Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Good morning, everybody. I am Commissioner Chicago Johnson, your District 4 Commissioner and Presiding Officer. Welcome to the June 9, 2026 Board of Commissioners meeting. A couple of housekeeping items. If we are out of agendas, there is a QR code just outside that door. And you guys can scan it. see the agenda on your phone. So now we'll move into the agenda. First we have our inspirational speaker, Imam Dr. Sulaiman Hamad. If you'll make your way up here to the front podium, our inspirational speaker is Imam Sulaiman Hamad, resident Imam of the Land of Majdad of Al-Islam. Imam Sulaiman received an advanced Islamic training at Abu Noor University in Damascus, Syria, and has served Muslim communities throughout the United States as an Imam, educator, and community leader. He has taught Arabic, Islamic sciences, theology, and Islamic law and remains deeply committed to strengthening Islamic education and developing future generations of Muslim leaders. His work in community service, scholarship, and guidance has earned him the respect of Muslims across the country. Please help me welcome Imam Suleiman Hamad. Good morning, sir.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you. Good morning, commissioners, and to you all. I was looking for Commissioner Messiah. I like saying that name. But I'm not going to preach this morning, even though I am an imam. I'm just going to give three words of reminder so that we can do better at what you all do. And good morning to our public, all of our citizens as well. He gives a reminder in Scripture, he says, and he instructs justice and He instructs excellence and generosity towards people. What if we use those three in what we do? The justice reminding that we're all to be just and fair in administering the law and the resources in what you do. The excellence, that's the fun one. Serve in a way like God sees you. Imagine if you or rather if you could see him. If you saw God, how much more better would your work be? Know that he sees you and still be excellent in your work. And then the last one is to be generous to people. be generous in our work, in our day-to-day work, ensuring that we're being kind, that we're being generous, and giving to others just as we would like to be giving to ourselves. These are the three that I encourage you all as we begin this day, as you begin your work for this county. Atlanta and DeKalb is not made special just from buildings. It's made special from you all, from us, from the work and the production that you all produce in this great county. So again, what is it? Justice. excellence and generosity towards people. Let us utilize these and have a great day and be productive in the work that you do. May God bless you. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. We love a brief inspirational. If you'll stay until after our proclamations, we'd love to give you a pin. Thank you. And now we'll have the Pledge of Allegiance from Commissioner LaDena Bolton, and then we'll go down to the podium for two presentations.

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.

Commissioners, if you'll join me down at the podium. Just bear with us one minute and we'll get started.

Well, I have an announcement while we wait. Today is June 9th, and as of today, I have been married 19 years. So to my husband, if he's watching, happy anniversary.

Good morning, everyone. I'm excited I get to go first this morning. My name is Michelle Long-Spears and I serve as the District 2 Commissioner. Today, I have the pleasure of recognizing a group of public servants whose work has made a tremendous difference in the lives of children and families throughout DeKalb County and beyond. And if our folks from the DA's office would please start making their way forward, that would be wonderful. For more than 20 years, the UIFSA division of the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office has worked behind the scenes to help families secure child support across state and even international borders. While many people may not know the division by name, and quite honestly, I did not either, thousands of families have felt the impact of its work every single day. Over the year, this dedicated team has managed more than 4,000 child support cases, serving over 6,000 children, and helping distribute more than 9 million annually in child support payments. Those numbers are impressive, but what they really represent are children receiving the support they need, families gaining greater stability, and parents being held accountable. The success of the UIFSA division is a reflection of the professionalism, compassion and commitment of its staff. Through their hard work and collaboration, they have strengthened families, supported children and helped build a stronger community. As the division concludes its service under DeKalb County District Attorney's Office, it is important that we take a moment to recognize the lasting impact they have made and to thank them for their years of dedicated service to the residents of our beloved DeKalb County. On behalf of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners and citizens we serve, I am honored to present this proclamation recognizing and commending the staff of the division for their outstanding service, unwavering commitment, and lasting contributions to the well-being of children and families. Before I invite DA Boston, is she? Oh, she's on that side. Before I invite DA Boston to say a few words, if my chief of staff could please bring me the proclamation. Is it right here?

Oh, fantastic. Thank you. Clerk Sanders.

And on a personal note, I grew up with a single mother with three children. And we got caught up in that web of child support or lack thereof child support. So I'm very grateful that. 30 some years later, we had a division. We do have support and continue to support families out there that rely on child support to pay for food and housing, school supplies, and all the essentials. So the children can thrive and evolve into adults that can give back to their communities. So without further ado, I'd like to invite DA Boston to come and say a few words.

Thank you for being here. Thank you so much.

