well. But keep in mind, this is only a study. It is only a study to look at what we can do better at our airport, how we can make the experience of the only customers that we really should be care about. And those are the ones that's traveling through and in our airport to keep us the number one airport in the world. So I'm just asking for support of this to get this done so we can answer the questions that we're all playing around and don't have the answers to right now.

Councilman Collins, anything else? Yeah. So if we were to move this forward, who is... Who would fund, so the Department of Aviation has already allocated dollars to move this, to conduct this feasibility study and has already identified an independent third party to do so?

Now that I cannot speak to. The paper allows them to do so. That would definitely be an airport question.

Is there a target date for when you want this study to be conducted? And the reason I'm asking these questions is just because I know the current climate of where we're in has caused some of these things. And so I think timing is crucial. Think about it as well, just in terms of doing the feasibility study if it's necessary, particularly if there's a turn in tides of things, if government departments and systems are right-sized in a space. would it still be relevant and necessary at that time? So I was just curious in terms of your target timeline to get this started.

I understand the timeline actually is 90 days. Once we was looking at doing the paper, we realized there's no perfect time because 90 days put us during and right after FIFA, but it also put us in preparation for planning for the Super Bowl as well. But I truly believe in the airport industry, aviation industry, we got someone that can probably turn this report around in 30 days because the answer is already out there. Allowing the airport to find someone that is knowledgeable enough to pull this information together in that time frame is, I think, the biggest question. So hopefully they have a short list.

Thank you. Thank you. Madam President. Thank you. Council Member Martin.

I'd like to call the question.

Called a question. Is there a second? Second by Dozier. This can be done by unanimous consent, is that correct? No, okay. No, it cannot. So, Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. Uncalled to question.

One moment, please.

This is to vote on call to question.

The vote is open. Please vote. The vote is closed.

11 yeas, 0 nays. 11 yeas, 0 nays. Call to question is carried. So motion from the committee is to adopt. Second by one second by Martin. Madam Clerk, please prepare to vote.

The vote is open. Vote is closed, 11 yays, one nay.

11 yays, one nay. This item is adopted. Chair Wan?

That concludes my report as transportation chair.

All right, thank you. We are moving to finance. The Honorable Jason Winston. No. Oh.

Vice Chair Wan.

Vice Chair Wan.

All right, colleagues, we have two items that are a public hearing. First item is 260-1268, an ordinance by Councilmember J.C.H. Winston providing for the issuance of not to exceed $4 million and zero cents in aggregate principal amount of City of Atlanta general obligation bonds for various purposes for the city's fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. pursuant to and in accordance with an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Georgia, ratified at the general election held on November 5th, 1968, and proclaimed by the governor of the State of Georgia on December 13th, 1968, code section listed, inclusive, and continued by a second code section listed, inclusive and for other purposes. SECOND ITEM IS 260-1269, AN ORDINANCE BY COUNCILMEMBER JASON H. WINSTON PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE, IF NOT TO EXCEED $4 MILLION AND ZERO CENTS, AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF CITY OF ATLANTA GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES FOR THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2027, PURSUANT TO AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA RATIFIED AT THE GENERAL ELECTION HELD ON NOVEMBER 5, 1968, AND PROCLAIMED BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA ON DECEMBER 13, 1968, CODE SECTIONS LISTED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Madam President, I'm gonna move to open the public hearing for both items, please.

Move to open the public hearing for both items, second by Bakhtiari. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open. Please vote.

Vote is closed, 10 yays, zero nays. 10 yays, zero nays. This is a good time for me to recognize that we've been joined by council member Antonio Lewis. He says that he's a yes. Can we please add that? 11 yeas, zero nays. 11 yeas. Council Member Bond, how do you vote? Can we add him as well? 12 yeas, zero nays. 12 yeas, zero nays. We are now in public hearing.

Madam President, I understand we do not have anyone signed up to speak, so I'm going to make a motion to close the public hearing.

Yes, this is the time where we could have heard from speakers. Everyone would have received two minutes for public speaking, as we always do here at the City of Atlanta. But now that we don't have any public speakers, that does bring us to closing the... the public hearing. Motion made by Wan. Is there a second to close the public hearing? Second by Nora Wood. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote to close the public hearing. The vote is open.

Please vote.

11 yeas, zero nays. 11 yeas, zero nays. The public hearing is now closed.

All right. Madam, these came out forwarded with no recommendations. However, on both of them, I'm going to make a motion, a new motion to adopt both items.

Motion to adopt both items by Council Member Wan. Is there a second? Second. Second. Is there any discussion? Second by Norwood. Any discussion? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, can you please prepare the vote? The vote is open.

Please vote. Council Member Bond, how would you like to vote? Aye. Council Member Martin?

Aye.

Council Member Westmoreland? 13 yays, 0 nays. 13 yays, 0 nays. These items are adopted.

Thank you. We have one last item, and that is 26R3434, a resolution by Councilmember Jason H. Winston as substituted by Finance Executive Committee requesting that the City Council, in coordination with the administration, identify funding for transportation services for the Office of the Council President on an as-needed basis and for other purposes. A motion from the committee is to file.

The item does not need, it's coming out of committee favorable, so it does not need a second. Madam Clerk, please open the vote.

