Board of Mayor & Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Third Look at the wall, though. Okay. All right, this is City of Avondale Estates. Um, Board of Mayor and Commissioners regular meeting is April 22nd, 2026. It's 5:30. I'd like to call the meeting to order. We have an agenda before us. Do I have a motion to adopt? That was Lyerla. Do I have a second? Second. That was Graham. All in favor, say I. I. All right, Commissioner comments. We'll start down there with Commissioner Lyerla. I mean Commissioner Lyerla, that's fine. Lyerla and Stedman. I'm sorry. Stedman, I apologize. Good evening, everyone. It's good to see you all here and glad our Garden Club is represented here and we're doing a proclamation for you and I want to tell you I appreciate all the work that y'all do in this city to help it look more beautiful and congratulate you on the success you had with your plant sale. Thank you. Nothing in particular today. Okay. All right. Mr. Smith. Uh, nothing of note other than I do invite everybody to uh, check out the Bookbird which just opened uh, recently uh, in full effect. Um, they're going to have a, uh, grand opening celebration Friday from 6:00 to 9:00. And then, uh, so I invite everybody to check it out along with all our other great new businesses within the downtown district. Yes. Nothing for me tonight. Well, happy to see the Bookbird opening. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Always happy to see new business. So, uh, I have nothing, Mr. Mayor. Yes. Uh, let's let's piggyback on the Bookbird for a second. In addition to their grand opening on Friday from 6:00 to 9:00, uh, the city will and the DDA are also hosting a ribbon cutting, uh, for the Bookbird on Monday at 1:30. So, please come out and join us for that. This Saturday,

uh, is National Drug Take Back Day. Uh, the Avondale Estates Police Department will be here at City Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to safely dispose of your unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Uh, and also in addition to that, we, uh, also provide a bin located in the lobby at City Hall for persons to safely dispose of their medications, expired medications, or unused medications anytime. But, uh, because Saturday is National Drug Take Back Day officially, we are we are, um, also going to be here and encourage folks to come bring their prescriptions directly to us. Uh, the following Saturday, Reformation uh, Reformology Pilates will be back on the town green at 9:00 a.m. for a free Pilates class. Later that day, residents have organized a citywide yard sale. Uh, and Wig Wag is back. Uh, the Arts and Music Festival, uh, that occurs each year in the Rail Arts District will, uh, kick off on May the 2nd for a full day celebrating all things creative here in Avondale Estates. Uh and I would be remiss if I didn't mention that prior to our next meeting, uh which is the weekend following May 2nd, so Mother's Day weekend, the DDA is hosting their annual wine and art walk, uh which returns to the downtown from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Uh get your tickets to support our local businesses as they become wine tasting stations for the day. The Avondale Arts Alliance has curated art and music throughout the downtown. The pink fur bus hop-on hop-off shuttle will be back to help attendees easily get from one end to of the downtown to the other. And please, if you are interested in volunteering,

let us know uh and we will set you up to help us execute the event. That is all the news that's fit to print. All right. Very good. Thank you. All right, I'll go ahead up here. Okay. Um public comment. Now, Mr. Manager, there will be a separate public comment for the public hearing for the comp plan. Correct.

Okay, so you can comment on the comp plan if you want to, but public comment there'll be an addition there'll be a comment period for that public hearing as well, so but public comment on anything. Thank you. Uh yes, ma'am. Jean Kingsbury, 105 Glendale. Across the street looks just gorgeous. It's coming together and when that darn silly Agnes went away and you all did all that, it's just beautiful. No. Well, thank you so much. Appreciate it, thank you. Yes, ma'am. Stephanie Hirsch, 20 South Oxford. You all got my email. Um we're happy to hear that some new signage will be put on the lake um to help reduce the fishing lure and line that is untangling wildlife. And if you saw my collection, I wish you could see it in person. It's rather large. So, we're happy to see that. We did ask for a reserved area for fishing. Um and I know that you're not all on board with that, although we see the 500 signatures saying that we are. Um it's only for that reason of keeping an area free and easier to clean up around the lake instead of the entire lake. Um I can. Thank you. Any comments online? Yes. Okay. Online, who is it? Paul. Paul? I have a muted? Not Not intentionally. Can you hear me? We can now. Thank you. Uh two two two two items. I'm sorry. Can you hear me okay? We can. Uh Uh first, wanted to congratulate you on

a very successful state of the city um celebration. Uh I thought the uh speakers were just excellent. Um I also thought the master of ceremonies was pretty good. So, thanks for that. Uh the second thing is thank I I I wrote you all a letter in the last day or two. I really appreciate the responses. Uh and I know that today especially, I got a lot of clarifications on my understanding of the uh inner the one of the I guess it's on the IGA between the DDA and the city that's on the agenda for a little bit later. Uh I had a number of uh points. They're all in the letter. I think a lot of those were clarified today. I do think that uh Patrick is scheduled to speak to it the funding and also the effect on the capital projects budget. Uh so specifically uh my understanding is that the new development will require about 21 million in public infrastructure fund uh investments that the developer has agreed to underwrite or uh is going to take care of about 2/3 of that. And that the DDA and city are responsible for the other third. The city's portion is about 2.2 million. Uh and from looking at the capital projects budget that was approved last December, I think uh about 1.4 million or about 2/3 of the city's were uh contribution will come from the monies that were designated for the