Good morning. I am Sherry Boston, and it's my honor and privilege to serve as your DeKalb County District Attorney. First, I want to thank CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson, Presiding Officer Commissioner Shakira Johnson, and Commissioner Michelle Long-Spears, and the entire DeKalb Board of Commissioners for inviting us here today for this proclamation. Since 2000, the UIFSA division of the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney has faithfully served the parents and children of DeKalb County and beyond through a contract with the Georgia Department of Human Services, a division of child support services by establishing, enforcing, and modifying child support orders and providing critical services across state and international lines. UIFSA stands for Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, the law that guides states on how to enforce child support orders for children and parents living in different states. The DeKalb County UIFSA Division, one of just three locally operated UIFSA offices in Georgia, manages more than 4,000 cases representing more than 6,000 children. Each year, the division collects and distributes over 9 million in support payments for children in DeKalb County across the United States and internationally. This dedicated team of attorneys, case managers, and administrative professionals in the DeKalb US Division navigate multi-jurisdictional legal systems with professionalism, precision, and a deep commitment to justice. These employees are some of the most experienced in Georgia with years of service ranging from 10 to 20 years. Their work requires expertise in child support laws across all 50 states and multiple countries. This team has served as a model of innovation and collaboration, working closely with state agencies, courts, and national partners to strengthen child support enforcement and expand access to services for custodial parents. Staff in other Georgia child support offices often rely on the DeKalb County UIFSA team for guidance on complicated cases. This incredible work would not have been possible without the leadership of DeKalb County UIFSA child support director, Camila Miller, who has been with our office for nearly 15 years. Camila is a recognized leader in the national child support professionals community. In 2025, the Western Intergovernmental Child Support Engagement Council honored Camila with a Leadership Achievement Award, which recognizes an individual in a leadership role who has made significant contributions improving organizational outcomes, culture, and staff efficiency to promote a more effective child support program. Since my office received notification that the Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Child Support Services would not renew our contract for fiscal year 2027, Camila has been laser focused on minimizing the immersed impact this change will have on the families that the DeKalb UIFSA office serves, and easing the transition for her dedicated staff members. She has put the families DeKalb UIFSA serves and her employees at the forefront of every decision. Camila and this entire staff have managed this difficult transition with grace, compassion, and determination. I am immensely proud of each and every member of this team. Their work has made a profound and lasting impact on the lives of children and families, promoting economic stability, reducing poverty, and reinforcing parental responsibility. I thank them for their unwavering commitment to the well-being of children and families, and their outstanding service to DeKalb County and the state of Georgia. Thank you again to the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners for recognizing the work of our UIFSA division and the amazing work that they have done on behalf of parents and children here in DeKalb. Thank you.

Now it's time for photos.

Whereas, for more than two decades, the UIFSA Division of the Office of DeKalb County District Attorney, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Child Support Services, has provided vital interstate and international child support services to families in DeKalb County and beyond. And whereas UIFSA division manages more than 4,000 child support cases, serving over 6,000 children across local, national, and international jurisdictions, and has demonstrated exceptional expertise and unwavering commitment to justice by delivering outstanding public service while securing and distributing more than 9 million annually in child support payments to support families and strengthen communities. And whereas through innovation, collaboration, and leadership, the UIFSA division has strengthened child support enforcement, expanded access to vital services, and made a lasting impact on children and families by fostering economic stability and parental responsibility. And whereas the Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Child Support Services has determined that the contract with the UIFSA Division of the Office of DeKalb County District Attorney will not be renewed for fiscal year 2027. And whereas as the UIFSA Division concludes its service under the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office, it is fitting to recognize the dedication and lasting legacy of its staff and leadership. whose commitment to excellence and compassionate service has significantly benefited the citizens of DeKalb County. Now, therefore, I, Michelle Long-Spears, along with the Board of Commissioners, on behalf of DeKalb County and its more than 775,000 residents, hereby recognize and commend the staff of the UIFSA Division of the Office of DeKalb County District Attorney for their outstanding service, unwavering commitment, and lasting contributions to the well-being of children and families over the past two decades. Proclaim this 9th day of June, 2026.

Thank you guys. Thank you all so much.

And I just want to tell everybody here and anyone who ever watches this recording, I have so much respect for DA Boston and really do want to commend her for her leadership and for fighting for DeKalb's family. So thank you very much, DA Boston.

Great morning everyone. Good morning. Great morning and thank you for joining us today. I have the honor to serve as your DeKalb County District 3 Commissioner and I am Nicole Messiah. It is my esteemed pleasure to recognize the Sisters United in Human Services. I recently had the honor of joining them for the rights of UNATA, the beauty of the why, leading the faith, love, service, and sisterhood. And actually, if you could join us up here in the front, please rise and come on. Because you deserve to stand up here along with, so come on, we'll give you a moment to come up to the front. And thank you so much for joining us here.