The vote is open.

Please vote. Dozier said he's aye.

Thank you, forgot.

Council Member Amos, how do you vote? Council Member Winston? Winston is a yes. Council Member Michael Julian Bond, how do you vote? 13 yeas, 0 nays. 13 yeas, 0 nays. This item is filed.

Madam President, I have been reminded by the Finance Department that we need to move the two bond papers, the general obligation bond papers, to the Mayor's Office post-haste. So I'm going to make that motion on items 260-1268 and 260-1269.

Motion to move 260-1268 and 260-1269. Post haste to the mayor's office. Motion by Juan, second by Winston. However, it can be done by unanimous consent. Madam Clerk, please. Sound the count for unanimous consent. 13 yeas, 0 nays. 13 yeas, 0 nays. Those items are sent to the mayor's office post-haste.

All right, Madam President, that concludes our legislative items, but I just want to remind colleagues that we resume our FY2027 budget hearings tomorrow morning, 10 a.m., bright and early, Department of Transportation, so bring your popcorn. In the afternoons at 1 o'clock, we've got Department of City Planning. Keep your popcorn. 2-2-30, Department of Human Resources, and 2-30, Department of Labor. So we'll see everybody tomorrow.

And is that the public hearing also tomorrow evening?

No, that is Wednesday evening. The budget hearing is Wednesday evening. And I think that's the interactive budget hearing as well. And Council Member Winston will be back presiding tomorrow morning.

All right. We are to Committee on Council. Chair Amos. And I received some updates for you.

Yes, thank you, Madam President. We'll start with communications with no objections. I take items one through three together. Yes. Communication 26-C-5036. A communication is from Council Member Thomas Worthy, District 7, Mary Norwood, District 8, appointing Mr. Thomas Gardia to serve as a member of the Solid Waste Appeal Board. This appointment is for a term of four years. Communication 26-C-5037, a communication from Mayor Andre Dickinson appointing Ms. Kirsten Harris to serve as a member of the Community Access Media Board. This appointment is for a term of two years. And 26-C-5038, a communication from Mayor Andre Dickinson appointing Dr. Jabari Samama to serve as a member of the Community Access Media Board. This appointment is for a term of two years. All three of these come out of committee favorable. Motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt by Amos is coming out of committee, so it does not require a second. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Please vote.

Vote is closed. 13 yeas, 0 nays. 13 yeas, 0 nays. These items are adopted.

Thank you, Madam President. To my understanding, this one here being a little different because it was approved in committee of a whole. This is communication 26-C-5041, a communication from Mayor Andre Dickens to appoint Mr. Colin Deligory to serve as a member of the Fulton County-City of Atlanta Land Bank Authority. His appointment is for a term of four years. Although it came out of committee as a whole, it takes a two-third vote to bring it in front of this body to be voted on. So I make a motion to approve.

Motion to approve by Amos. Is there a second?

Yeah, motion to bring it before the body.

Motion to bring it before the body by Amos. Is there a second? Second. Second by Collins. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. Vote is open. Requires two-thirds. Please vote. The vote is closed, 12 yays, zero nays. 12 yays, zero nays, this item is adopted.

It's before the body.

Oh, excuse me, it's before the body. However, Council Member Westmoreland is not accounted for here. I, okay, yeah. So the count is gonna be 13 yays, zero nays, this item is before the body.

Now make a motion to approve, make a motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt by Amos. Is there a second? Second. Second by Norwood. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

Vote is open. Vote is closed, 13 yays, zero nays.

Thank you.

13 yays, zero nays. This item is adopted.

Thank you. Last two resolutions, 26-R-3426, a resolution, a substitute resolution by a committee on council appointing council members Wayne Martin and Matt Westmoreland to the two positions on the budget commission to be filled by two members of the governing body nominated and confirmed by governing body at large for one year terms. for the purpose of performing the duties and responsibilities of the commission and connecting with the FY27 budget for the city of Atlanta and for other purposes. It was favor upon substitute. Recommend motion to approve on substitute.

Motion to approve on substitute. Motion to adopt on substitute by Amos. Is there a second? Second by Collins. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. Vote is open.

Vote is closed, 12 yays, zero nays.

12 yays, zero nays. Is that 12? Oh, no, it was stepped away. Okay, yes, thank you. This item is adopted. Congratulations, gentlemen.

26-R-3605, a resolution by Committee on Council to sunset certain boards, authorities, commissions, and other groups created by the action of the Atlanta City Council because such boards, authorities, commissions, and other groups have accomplished the purpose in which they were created, whose authorized term has expired and or no longer required, and for other purposes coming from the Committee. Favorable motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt by Amos is coming favorable from committee, so it does not require a second. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Please vote.

Vote is closed, 12 yays, 0 nays. 12 yays, 0 nays. This item is adopted.

Thank you, Madam President, and it's my report.

Thank you, Chair Amos. We are to zoning. Vice Chair Isha Collins.

Good afternoon, Madam President. We have two items to file. I would like to take them as a block. You may. Yes. All right. We have item number 26-0-1052, case number U-25-15. The location is 1515 Howell Mill Road, Northwest. And the purpose is for this ordinance is for a special use permit for an outdoor sales area. And second item is 20-26-0-1206, case number U-26-2, locations 1740 and 1748, Donnelly Hallowell Parkway Northwest. And the purpose of this ordinance is for a special use permit for a community center. The recommendation of the committee is to file.