Franklin Street and the Washington Street extension. Uh Guess my my main question is are there any other items on the capital budget that was approved that'll be affected once this IGA is approved? I do see a an additional Washington Street project on there. So I'm not sure if that's part of it or not. Um I did have discussion today with a couple of you regarding that. So I appreciate the fact that you all have arranged for Patrick to explain that a little more detail. Thank you very much. Thank you. All right. One second. Uh all right. Any other public comment? Okay. I'm going to bring it back up here. Closing public comment. All right. So, item number five, we have a proclamation. So, I'm just going to go ahead and read this because all of you decided to come here. Uh by the mayor of the city of Avondale Estates and proclamation Garden Week in Georgia. Whereas the Garden the Avondale Estates Garden Club AGC was founded on June 10th, 1931, when 34 women at the invitation of Miss Germaine McGovern gathered at her home at 22 Dartmouth Avenue. Shortly thereafter, the women of began to beautify public areas of the city. And whereas the inaugural project of AGC was the planting of the abelia hedge along North Avenue Road. AGC's beautification program expanded to include enhancing the shores of Lake Avondale and the bird sanctuary beyond it.

And whereas AGC activities now include offering education and service opportunities to inspire appreciation of various horticultural event arts and to promote an awareness of environmental responsibility. And whereas beautiful landscapes and gardens are one of Georgia's greatest resources. And whereas when tourists visit our botanical gardens and state and federal historic gardens, Georgia's economy benefits. Garden Week in Georgia provides an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the importance of these areas to our state. And whereas organizations like the Garden Club of Georgia Inc. serve the citizens of Georgia through programs that are meant to beautify our state, conserve our resources, and foster education in Georgia. Therefore, I Jonathan Elmore, mayor of the city of Avondale Estates, do hereby proclaim April 6th April 19th through 25th, 2026 as Garden Week in Georgia and encourage citizens of our city to recognize the work gardeners and landscapers do to keep Georgia beautiful. So, thank you so much for being here. And this is the best time of year to do this, right? Everything looks great. So, um I've already signed this. What's that? You know we have to have a photo. Oh, of course.

It's not real.

You don't take a picture, it didn't happen. I've got two more to do. No, all of them are. All of them. And uh in 1938, the city of Avondale through our garden club got a WPA grant. We had 250 holy uh dogwoods, 50 redbuds, and 25 crab apples around the lake. Wow. In 1938. Wow. And they created the wildlife sanctuary. Put it in the same time. What is this WPA? Where's the wildlife sanctuary? It's beyond the south of That's the main thing. Yeah, it's for you. Yes. All right. So, We got a plan. We have a sign. I'll go and I'll get my line. We have a banner. Oh, yeah. I can I can take the picture. I like to. I like to. I can take the picture. No, no. We have got somebody I can take the picture. Tell her but Ladies, you always argue about the picture. Are we set? I got to send it to her. Yeah. Step aside. Is that a video? Yeah. Oopsie. Ready, Zoe? We're We're right side up. Ready, Zoe? We checked. There you go. I got to hold this over. Okay. Great. Thanks. Thank you. So, who gets the picture with the Feeling that. Okay. I think you all feel hot.

Well, I don't really like it. I like the picture with the Oh, it's so hot in here. Oh, yeah. Y'all think I'm sweet. Just just the board I get Are you speaking? That's good. No, but they're in a hot tub. I don't know that I have an art field meeting next. Like a line or each one? I'll stay for a few minutes. I have to leave. That's somewhere to leave about. Good. That's awesome. She loves it. Loves it when people call and say this is Shipley. Loves it. She She really That's like one of her favorite things to do in in our car. So, perfect. Brothers still don't believe in the war. So, our combined cousins and family is the Shipley's. It works, right? See you later. I will stay for about 30 minutes. Okay. Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to do that. Thank you. Perfect. All right. All right. Moving along. Uh item number six, we have before us the meeting minutes of the April 15th, 2026 regular meeting and the April 15th, 2026 work session. Do I have a motion to engross the minutes? So moved. Oh, wait. Oh, wait a minute. Oh my gosh. I I finally understand what you're saying. Okay, my bad. Xnay that out. Try again. We have no We have no uh we're we're going to do this next meeting. Uh we're not ready to approve the minutes yet. So, uh just squash number item number six. Um all right, so my bad. All right, so this is a public hearing