Thank you so much. Thank you.

It was truly an amazing experience to witness how they poured into young women by nurturing them and providing concrete examples of what it means to be a virtuous woman. Through the circles of sisterhood, these women learned that they have support during difficult times. When challenges arise, They will have the people around them who will listen without judgment, offer guidance, and walk alongside them to navigate life's journey. They are taught to celebrate one another's success with genuine joy, and to create spaces where vulnerabilities can be shared without fear. And just a personal story and a personal note, I had a child at 16 years old and my Umi actually attended the Atlanta Masjid. And so I'd woken up in the morning and it was upon my spirit that I reached out and find a way that I could support the efforts that they were into the community for these young ladies because I was a young woman that needed the support of Badia Shahid. And she gave me all of the support that she had at 14 years old. So it is a personal touch for me to have these women stand beside me, to stand alongside me, and to know their work personally. As they poured into Miami and they poured into the community. because there's so many of us that need it at a young age. And that without judgment part, that providing the strength that they have pouring into the community is the part that I needed and that I resonated with and am proud to support today. We have to understand that we come from different backgrounds, holding different beliefs, and having a unique personalities and life experiences, while still caring and uplifting others. And that's the important piece. To continue the empowering, I provided and $10,000 for the continual growth and development of this program that has been supporting young women in my district for over 27 years. We are honored to have President Lisa Harris and the members of the Sisters United in Human Services with us today. May the clerk please read the proclamation.

Whereas, Sisters United and Human Service Incorporated is a nonprofit organization of Muslim women established in Atlanta, Georgia in 1998, dedicated to serving humanity through faith, compassion, and community outreach. And whereas, for 28 years, SUIHS has positively impacted countless lives through its feeding programs, educational initiatives, scholarships, youth mentorships, and support services for individuals and families in need. And whereas the organization has served more than 100,000 meals to the unhoused and hungry, mentored over 250 young women through its Rights of Untha program, awarded more than $30,000 in scholarships, and provided essential resources to seniors, children and vulnerable populations. And whereas, SUIHS has also promoted health and wellness through its annual interfaith health and human service conference, strengthening communities and fostering unity across diverse backgrounds. And whereas, through its Al-Ma'an Neighborly Needs Program, SUIHS has provided warm clothing, blankets, and essential items to unhoused individuals, seniors, and children during the Kwanzaa season, demonstrating the spirit of generosity and neighborly care. Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Commissioner Nicole Messiah, and the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners and its more than 780,000 citizens, do hereby recognize and commend Sisters United and Human Services Incorporated, for its outstanding commitment to service, leadership, and community empowerment, and extends sincere appreciation for its lasting contributions to the residents of DeKalb County and beyond. Proclaim this eighth day of June, 2026.

We have President Harris to come say a couple of words.

I happen to be one of the natives of Atlanta, Georgia. We don't find very many of those. And I grew up in East Atlanta in DeKalb County. And to receive on behalf of Sisters United a proclamation for the work that Sisters United does. It's unbelievable, we are proud of the work that we do. Standing with me and on behalf of all of our members, we're just a few Muslim women. working in the spirit of sisterhood to promote, support, and serve human concerns. We want to exemplify to each other and to all of humanity the best conduct, the best attitude that's pleasing to Allah, to God. Highly praised and glorified is he. The work that we've done and the work that we do, we started in 1998. And since 1998, as Commissioner Nicole Messiah said, we've served over 100,000 meals every Sunday, weekly going out. The only time we stopped was during COVID. And then there were members who actually went out even during that time to find people who wanted and needed to eat. It's not a holiday that we do that, it's every Sunday that we do that. In addition to that program, we also started the Rights of , which is a rights of passage program for young girls 13 to 17 years old. And for 250 girls over that number, we've impacted the things that they do in the community and seen them grow and give back to the community. Our interfaith health and human service conference doesn't look at what color you are, what gender you are, what age you are. We serve youth, teens, adults, men and women, and we serve seniors, trying to provide them with mental, spiritual, and nutritional health and well-being resources and tools. Each year, as mentioned, we do an a neighborly needs program. We do it during Kwanzaa, and we provide warm and cozy essentials to those who are most in need. Children, we provided coats in this DeKalb County area just last year. We impacted more than 250 families with blankets and coats and warm essentials that were needed by them. Of course, I could not leave out any other part of the things that we do. But we work exclusively, as you see, our sign says, working for the pleasure of Allah. We work for the pleasure of God. We're not trying to please everybody, we don't do it for applause, but we cannot even begin to tell you what a grant like $10,000 would do to impact the programs and the young girls that we serve. in our faith and a part of our bylaws is one scripture, one ayat, one verse that simply says, it's not righteousness that you turn your face toward east or west, but it is righteousness to believe in God. And in the last days, in the angels, in the books, and in the messengers, to spend of your substance out of love for God, for your family, for your kin. to spend out of your substance for God, for your kin, for the orphan, for the wayfarer, for the needy, for those who ask, and for the ransom of the enslaved, to be steadfast in prayer, to give regularly in charity, To fulfill the contracts in which you have made. To be firm and patient in pain and suffering and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the truth of the God fearing. Such are those who are the God fearing. Thank you so much, Commissioner. Where are you, where are you? The very thought that she would find us a little group. We don't have but 70 members and those include our founders and our honorary members. Really, we're 50 women strong. And for her to find us and see that we're worthy of this. And for the county to know that we support you in everything that we do. We got you on there. We appreciate everything. We appreciate you and we appreciate all that you've done to help us. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