The motion is to file by Council Member Collins. It's coming out of committee, so it does not require a second. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

Vote is open. Please vote.

The vote is closed, 12 yays, 0 nays. 12 yays, 0 nays. These items are filed.

Okay, Madam President, that concludes our report. Thank you, Vice Chair Collins.

We are in our, almost there, Public Safety Legal Administration. We have Vice Chair Martin. PSLA. PSLA.

Thank you so much, Madam Chair, Public Safety Committee. We have two items on today's report. The first item is 26-C-5042. Item number one, page 55 is a communication from Donald T. Penovey, CPA, Chair of Audit Committee, submitting the performance audit for fire inspections. Our recommendation is to accept and file this item.

The recommendations to accept and file by Council Member Martin, it's coming out of committee favorable, so it does not require a second. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open. The vote is closed, 12 yays, zero nays. 12 yays, zero nays, this item is filed.

All right.

Accepted and filed.

Thank you so much, Madam Chair. President, our second item and final item is 26-R-3593, which is item number 13 on page 16. It's a resolution by Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee authorizing the mayor of his designee to enter into amendment number two for agreement SP-PS-APD-2305-1230362. Communications consulting with... 5-18-26, page 17, Lexicon Strategies LLC, on behalf of the Atlanta Police Department, to increase the not exceed amount of $40,000.00 to cover the remaining renewal period of February 7, 2026, through June 30, 2026, for a cumulative not to exceed amount of $160,000.00. All Contracted work will be charged to and paid from the fund department, organization, and account number listed herein. And for other purposes, this item was pulled off the consent agenda by Councilmember Kelsey Bond. The recommended action is approved.

Motion to approve by Martin. However, it's up for discussion. Councilmember Kelsey Bond, would you like to speak?

Yeah, I'm voting no on this. I voted no on the renewal of this contract in the past. So for consistency, voting no again. You know, our city has spent tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of dollars on PR around controversial projects like Cop City. One of those contractors was Lexicon Strategies. And so I'll be voting no because I don't think that we should be spending voters' hard-earned tax dollars to manufacture consent for policing and surveillance. Thank you. Anyone else?

Any more discussion? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Please vote. Voters close, eight yeas, one nay.

Council Member Collins walked out.

Council Member Bakhtiari, how would you like to vote?

We're missing some votes. Council Member Bakhtiari? Okay, Kelsey Bowne, go ahead. All right, what is the new count? Nine yeas, one nay. Nine yeas, one nay, this item is adopted.

All right, that concludes our report, Madam President.

Thank you, Vice Chair Martin. Now we are to City Utilities. That's the Honorable Chair Dustin Hillis. You're our grand finale.

Thank you, Madam President. We have one item, 26C5042, communication from Donald P. Pinovi, CPA, Chair, Audit Committee, submitting the performance audit 25.10, drinking water and sewer capacity planning. The recommendation from the committee is to accept and file.

The motion is to accept and file. It's coming out of committee, so it does not require a second. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open.

Vote is closed, nine yeas, zero nays. Nine yeas, zero nays. This item is accepted and filed.

Aye.

Okay. Okay, so that's going to be 10. Okay, Westmoreland. Council Member Collins. Yes. Collins has stepped away.

She had to leave.

Ten yeas, zero nays. Ten yeas, zero nays. This item is accepted and filed. Thank you.

Okay, that brings us to...

our personal papers. However, I hear... No, we're not there yet. Almost, though. Councilmember Bond, is there something that you'd like to say?

Thank you, Madam President. My understanding is that the mayor... Would like to address the body. I'd like to make a motion to go into Committee of the Whole.

Motion to go into Committee of the Whole by Bond, second by Martin.

I'll go under additions.

Council Members, Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

Vote is open.

Any discussion? Sorry. Wayne, did you want to talk? You press your speaker button. Please vote. Vote is closed, nine yays, zero nays. Nine yays, zero nays. We are in Committee of the Whole awaiting I cannot.

Madam President.

Madam President.

Madam President.

You are recognized. Council Member Michael Julian Bond.

Madam President, while we await the mayor to enter the chamber, I want to take the opportunity just to say thank you to everyone who reached out to me during my illness. I really do appreciate the text messages, the calls, and the company and the good well wishes that people shared. It has been a great deal to me. I'm back today, but probably won't be completely back full time for a couple more weeks.

Well, we're glad to have you.

Just want to say thank you, I appreciate it, and want to encourage everyone, particularly those who might not take care of their, believe they might not take care of their health, to go ahead and be very diligent about it, because I had no symptoms, I had no indications of my illness, no pain, and found out my diagnosis quite by accident. But I want to thank my doctors at Emory and Kaiser Permanente. They put me on the mend and they've cured me of Coca-Cola. Because if I drink it, my mouth will burn like fire. So I can't do that right now. But I just want to say thank you to everyone. But I believe, if I'm not mistaken, because my vision has not failed me, Madam President, that we've been joined by the mayor. So I will yield. We have.