for the 2026 comprehensive plan update. Mr. Manager, can you I'm actually going to hand the floor over to our planning director, Ms. Lori Leland Turner, who will provide a primer prior to the opportunity for public comment. Okay. Hello everyone. Hello. We have a PowerPoint presentation that the Atlanta Regional Commission put together for us. Um generally, they make this presentation, but Carrie Stevens, who will be working with us on this project, is out of town. So, I'm going to make it. Um our comprehensive plan was adopted in 2021, the current plan, and it needs to be updated every 5 years. So, it's time to update the comprehensive plan. And um next slide, please. And today we're going to go through why plan, the state requirements for planning, uh the approach and roles, and the next steps. Next next slide, please. Uh a comprehensive plan helps the community with visioning and goal setting for the future, and we explore how things might be different in 5, 10, or even 25 years. The comprehensive um planning activity itself invites the community to to develop a long-term vision. It stimulates ideas, determines common goals, helps suggest strategies, facilitates a public dialogue. So, the summary of the reasons of why to plan are um to define and refine a community vision, promote understanding of local issues, preserve and improve quality of life, protect private property rights, strategically support community needs, coordinate decision-making and resource

allocation, look beyond the day-to-day services in the city, and I'll guide growth and development. And in Georgia, because the state requires it, um the state requires compliance with the Department of Community Affairs or the DCA local planning rules. And um it in order to maintain our qualified local government status, QLG status, uh we have to update our plan every 5 years. And we're at 5 years. So, and the qualified local government status allows us access to certain funding and um assistance programs, and um there are many grants that you are not um you you cannot apply for without qualified local government status. So, um good plans achieve the following. They help you prepare for the future, provide for public health, safety, and welfare, build community, minimize weaknesses in the community, um enhance strengths, accommodate present needs, and anticipate change. Next slide, please. So, the required plan elements, um all plans are required to have the dark blue um bubbles there, vision and goals, needs and opportunities, community work plan, and broadband. And the underlined ones are required to be updated every 5 years. And then the light blue bubbles here are required for some plans. And um Avondale Estates is required to update the land use element. Um you're not required to do the economic development, but we probably will have economic development in there. Uh we're required Well, we will update

transportation and housing. Next slide, please. And these are optional plan elements, um but we will address many of these optional plan elements, especially um stormwater, which would probably fall under the natural resources. So, those optional plan elements are um any specific target areas, public safety, green space or recreation, education, human services, natural resources, which stormwater would fall under that. Uh intergovernmental coordination, solid waste management, infrastructure and facilities, uh community sustainability, historic and cultural resources, and disaster resi- resilience. Next slide, please. Um Elements that the regional commission are required to assist with include needs and opportunities, broadband, vision and goals, and your work report of accomplishments since your prior plan. And then the community work program, which is your your plan going forward. And then um uh the ARC roles and the approach for this plan, um ARC supports DCA or Department of Community Affairs required public hearings like this one. Um it will help us develop and manage online public engagement portal and survey. Uh the ARC will help facilitate two steering committee meetings. This is one of them, and then there will be another one in August. Um and then use input to gather um and update key elements and produce a draft plan. They will help us do that. Um implement any revisions required by the Department of Community Affairs

following the state review. Um what we will when we have a plan, we will put it forward to the Department of Community Affairs and formally to ARC and they will give us comments and we will edit if there are any any comments. Um uh then the city's role are to host ARC in a tour of the community. We've done that. Um provide key information and we are doing that. And um manage a steering committee. Um we are we have a steering committee that is shared between the comprehensive plan and the downtown master plan because we are doing these in the same time frame. Um we are sharing a steering committee. Um we are also managing public awareness for events and meetings and you'll see in the next slide some of those. Um and we're providing locations for in-person meetings and conducting additional engagements beyond ARC scope because we want a robust public input and um uh we want this to be a community vision. So um the the next steps here, this shows a tentative schedule. Today is a kickoff public hearing. Um the ARC led steering committee will be happening next week. And then our first pop-up event in a series of um pop-up community engagement events will be happening on May 9th at the Art and Wine Walk. Um we will have community engagement at many of our other um community events. Uh we will also be set up in the um the lobby here. There will be a survey. And um uh we're

our survey timeline will be from um May until early June. Um and then uh the ARC there will be another steering committee meeting. The plan document preparation will be happening primarily in the summer. The second public hearing will happen sometime in August because we have to allow time for ARC to review and the Department of Community Affairs to review and comment. And then we must have it adopted by October 31st. That's the Department of Community Affairs deadline for adoption. So it would be um all the comments would be rolled into a revised plan and it would probably come to this body. Um I believe that is October 14th and 20th. Okay. Next slide, please. So these are some resources for local planning um primarily through the Department of Community Affairs. But in closing, according to the Department of Community Affairs, planning is planning is important because assets can be accentuated and improved, liabilities can be mitigated and changed over time, and potential can be sought after and developed. And um that is really why we plan communities because we can and have in the past and made this community better through our plans. And um our goal is for very robust community input. So we invite everyone to um look for the survey. We will we will be um publishing all of that through the e-news and the first kick off pop-up event is at the Art and Wine Walk on May 9th. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thanks.