Thank you, and we are in Committee of the Whole already. Thank you, Madam, I mean, Mr. Mayor. Thank you for being here.

Good. Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to the members of City Council. Thank you for your time today. Thank you for your partnership and your tireless leadership and support of this city of Atlanta. Council Member Bond, I'm glad you are doing well and on the mend, and we're with you the whole way, brother. Continue to get well and call us for anything that you need. You know, you've been here through it all, so we want to make sure that you keep on keeping on.

Five dollars you owe me. All right. But thank you very much. Ball is behind.

So what is before you all today is about more than just policy. We're gonna be talking to you about the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative. It is about whether we are all willing to make long-term investments into communities that have waited too long for opportunity, stability, infrastructure, and economic mobility. This legislation reflects months of collaboration, feedback, refinement, and engagement with this council, also with community leaders, residents, and the NRI Commission, as well as Invest Atlanta and our administrative staff. At its core, this package is designed to help make Atlanta the best major city to thrive and raise every child, regardless of zip code. Inequity in Atlanta did not happen overnight, and it will not be solved overnight. But this package represents one of the most comprehensive neighborhood investment strategies in our city's history. From the beginning, this proposal was intended to be a living document, one that reflected our collective best thinking on how to solve some of the most difficult and persistent challenges facing our city. Over the last year, we listened, we adjusted, We expanded, refined, and strengthened this proposal based off of what we heard from this council and the public. So Councilmember Wan, you raised important questions around transparency, accountability, and strategic planning for TAD investments. Because of that feedback, this package directs Invest Atlanta to create rolling three-year investment plans alongside advisory committees to ensure investments are more transparent, measurable, and community-driven. Other members of the City Council asked an important question. How will we know whether these investments are actually working? This package answers that question directly through the NRI impact framework. And for the first time, we are not simply directing money into neighborhoods. We are fundamentally changing the standard by which those investments are being measured. Every dollar deployed through a TAD Every trust fund grant and every publicly supported project in an NRI neighborhood must now demonstrate a direct connection to one of three outcomes. One, preventing displacement. two, stabilizing neighborhoods, and three, creating wealth for residents. This is not just a reporting change. This is a values change. And it means that this council and the communities that you and I represent will have the tools to hold this administration and future administrations accountable, not just for projects completed, but for the outcomes delivered. We truly are seeking whole, healthy, safe, and thriving neighborhoods. So this legislation also includes the administration's response to the forthcoming tax allocation district audit. In fact, we formally ask the auditor to expedite release of the full audit to this council and to the public because we believe transparency strengthens this process, not weakens it. The forthcoming audit does not allege any wrongdoing. Let me just get that out of the way, because the big bad stuff that you might want to be prepared for, none of that is in there. It doesn't allege any wrongdoing, corruption, malfeasance, or anything. What it identifies is that there is a need for stronger accountability structures, clearer measurable goals, more consistent reporting, and greater transparency around how outcomes are tracked and communicated to the public. This is why the legislation that's going to be before you today does not simply respond to the audit recommendations. In many aspects, it goes beyond those recommendations. The recommendations contained in that audit are directly addressed in this package through a new performance and measurement framework, a comprehensive overhaul of the Tax Allocation District Advisory Committee advisory structures, and significantly strengthen transparency and reporting requirements. That was not put in place by previous councils and mayors that created the tax allocation districts. We are now about to strengthen that because we want more accountability and measurable outcomes for lasting impact and results. And so Council Members Westmoreland and Winston You emphasized that neighborhoods outside of existing TAD boundaries also deserve investment and opportunity. That feedback directly shaped the creation of the NRI Trust Fund, expanding our ability to invest in neighborhoods with limited economic mobility beyond traditional TAD structures. Council members Lewis and Boone they advocated to ensure communities in the south and west parts of Atlanta were not overlooked. In response to that, we updated the NRI map to be more inclusive of key corridors that need strategic investment and revitalization support. Council members also pushed for a more thoughtful and targeted approach to TAD extensions. The proposal before you reflects that feedback by focusing on six strategic TADs that provide the operational capacity necessary to advance the NRI goals, while also positioning the city for future negotiations with both public and private partners. Then there is the issue of neighborhood and resident stabilization. Residents and council members alike made it clear that preventing involuntary displacement cannot simply be discussed. It must be funded. It must be operationalized. That is why this package includes the largest neighborhood stabilization investment proposal in Atlanta's history and potential... Chief of Staff says let's clap for that. And potentially one of the most comprehensive in the entire nation. More than 20 programs, tools, and policies are included to help residents remain in their homes, preserve affordability, stabilize neighborhoods, and create pathways to opportunities. And at the beginning of this year, this council asked for time to fully evaluate these decisions. And we welcomed that process because we understand the magnitude of this moment. We actively participated in the NRI commission process that you created. We supported scenario modeling again and again. We answered questions and worked collaboratively to ensure the final recommendations reflected a shared vision for Atlanta's future. And we did that over and over and over again, publicly and in very pointed, direct conversations with council members. But there is also urgency here. This is a matter of urgency. Since this work began more than a year ago, there have been more than 30 community meetings across every corner of Atlanta to get feedback, to hear concerns, and to shape a plan that reflects the needs of residents. Could we continue refining and debating this indefinitely? Of course we could, but we shouldn't. Atlanta's families cannot afford indefinite today and delays. The truth is the first generations of TADs were never designed to fully solve the deep and persistent inequities facing Atlanta's most underserved communities. They were powerful economic development tools, but they were incomplete in their ability to produce lasting neighborhood transformations at the scale that this moment demands. Atlanta is not alone in this struggle. Every major city in America is grappling with the question of how to bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots. I hear that every time at the US Conference of Mayors, at the African American Mayors Association. Those of you that participate in the National League of Cities, you hear this over and over across the nation. Very few cities have truly answered that challenge. Fewer still have developed solutions that are both at scale and sustained over time. With this administration, what we're trying to do is to learn from both the successes and the failures of cities across the country, while also listening closely to the lived experience of Atlanta residents themselves. Because policy alone is not enough. Data alone is not enough. If we are serious about building a city where every neighborhood has the opportunity to thrive, then our approach must be informed by both evidence and by the voices of the people living this reality every day. Bold and ambitious work always carries risks. It always carries risks. We have worked to be strategic and thoughtful in mitigating challenges. But we also understand that implementation requires adjustment. It requires learning and continuous improvement. We've been very successful together over the past four years at doing a whole lot of things, public safety, building affordable housing, increasing and improving our park scores, making sure that our youth are performing at the highest level they've ever performed in the city's history. Our finances are top notch right now at AAA and our operations are awesome. But none of this, we will never tell you that we're perfect. We cannot allow the perfect to become the enemy of our progress though. Too many children in Atlanta are born into circumstances where their zip code already predicts fewer opportunities for them, poorer health outcomes, less economic mobility, and shorter life expectancy. So families need stable and affordable housing now. Residents need access to healthy food right now. Young people need safe spaces, quality after school programming, mentorship, and pathways to success right now. Neighborhoods need infrastructure that they can rely on right now. Sidewalks, lighting, transportation access, and economic investment. This legislation is our best effort to answer that urgency with action instead of just rhetoric. Ultimately, the question before us is whether we are willing to make investments necessary to address these challenges in a serious and sustained way. If we say we support neighborhood equity, economic mobility, and inclusive growth, then those values must be reflected in policy, investment, and action. Support for NRI, the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative, cannot simply exist in speeches or in statements. It has to be something tangible for our residents. This legislation gives us the opportunity to demonstrate what that commitment truly means. And through the impact framework, it will also look like something measurable. We are committed to tracking whether eviction rates go down. whether more children gain access to quality early learning, whether more families achieve home ownership, and whether small businesses survive and grow. Those are the metrics by which history will judge whether we delivered on the promises we are making today. Dr. King once reminded us that love is not emotional bosh. It is the active outpouring of one's whole being into the being of another. And public policy, love ought to look like something. And that something is investment in infrastructure, housing, safety, and opportunity, and fresh food access. That is how we back up our intentions with real commitment to communities that have too often been left behind. Atlanta's future depends on whether every neighborhood has the opportunity to thrive. And this package is not the finish line, it's truly the foundation. And the work ahead will require partnership, accountability, and continued collaboration with this council and the communities we serve. But what makes this foundation different from those that came before us is this, We have built accountability into the architecture itself. The impact framework means we are not asking you to simply trust the process, trust the promise. We are asking you to vote yes on a structure that will hold this administration accountable and hold future administrations accountable too. Today we have an opportunity to move from conversation to commitment. And I urge you all to take the next step, the big steps, towards making sure that we move Atlanta forward together. Thank you all for your time, council members.