Appreciate it. Can I ask a question? Yes. So, this open house, is that You said there were going to be more than one pop-up. Yes. And the What is the The open The open house will be a open house meeting that is advertised. Is that going to be here at City Hall or We haven't decided, but probably. Okay. Thank you. Mhm. Any other questions? No, I'm just looking forward to it. Okay. Thank you. You're Thank you. When do we get to go through the old plan and say we did this, this, this, this? That is part of the ROA, report of accomplishments, and we should be very proud of ourselves. Yeah. This community has accomplished what was in the plan. And And also that will be done in the downtown master plan and we have quantified that in the downtown master plan and almost everything was addressed. The things that weren't accomplished were abandoned for you know, real reasons. Yeah. So, but the community should be very proud. Yeah. I I do want to be there for that because it's Yeah. Thank you. All right. So, Patrick, anything to add? So, just general public comment? Okay. Public comment on the comp plan. Comprehensive plan. Anyone else? Can't wait for the opportunity to put input. Yes. Yeah, I mean, that's why it's Yeah. That's how it works, so. And so, yes. All right, and we'll keep you updated on all that, so. Uh seeing no other comments. All right, bring it back up here. All right, moving on to item number

eight. Uh let's see. There's no formal title on this, so. Um this is just uh do I have a motion for consideration of adoption readoption of the city's procurement policy? So moved. That was Graham. Do I have a second? That was Louie. Uh Mr. Manager, anything to Yes, what what you are doing today is considering the reaffirmation of the city's title six

Mhm. and uh title six policy and uh procurement statement. So that uh we remain in good standing uh with the Georgia Department of Transportation in order to receive uh funds uh through grant awards assigned by them in the future. And we do have one award uh that um has been granted to us that we would like to be able to spend uh here in the near future, and in order to to access those funds, we periodically have to reaffirm uh our commitment to non-discrimination and procurement um guidelines set forth by uh the Georgia Department of Transportation. Okay. All right. Very good. Um any questions, comments about this item up here? All right, so let's put it to a vote. All in favor say I. I. That's five. Okay, thank you. All right, so item number nine, um we have before us an agreement to grant Georgia Power an easement for utility infrastructure. Um do I have a motion to approve? So moved. That was Louie. Do I have a second? Second.

That was Mike. Miss Manager? Yes, as we discussed at the previous work session, uh Georgia Power has offered the city uh compensation in the amount of $10,000 for an easement to place infrastructure related to their grid integrity project that we've been discussing over the past couple of months. Uh that project, just as a refresher, uh is um being undertaken because the circuit that provides uh our residential community and community residential communities adjacent to Avondale Estates with power uh ranks in the bottom uh quartile of reliability nationwide. And so the Public Service Commission has allocated resources and provided uh those to Georgia Power to to stabilize uh uh the circuit um that provides our residents with power. The way they're doing that is by uh burying the main service line. Um so uh for the next 7 months, Georgia Power will be um taking that main service line uh from Nottingham down down Wilshire uh out through Forest Hills uh underground. And as a part of that undergrounding, the um transformer boxes that are currently located on pole infra as those will are buried and relocated uh on ground. And one of those uh relocated transformer boxes needs to be on city property. Uh therein uh uh requires an easement from us in order to

accomplish that task. That's what this is. Uh you have the site map before you that indicates the placement of those transformers and the easement location. Uh those that placement has been uh carefully uh recommended to Georgia Power uh by staff. And now is being recommended by staff to you uh for the purposes of granting that ease. Okay. Thank you. And we talked about this quite a bit last meeting. So, uh any questions, comments up here? All right. Let's put to a vote. All in favor say I. I. That's five. Okay. Uh so, the last item uh why don't you begin by going through this again before we make a motion? Sure. Uh happy to do so. Okay. So, um Where do we begin? Uh as a part of the uh announced Avila Hedgewood um development, $350 million development at two sites uh in our downtown, uh public infrastructure is required uh to be built uh per not only per our zoning code, but also to provide for um storm water containment and um additional connectivity uh through the downtown to facilitate uh additional uh traffic that will result at as more persons literally move into the city. Um The the public infrastructure that is scheduled to be um uh constructed utilizing funds

that I will get into in a minute are the new street that is being constructed at the rear of the developers Oak Street site. Um I say new street because that street has yet to be named. Uh but that will be a brand new street uh coming from Loredo uh running east-west at the rear of their Oak site. Uh at the culmination of the construction of that new street is a planned stormwater uh pond amenity uh that acts as a as kind of a catchment for the the bulk of stormwater runoff uh that exists uh in the downtown. Um the downtown is oriented uh sloping uh from high to low as you move from south to north. And so all of the water uh that runs into the downtown collects at the rear of where this proposed Oak site development is. Uh and so uh the plan is to construct a really nice amenity for the stormwater catchment. Uh and uh that is the second part of the infrastructure that the the package of funding from the city and DDA will will help to support. And then the third uh piece of infrastructure is the Washington Street extension. One of the major components of the city's street grid plan is to create a secondary east-west thoroughfare through the downtown of the city in addition to