Thank you, Mayor Dickens. And with that, I'm so afraid. Council members, do you have any questions? Okay, CNN, thank you so much.

Thank you Madam Council President and Council Members. Look forward to our healthy discussions going forward.

Absolutely, thank you for that. Thank you for everyone.

Thank you for introducing this legislation. Thank you.

Absolutely, thank you for the full parade. I appreciate you all. Council Member Bond, can you bring us out of Committee of the Whole?

So moved.

So moved by Bond, second by Bakhtiari. Please prepare the vote, Madam Deputy Clerk.

The vote is open. Please vote. Vote is closed, nine yays, one nay.

Nine yays, one nay. We have exited the Committee of the Whole. We are now at our personal papers. We do have one for immediate consideration. That is Councilmember Dozier. Ready for you.

Thank you so much, Madam President. Thank you, colleagues. I promise I'm going to try to read through this as quickly as I can because I know the hour is getting late. I have an item for immediate consideration. This is ELMS number 40420, a resolution by Councilmember Jason Dozier Jason Winston, Kelsey Bond, Byron Amos, Liliana Bakhtiari, Alex Wan, Mary Norwood, Dustin Hillis, Wayne Martin, Michael Julian Bond, Antonio Lewis, EJ Collins, and Matt Westmoreland. I apologize if I missed one of you, but your signature's on here, so it will be captured in the record. urging the mayor and governing authorities of the city of Atlanta to identify and prioritize sustained funding for community violence intervention initiatives in the fiscal year 2027 budget and future budgets to affirm the city's commitment to evidence-based community-driven public safety strategies and for other purposes. Do I need to read the whole? Okay, just making sure.

Don't take too long.

Whereas community violence continues to present an urgent public health and public safety challenge in the city of Atlanta and across the metropolitan region, disproportionately impacting historically underserved communities and contributing to cycles of trauma, instability, and economic hardship. And whereas community violence intervention, also known as CBI strategies, including violence interruption, street outreach, hospital-based intervention, restorative practices, trauma-informed care, mentoring, and wraparound support services, have demonstrated measurable success in reducing retaliatory violence increasing community stability and interrupting cycles of harm and communities most impacted by gun violence and whereas effective cvi programs rely upon trusted relationships credible messengers and sustained engagement with individuals at the highest risk of involvement in violence requiring long-term investments in staffing training operational capacity and community partnerships And whereas despite growing national recognition of the effectiveness of CBI strategies, many organizations and frontline practitioners continue to operate under unstable and short-term funding structures that undermine workforce retention, organizational capacity, continual care, and long-term program sustainability. And whereas inconsistent and crisis-driven funding models create barriers to maintaining experienced outreach workers, violence interrupters, and trauma-informed practitioners, while simultaneously weakening community trust and disrupting services during the moments they are needed most. And whereas individuals with the highest risk of involvement in violence are directly harmed when access to conflict mediation, outreach, behavioral health support, workforce development, housing assistance, and other wraparound services become inconsistent or unavailable due to funding instability. Whereas the broader community also bears the consequences of fragmented violence prevention systems through diminished public trust, increased trauma exposure, strained public resources, and missed opportunities to proactively reduce violence before harm occurs. And whereas sustained investments in CVI represent a preventative and community-centered approach to public safety that complements traditional law enforcement strategies while advancing long-term community healing and resilience. And whereas the Metro Atlanta Violence Prevention Partnership Peace Collaborative Violence Prevention Manifesto outlines a comprehensive cross-sector framework for violence prevention organized across three core pillars, strengthening community violence, intervention, and prevention ecosystems, advancing coordination partnerships, narrative change, and supporting policy and efficacy for sustainable systemic change. And whereas the MAVPP violence prevention manifesto specifically calls for the establishment of systems of support for CBI providers, expanding trauma-informed care, coordinating school-based prevention strategies, collaboration with faith leaders and academic institutions, strengthening philanthropic and civic investment, and the advancement of dedicated violence prevention funding mechanisms to ensure long-term sustainability. And whereas the manifesto Manifesto further recognizes that sustainable violence prevention requires dedicated funding, policy alignment, regional planning, and coordinated public investment in evidence-based violence prediction infrastructure rather than episodic or reactive responses to crisis. And whereas cities across the United States have increasingly recognized CVI as an essential component of comprehensive public safety systems and have established dedicated funding streams, offices of violence prevention, and long-term implementation strategies to support this work. Whereas the city of Atlanta has previously supported violence prevention efforts through partnerships with community-based organizations, non-profit providers, philanthropic institutions, and regional stakeholders, and with the establishment of the Mayor's Office of Violence Reduction. But additional long-term financial commitments are necessary to ensure continuity, scalability, and effectiveness. Whereas the continued success of violence prevention efforts depends on a city's willingness to invest proactively in community stability, trauma-informed interventions, youth development, and credible messenger programs to address violence before it occurs. And whereas failure to establish stable and recurring funding mechanisms for CVI risk, destabilizing proven intervention strategies, increasing workforce burnout and turnover, weakening community trust, and perpetuating perpetuating reactive approaches to violence that are more costly both financially and socially over time and whereas sustained investment in violence prevention infrastructure represent not only a moral imperative but also a fiscally responsible strategy that can reduce long-term costs associated associated with emergency response incarceration health care and community disinvestment all right i'm bringing it home y'all Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Atlanta that this body urges the mayor and governing authorities of the City of Atlanta to identify prior to arrest and advance dedicated funding for community violence intervention initiatives within the fiscal year 2027 operating in capital budgets and within future annual budgets thereafter. Be it further resolved that the Atlanta City Council encourages the administration to work collaboratively with community-based organizations, public health agencies, educational institutions, philanthropic partners, faith-based organizations, and regional stakeholders to establish a coordinated and sustainable violence prevention ecosystem grounded in evidence-based practices and community leadership. Be it further resolved that the Atlanta City Council supports the exploration of recurring funding mechanisms, intergovernmental partnerships, private partnerships, public-private collaborations, grant opportunities, and other long-term investment strategies to strengthen violence prevention infrastructure and expand access to trauma-informed intervention and wraparound services. Be it further resolved that the Atlanta City Council affirms its support for policies and budgetary priorities that strengthen the community violence intervention workforce, improve service coordination, enhance accountability and evaluation, and build long-term trust between violence prevention practitioners and the communities they serve. Be it finally resolved that the clerk of council is directed to transmit a copy of his resolution to the mayor of the city of Atlanta, the chief financial officer, the chief operating officer, the Atlanta City Council Budget and Fiscal Affairs Office, relevant departmental leadership, and all other parties deemed necessary and appropriate. Colleagues, over the last several months, actually, we've had members of violence intervention organizations come and speak to us about the need to provide continuous funding to support the work they're doing day in, day out in Atlanta streets. We Care, Hope Hustlers, Gangster Growers, Dream Builders, and other organizations have been working nonstop for years to ensure that young people make different decisions when it comes to how they are managing anger, managing stress, and managing their relationships with people that they know to prevent beef from escalating into where someone gets shot or hurt or otherwise. And one of the challenges with the work that they're doing, as much of this work was funded during the pandemic as part of funding ARA funding that has since subsided. And as a city that, unfortunately, is continuing to deal with issues of young and teen violence, want to make sure we continue to advocate for a continuous funding stream, especially now that we're in budget hearings and budget cycle season right now. That's why I did this legislation as immediate consideration. I recognize that the executive offices will have their budget presentation later this week. And I want to make sure they understand that city council considers this a top priority as we look at ways to adjust the budget to ensure this work continues unabated. And so with that, I would like to move to approve. Second.