Highway 278 in order to accommodate that that um additional thoroughfare the street currently known as Washington Street needs to be extended from Olive Street where it currently terminates to Maple Street. Um So that those are the three pieces of infrastructure that the city and and its DDA are contemplating entering into an agreement with the developer to help fund. So how do we do that? Well, uh It's it's essentially two kind of two strategies coming together. So for the past several years the city has had in its capital program monies budgeted for the construction of the Washington Street extension. Um those monies that we discussed at at the last work session to be transferred per the terms of this IGA to the DDA are located in the capital program in the SPLOST two category. Uh one is uh a million dollars budgeted for the purposes of constructing a portion of the Washington Street extension. And the other 4.2 million I mean the other 420,000 uh, are sourced from the line item for Franklin Street, which previously was being reserved as a portion of the grant match for the transportation alternatives grant, which will go to serve, um, the execution of our shared street concept throughout the downtown and encompassing a seven-block

radius. So, the DDA had previously appropriated the use of TAD funds for two purposes. Uh, one was for the match component to that transportation alternatives grant, and the other was for the purposes of assisting with the completion of the three infrastructure projects I just discussed that are going to be a part of the Avila Edgewood development. Uh, Avila Edgewood, uh, has requested uh, assistance of of 7.2 million dollars uh, from the city and its DDA for the purpose of, um, building that infrastructure. Uh, they will also be building, um, additional public infrastructure with an estimated total cost of 21 million dollars. Uh, so as, uh, a resident mentioned in public comment, uh, at the top of this meeting, um, essentially the developer is asking for a third, uh, uh, uh, of the financial assistance to come from the public entity uh, to complete the 21 million dollars of public infrastructure that is required by our zoning code in order for them, uh, to complete this development. So, uh, the DDA is the authorized distributor of the city's TED allocation. And I and have gone ahead and appropriated an amount of TED funding at $5 million uh leaving a $2.2 million need uh for the developer.

The DDA also had previously agreed uh through their budgetary process to uh provide $780,000 of their own uh revenue to uh offset the city's uh cost to build the market pavilion at the town green. So, this IGA contemplates uh the city transferring the two the remaining $2.2 million needed to build the infra- the aforementioned infrastructure less the $780,000 the DDA DDA already retains in its own coffers that it has agreed to use uh uh are agreed to help offset the previous cost of the the market pavilion. So, this IGA specifically is written as a contract between the two government entities, the city and its DDA, for the city to transfer $1.42 million that has already been budgeted for the purposes of completing this work to the DDA to be combined with the $780,000 worth of DDA revenue and the $5 million of pledged TED funding uh into an agreement that they will execute with the developer to ensure the construction of the public infrastructure. Now, I want to say one more time as we discussed previously, but for the persons who are in the audience today, why do we want the DDA to perform this task? Well, uh cities uh cannot enter into direct contracts with

um a developer or a construction firm uh to build infrastructure in excess of the state's allowed uh public works uh uh uh uh project cap, which is $250,000. So, that means any construction project that the city would have to undertake in excess of $250,000 would have to be competitively bid. The DDA does not have to go through that process. So, how does that help the the taxpayer of Avondale Estates? Well, the developer has its own construction arm and will be building public infrastructure for us already. The public infrastructure that does not require the contribution from the city and its DDA. So, they're already building the public infrastructure for their development. They already have their team mobilized. And so, it makes sense for us us to transfer funds to the DDA so that the DDA can enter into a contract to provide the developer with the resources necessary to continue to finish out the infrastructure that our code requires them to build. And by doing so, it will save it will certainly save money because you don't have to mobilize multiple construction crews in a singular site to perform work in a singular space. Um not to mention quality control is much more easily managed when you're dealing with uh one outfit instead of two outfits. So, uh the DDA has already approved the IGA on their end. In order for it to be executed, the city would then have to approve it on its end. That would That would uh legally provide

uh us with the means to transfer the funds to the DDA, and then the DDA could move forward with entering into a contract with the developer to provide the infrastructure per specification uh uh detailed in our zoning code, and distribution of funds would be allocated based on uh criteria established and inspections approved uh uh that the DDA sets forth in that contract. Uh we're we're we have the city staff has been working with the DDA and its staff. Shocker, it's for the same staff. Uh to um orchestrate all of the components uh uh of of this arrangement. Uh I you know, I I would imagine a hundreds of hours now have been uh put into this work effort by city staff uh and our attorneys, both uh the city's attorney Stephen Quain and the DDA's attorney Kyle Williams. Uh we feel very, very confident in the document that we are asking you to approve tonight, and we feel feel very, very confident in the DDA's ability to execute the plan uh after uh your responsibility has concluded. All right. Thank you. Yeah. Oh, one more thing I want to say because this question was proposed in public comment that this this the execution of this IGA and the transfer of funding that is called to happen by the terms of this IGA will not impact any other projects currently funded in our capital program. Thank you for pointing that out. Okay, any questions comments up here for

Patrick? Uh well, not questions. I have comments.

Okay. Are do you want to Go ahead. No, no. Okay. Well, I want to be clear that I do support the Washington Street extension and the development. We had a plan in place for years to create a through street and additional through street and I support that, but I have some concerns. Our role as a board member is not to just simply support projects, but to ensure we're making decisions with a clear and complete understanding of the city's financial position. And our charter makes that expectation clear that we should be fully advised. I I just don't feel like some protections are in place for the city in this. I feel like the city is being asked to put up $2.2 million first before anything is done. I haven't seen any documentation that assures the city if this project isn't done, we'll get the money back. I I you know it I just don't feel like there's enough understanding because I haven't had time to digest the financials I've requested. Um You know, to feel that you know, we have enough information to make this decision at this time. That's all I'm saying. But um, you know, things happen in these projects. Uh, we had a situation with Trammell Crow where they didn't they missed a piece of property uh for their little street that they did and the city ended up having to to pay for that. Um, you know, the the project for the street out here almost doubled over the time when, you know, it was planned in '23, what it was in the budget for '23, and what it ended up costing. Um, I I just feel like the city needs to be protected from, you know, possibilities of things like that. Um, you know, we were told

that uh we had to get this money so that the DDA could get in an IGA with the um with them so they could get started. But, yet, the DDA uh doesn't have because they had to have the money in hand, but yet the DDA doesn't have, you know, the TAD funds in hand that they've committed. Um, they've committed future revenue from the TAD. So, I'm I'm not understanding um why, you know, it is the city has to uh send this money at this point. Um, uh Yeah, I mean, and what happens if the developer doesn't finish the project? Um, you know, I I guess we're turning over all our responsibilities for oversight over city funds to the DDA. I'm not entirely comfortable with that. Um, but I I you know, I oversight is not an obstacle to, you know, progress. You know, it's how you make progress sustainable. Um, so uh I'd just like to say that um I would like it reflected in the minutes that my vote is not a vote against the project, but that I could not support the transfer of funds at this time without documented protections for the city and the overall cost of the project and its impact on other financial obligations and the city's overall financial position. Okay. Thank you. Anybody else? A clarification something that was mentioned last week was that this is sort of a I'll use my words a pay as you go. It's not handing over a developer a lump sum of money. It is a developer requesting payment after the services has been completed and it meets it was a meets code and has been inspected by engineers and such.

My point wasn't about that. It was about us sending money to the DDA without any kind of um we you know, we're giving up our oversight over it basically of $2.2 million in taxpayer dollars and we're giving up our oversight of that money to the DDA. And the DDA is the city also. No, well, there's a separate entity. I don't It's It's supposed to work with us, but there have been times in the past where it didn't. The residents of Avondale Estates are Well, I mean, not a reply to that. It's just you know, if there's one thing I am particularly proud of is that we have built a great team. You know, that we have very carefully picked DDA members. I think that I can say this. I think we have a great board. I think we've got a great city manager, assistant city manager. I think we got some very sharp attorneys on this. Uh I do have confidence in this. Um you know, I I don't think there's any sort of standard way of doing anything when it comes to cities. Uh especially when it's kind of these public private things. I think you just figure it out as you go and you do what works best. But I just want to say that I'm proud of the team we've built and I have confidence in them. And in the city manager, and Stephen, and Kyle, and our DDA. Have we had hiccups in the past? Of course, every project does, but I do have confidence. I just want to say that. So Um Well, Mr. Mayor, can I address some of those concerns? I want to ease y'alls mind that those aren't actually concerns that aren't being addressed. Well I just I just want to say how I feel about this. Confident in the DDA. You know, I think

this agreement has checks and balances within it already. Um And you know, we do it now because we have to make a commitment to the DDA so they can enter into a contract. We can't be wishy-washy on what we're going to do and allow them to and and then that puts them at risk of going into the contract. So, I'm I'm good with this. I'm confident in the DDA. I'm confident in this actually. Can I make an a point? I My comments were not intended to discredit or um say that I don't trust anyone or that I don't think people are doing a good job. I appreciate all the work that's going into it. I think that my my comments are about the board and my and and how I feel about our responsibility of financial oversight should be you know, done. And that's that's how I feel about it and it's not meant to suggest any wrongdoing or any incompetence or any kind of negative thing towards anybody. Well So Everybody good up here? I just want to go ahead and call a vote. All in favor say I. I. I. All opposed? Okay, got that? What's that? Oh. I never made a motion? We didn't make a motion. Falling apart at the seams. What's going on here? Anyway, all right. Sorry about that. I'm fine, okay? I'm fine. Um, do I have a motion to approve an intergovernmental agreement for the Washington Street extension? So moved. That was Graham. Do I have a second? That was Louie. All in favor say I. I. That's four, all opposed? Nay.