Move by Dozier, second by Martin. Please prepare the vote, Madam Deputy Clerk. Vote is open.

I'm just going to hold. Amos?

Yes, yes.

Ten yays, zero nays. Ten yays, zero nays. This item is adopted.

And considering the urgency, I would like to move to move to the mayor's office post-haste.

Motion to move to the mayor's post-haste by Dozier, second by Martin. It does not require a second, actually. Well, it can be done by unanimous consent. Madam Clerk, please sound the unanimous consent.

Thank you very much.

Ten yays, zero nays. Ten yays, zero nays. This item is sent to the mayor post-heist.

Thank you, Madam President. Can I go ahead and read off? You can. All right. I have one more item, please.

It's to be referred, so it's fine. All right.

This is Elms ID number 404. Well, firstly, thank you, colleagues, for your support. The next item is Elms ID number 40438, an ordinance by Councilmember Jason Dozier to ratify Mayor Andre Dickens' executive order ordering the temporary moratorium issued pursuant to Ordinance 25-0-1527 to be partially lifted such that the chief of staff and the director of the mayor's office on special events shall be authorized to accept applications for permits issued In accordance with Chapter 142 of the City of Atlanta Code of Orders for outdoor gatherings held on private property from June 11th through July 19th, 2026, which is also known as the FIFA operational period, within the area designated in this order, ordering the temporary moratorium issued pursuant to 25-0-1527 to be partially lifted such that the chief of staff and the director of the mayor's office and special events shall be authorized, ordered, and directed to accept new applications for permits issued in accordance with Article 5 of Chapter 142 of the City of Atlanta Code of ordinances for outdoor festivals held on public or private property from Walton Street from Centennial Olympic Park Drive to Peachtree Street during the people operational period in ordering the temporary moratorium issue pursuant to 25-0-1527 to be partially lifted such that the chief of police and the commissioner of the Department of Transportation shall be authorized to order and otherwise take whatever lawful action necessary to close streets and or sidewalks during the FIFA operational period within the FIFA activation zone as may be necessary for the preservation of public safety and for other purposes.

Item 40438 to be referred to FEC.

Thank you, Madam President.

That's all I have.

Absolutely. Council Member Martin.

Yes, Madam President. I have four very quick personal papers that I'll be reading in, starting with Elms number 40428. An ordinance by Councilmember Wayne Martin to amend Chapter 154 Utilities Article for Sewer Construction and Assessments, Division 1, generally to establish criteria by which the City of Atlanta shall determine whether sewer service is available to any lot, parcel of land, premises, or facility for purposes of mandatory connection to the public sewer system and for other purposes.

Item 40428 to be referred to City Utilities.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My second item is EMS number 40440. In order by Council Member Wayne Martin to amend the 1982 Atlanta Zoning Ordinances amended by amending Chapter 25 special permits to add a special use permit requirement to allow a holder of a state medical cannabis and product dispensing license to operate within the distances prescribed via state law at OCGA locations. Section 16-12-2215A to set forth certain requirements for said special use permit and for other purposes.

Item 40440 to be referred to zoning.

Yes, I am. Elms ID number 40415, a resolution by Council Members Wayne Martin and Andrea Boone, authorizing the Chief of Police and the Chief of the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department to enter and execute mutual aid agreements with outside law enforcement agencies to provide mutual aid and assistance between the Atlanta Police Department and the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department with applicable outside law enforcement agencies and for other purposes.

Item 40415 to refer to PSLA.

And finally, ELMS ID number 40416, a resolution by Council Members Wayne Martin and Andrea Boone, L. Boone, authorizing the Mayor or his designee to execute Cooperative Agreement CP-GS-APD-2604-1260179, counter-executive. UA system command vehicle with Farber specialty vehicles on behalf of this Atlanta Police Department for a term of two years with three one-year renewal options in an amount not to exceed $537,000 and zero cents. All contracted work will be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account number listed herein and for other purposes.

Item 40416 to be referred to PSLA. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you so much.

Chair Amos.

That's my president. I have AMS ID 40417. An ordinance by Councilmember Byron D. Amos to waive the procurement source selection provision contained in Division 4 of Chapter 2, Article 10 of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances, as well as other conflicting code provisions to authorize the mayor or his designee to execute amendment and contracts listed agreement for Concourse B food and... BEVERAGE CONCESSIONS AT HARTFIELD JACKSON AT LAUNCHER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PACKAGE 2 CONTRACT LISTED LEASE AGREEMENT FOR CONCOURSE E FOOD AND BEVERAGE RFP NUMBER 2 RESTAURANT AND BAR CONCESSIONS AT HARTFIELD JACKSON AT LAUNCHER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR CONTRACT LISTED AGREEMENT FOR CONCOURSE B AND F FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONCESSIONS AT Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on behalf of the Department of Aviation for the short-term concessions opportunities in International Terminal Concourse E and F of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for a term not to exceed 12 weeks and for other purposes.

Item 40417, it will be referred to transportation.

AMS ID 4418. Ordinance by Councilmember Byron D. Amos to waive the procurement source section provision contained in Division 4 of Chapter 2, Article 10 of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinance, as well as other conflicting code provisions to authorize the mayor or his designee to execute an amendment. for contract-listed agreement for Concourse B food and beverage concessions at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport package two with concessions H&M Joint Ventures on behalf of the Department of Aviation for short-term concessions opportunities on domestic terminal Concourse D of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for a term not to exceed 36 months and for other purposes.

40418 to be referred to transportation.

Alms ID 40429, a resolution by Councilmember Byron D. Amos requesting the Atlanta Department of Transportation to reinstall a traffic signal at the intersection of Main and Turner Road Northwest and Joseph E. Lowry Boulevard Northwest and for other purposes.

I'm sorry, can you tell me which one that was? 40429 to refer to transportation.

L4430, a resolution by Councilmember Byron D. Amos requesting the mayor is designated to install an all-way stop at the intersection of Scott Street Northwest and Acreage Street Northwest and for other purposes.

Which one did you say? Because you're saying 404, but it's really 403, isn't it? Is that 403? Blushing. Okay, on my sheet it says 4-0, oh, guess what? Okay, so there is a, okay, 4-0-4-30. What about the 4-0-3-2-9? Was that 3-2-9? Yes. Okay, thanks. So 4-0-4-3-0. That should be referred to transportation. Thank you.

AMS ID 40396. A resolution by Council Member Byron D. Amos. We question that the municipal clerk or his or her designee maintain a publicly displayed time record for proclamations and ceremonial presentations during regular meetings of the Atlanta City Council and for other purposes.

40396 to be referred to Committee on Council.

Last one, 40437. And ordinance by Councilmember Byron D. Amos amending Chapter 2 of the Code of Ordinance for the City of Atlanta, Georgia, so as to modify procedures governing public comment, public comment signed up, and proclamations during regular meetings of the Atlanta City Council and for other purposes.

40437. Okay. To refer to Committee on Council.

Thank you, Madam President.

Can I get a copy of that?

Thank you.

I have three items. Okay. Elms 40425, an ordinance by Councilmember Dustin Hillis to waive section number listed of the subdivision ordinance of the City of Atlanta for the purpose of facilitating an acknowledgement of 982 Hightower Road Northwest as one lot substantially consistent with the historic configuration and prevailing plat pattern and for other purposes.

40425, to be referred to zoning.

Elms number 40426, an ordinance by Councilmember Dustin Hillis to waive section 15. Section number listed of the subdivision ordinance of the City of Atlanta for the purpose of facilitating an acknowledgement of 988 Hightower Road Northwest as one lot substantially consistent with a historic configuration and prevailing plot pattern and for other purposes.

40426 to refer to zoning.

Elms ID 40427, a resolution by Councilmember Dustin Hillis authorizing the mayor or his designee to execute special agreement number listed emergency water contingency services with Davis Water Service Incorporated on behalf of the Department of Watershed Management pursuant to section number listed of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances for a term of 39 days with no renewal options and an amount not to exceed blank auto contracted work to be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account numbers listed herein and for other purposes.

4-0-4-2-7, to be referred to City Utilities.

I complete my items, thank you.

That's it? Okay, we have Chair Wan.

Madam President, I have Elms ID, ooh, I can't read what these guys, 4-0-4-2-1. Ordinance by Councilmember Alex Wan to amend the Atlanta City Code Part 2 General Ordinances Chapter 2 Administration Article 9 Finance Division 3 Bills and Collections to authorize the Chief Financial Officer to impose a surcharge for certain electronic payments and for other purposes.

4-0-4-2-1, to be referred to Finance Exec. 4-0-4-2-1. Council Member Bakhtiari.

Thank you. Elms ID 40365, an ordinance by Council Member Liliana Bakhtiari to provide for the annexation of properties owned by and connected to the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam located unincorporated at Cap County into the corporate limits of the City of Atlanta, Georgia pursuant to the 100% method to extend the boundaries of the Atlanta Independent School System to notify the Georgia Department of Community Affairs of such annexation and for other purposes.

40365 to be referred to FEC.

ELMS ID 40368, an ordinance by Council Member Liliana Bacchiari to zone properties located at 1801, 1816, 1819, 1820, 1824, 1828, 1832, and 1836, 2nd Avenue, Decatur, Georgia, and 562, Fayetteville Road, Southeast Georgia, to the C1, 596, 600, 604, and 755, Fayetteville Road, Southeast Atlanta, Georgia, to the R4C. And 735 Fayetteville Road, Southeast Atlanta, Georgia to the OI zoning districts upon annexation and to the corporate limits of the city of Atlanta for other purposes.