Okay. Sorry. All right. So, that concludes uh the business items for our regular meeting. I'd like to make a motion to adjourn. Second. That's Lida, all in favor say I. I. Uh before we break, do we have good mic situation down there? Okay, we're going to stay up here for the work session cuz until that's resolved and people can't hear, it's not fair for us to to do that. So, I like it better down there, but we got to get the mic situation resolved. So, 10-minute break, it is What time do we have? 6:23. 6:23, we will come back for the work session at 6:33. Everybody good? Okay.

Mhm.

Mhm.

Mhm.

Mhm.

Mhm.

Mhm.

Ready. Okay, the city of Avondale Estates Board of Mayor Commissioners. This is our work session. Uh, it's April 22nd, 2026. I believe it's 6 6:36. I'd like to call the meeting to order. We have an agenda before us. Do I have a motion to adopt? So moved. Second. That was Louie and then Lyda. Nope. It was Mike. Mike then Lyda. Sorry. Um All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Okay. Mr. Manager. Steve. Can you update us on the storm water infrastructure in Southwoods of Lake Avondale?

Yes, I can. Uh, there is a s- says we're muted on the And Patrick, I would like you to go through this this entire booklet page by page, please. Yes. I can do. Uh, so, um I I was planning to introduce this discussion at our spring uh retreat workshop on Friday, and I will be going into uh more detail about the um next steps and where to allocate funding uh at that strategic workshop. Um however, we had a public records request for the report that's in your packet uh that we decided, you know, just to go ahead and and and provide to the requestor uh because we did that, we we wanted to introduce the item tonight uh rather than wait till Friday. So, here here's the kind of the abridged version of facts as we currently know them. Um our expectations for significant stormwater infrastructure repair uh at at the Southwoods in and around uh the location of the Lake Adair Dam is as expected. Um we there from the report you'll you'll you'll probably see that there are three essentially recommended pathways to take for repair uh in order to establish uh stormwater control and dam stabilization well into the future. And those are going to be uh stabilizing the

slope uh the east side of the South Woods which will include, unfortunately, and I know this was brought up by the Garden Club during our photo opportunity, but many of the trees that are currently planted in the South Woods and were planted as a part of the wildlife sanctuary, unfortunately, though always great to create wooded areas should not have been planted in the first place because they negatively impact the structural integrity of the dam. So, a lot of those trees will need to be removed in order to stabilize the slope. We also will need to establish a seepage control device to manage water that might get under the roadway, and the roadway I'm talking about is Wilshire. So, that will have to have some seepage control in place while we're performing this work so that we do not jeopardize the integrity of the roadway itself, the Wilshire roadway. And then, of course, the infamous now stormwater pipe on the west side of the South Woods that is exposed and deteriorating will need to be replaced in full. So, those are the three steps that are recommended by Dewberry in order to perform stormwater control in that area. If we perform this work, we should have no issue with maintaining the structural integrity of the dam well into the future. This work is not going to be inexpensive, right? We We've talked about that before.

Uh we still do not know or have a good ballpark as to what the cost of these three stages of repair will be. However, what we are going to bring to you on the 13th of May is a presentation by Dewberry explaining what I just said in far more detail uh with uh you know, good old engineering terms and science. Uh and they So, in that presentation uh will be followed by a proposed design contract for you to enter into for them to engineer each of these three solutions. Now, Friday I So, the reason I was going to bring this to your attention on Friday is because we now have published uh and and uh you can see that online and you'll receive an email as well in the agenda for Friday. And one of the items for Friday is uh uh a a discussion or kind of a deep dive into our current capital program uh because of uh of two things. One, um you know, as we've discussed in public, the city received uh a very generous gift thanks to Wawa House uh that will be applied to the capital program and uh a determination will need to be made as how to best expend those funds and for what purpose. Uh what that will do uh is cause a ripple effect of options for various source funding for the projects that we need to accomplish. And so, we'll discuss the flexibility of relocating um uh project source funding amongst all of our funds to be better

uh, effective and efficient with both our spending and execution of these projects. So, way more detail on that to come Friday and even more detail on uh, the results of this report and the subsequent steps we will recommend you take beginning May 13th. Okay. Any quick questions? Yes, ma'am. Did one of those stages include the downstream soil erosion? The downstream soil erosion? Meaning Yeah, are you talking about throughout the length of the lake?

it was down there near there was I thought it was impacting down there at the community club. So, this this project is what we're talking about right now is just the south woods of the lake's storm water issues that if we continue to allow to Yeah.

persist will eventually um, cause harm to structural integrity of the dam. Okay. So, that it I just want you to think of this stuff singularly as that project, the storm water project. There are other lake related projects that we will be discussing on Friday. Okay. Thank you. Mhm. Okay. Um, one more time, Dewberry is going to be here on the 13th of May? Yeah, it is our next regularly scheduled BOMC meeting. I'm just going to wait till the end to ask anything that I might want to ask after they've done their presentation.

Well, you'll yeah, probably because you would get really Right. uninformed answers. Well, we don't want that. But no, I appreciate, you know, putting this Yeah, if y'all if you have That is a good point that Chad has made. See, pardon my ignorance, but this would help. If after reading that report any of you have questions that you would like addressed by Dueberry that they can prepare for in advance, that would be helpful. So, just No one's going to have any questions right now, I hope. And if you do, that's fine. I mean, I just don't know how you can read something like this and go, "Oh, wait." You know, um but any kind of deadline on that? Uh you know, I think if we could probably get them a week in advance of their presentation, that would be helpful. So, by May the 6th, the the Wednesday prior. Okay. Coming off of your Cinco de Mayo benders. Um okay. Good. So, everybody got that? Yeah. Uh you know, I have to say, I mean, I'm just glad we're focusing some attention on the lake and the dam and the Southwoods and and all of that. I mean, it needs to be done. You know, there's been a lot of requests and sort of comment about the lake and various things. And so, you know, it's it's something that you know, we've known needs to be done. Um I'm just glad that we're talking about it. I I hope that we can get sort of a plan. Uh not necessarily some sort of written formal plan, but just an idea of like, okay, we're going to do this then we're going to do this then we're going to do

this and and just identifying funding sources and timeline and all that good stuff. Well, you're in luck. That is our plan. Yes, very good. Well, and I you know, I I I don't like it when people talk about this side of the road or that side of the road because to me it's just one city. Uh but you know, we have been focusing a lot of attention on the downtown because it needed it but the dam I mean the the lake and the dam and so like I said Northwoods Southwoods and we've been doing things but you know, there are more things that need to be done to preserve that sort of centerpiece of the the city uh if you will and uh happy to see it. Um just glad we're going about it methodically and you know, um happy to see all this happening. So, I have no I'm just going to wait till they do their very does their thing and if you got any questions, I have questions. No. But um anybody everybody good up here? I'm good. Okay. Um anything to add? No, so just that we will be discussing kind of funding source opportunities for this project and other lake related items. Um and all of our other capital needs on Friday. So, if any members of the public want to listen to that discussion, uh we'll be happy Okay. Is the public

of what we're meeting for is to discuss capital? Yes. Uh so, um the essentially our spring workshop functions as a uh financially related workshop. Uh so, uh most uh all but one of the items on the agenda uh will revolve around um um you know the the city's ability to finance you know long term capital needs. Good good. All right, very good. Well, any questions I have will come up Friday. Uh All good? All right. Well, thanks staff. Thanks everybody for being here. Although I think everybody's gone at this point, but um just let people online. Okay. And thank you folks for being online. Appreciate that. Uh so that concludes everything. Do I have a motion to adjourn? Second. Not yet. Huh? Not yet. What? Oh wait, there's no public. But okay, there is public online. Sorry, you're right. Hey Paul. It uh Paul Dora, 820 Stratford Road. Uh Patrick, thanks for putting that on the agenda. Uh I would would like to for you all to consider and kicking off a study for the lake silt potential dredging project. It seems like that would be rather expensive too, and we need to get our arms around that. The Northwoods has been completed. You've we've studied the Southwoods. Maybe it's time to study the lake. And I don't see that on the agenda for Friday.

Can you all hear me? We can. Uh we just this is public comment. So we're not necessarily responding to Oh, that's Okay. Um All right. Well, I've Thank you very much for allowing me to speak. Okay. Thank you. Hey Stacy. Hey y'all, can you hear me? We can. Yeah, of course uh thanks for the chance to to speak. Um so, topic that was in the last meeting and how it relates to this meeting. So, with the geotechnical recommendations and the whole notion of land disturbance, um how does that fit if Georgia Power is going to be taking the lines underground? And it looks like that's the direction they'd be going. Is that not where that would be? No impact. Uh the manager said no impact. Okay. Great. Awesome. Thank y'all. Okay. Thank you. How can it not? Okay. Okay. Is that it? All right. No one's around the corner. All right. Seeing no further public comment, I will now bring it back. Do I have a motion to adjourn? So moved. That was Graham. Second. Lila second. All in favor say aye. Aye. All right. See everybody Friday. 9:00 a.m. is the start time. Okay. Also, at