And mom, if you'd like to come back up so we can give you a pin.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Now that we have a quorum sitting down, we will continue with the meeting. Before we go into comments from the public, I did want to recognize that we have our new summer interns with us. I believe they started last week, and I know Commissioner Marita Davis-Johnson wanted to recognize her summer intern.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. Yeah, I would like to welcome my new intern, Clem Simmons. You want to stand, Clem? And she's a recent graduate of Martin Luther King High School. So let's welcome. Thank you.

And if there are any other summer interns in the room, if you would stand so we could recognize you. Welcome to the team. Any other commissioners want to? OK. We'll recognize them by name later then. All right. Madam Clerk, if you'll read in the rules for the comments from the public.

The purpose of public comment is to allow the public to voice county-related requests, concerns, or opinions during the commission meeting. Speakers will only have the opportunity for one public comment per meeting. Each speaker must please complete a speaker card and present it to the clerk before the beginning of the public comment portion of the meeting. Cards turned in to the clerk from the time the general meeting is convened, generally 9 a.m., and by the beginning of public comment portion generally following presentations on the agenda. The clerk will accept cards on a first come, first serve basis. Prior to the clerk's call for public comment, speakers who are residents of DeKalb County shall be allowed to speak before residents of other counties are allowed to speak. Once the public comment portion of the meeting begins, speaker cards will no longer be accepted. Speakers will be allowed to speak for three minutes each and public comments should not exceed 30 minutes in length. When the buzzer sounds to indicate that time has run out, the speaker will be expected to immediately see speaking and to yield the podium. Those who submitted speaker cards, but did not speak because of the time allotment will be allowed to speak first at the next regularly scheduled commission meeting. without regard to residents. Speakers should always talk directly into the microphone and begin by stating their name, full address, and the name of any organization they represent. abusive, profane, or derogatory language, holding up signs, clapping, yelling, standing, or laying in the aisles to show support for or opposition to a speaker will not be permitted. But a show of hands or quietly standing in place will be permitted to show support for or opposition to a speaker's position.

Thank you, ma'am. And our first speaker.

Our first speaker is Brenda Pace. Good morning, Ms. Pace.

Good morning.

How is everyone this morning?

My name is Brenda Pace. I am representative of all of DeKalb, specifically South DeKalb right now, because of the dilemma it's in and the mess that is being made out of it. But we're going to straighten it out a little bit today because we're going to educate the public, which hasn't been done properly. I am very disappointed in what I'm seeing and hearing and knowledge that I have through my own looking and researching and digging about this whole thing and disappointed in you Ted Terry, very disappointed. I don't think you have the right to do this, what you're doing. And I know who's behind you. I know where your money's coming from and everything. Trust me, I know what you're doing. You're trying to take that BOC over, have control in the county. And you're willing to do whatever to do it. And you got a lot of money behind you. Yeah, I already know, and I know who it is. The thing about it is, you have a little young protege that was working for you, you put your employees out here to go after the CEO, former government, nobody comes in this town and they decide automatically they're going to change our former government like that. Now, that's not getting ready to happen, and I guarantee you I'll lead the parade on that one, okay? As far as CEO Lorraine Cochran, she's got more respect than anybody that has sat in her seat in 25 years. And I don't think that it's right for you to go behind her back and bring your little proteges up here. They come in town talking about, we don't need a CEO. What do they know about DeKalb County? What do they know about our government? You need to back it down a little bit, Ted, and you need to concentrate a little bit more on the area that you really were voted for because you only have a small area in District 3. So we would prefer it if you would just step back a little bit and stop backstabbing and trying to put blacks against blacks. You need to stop it. You're not Trump. No kings, baby. No kings. Thank you.

Thank you, next speaker. Pat Culp. Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning. My name is Pat Culp, and I reside at 3577 Bouldercrest Road. I serve as the president of the Cedar Grove Neighborhood Association in Ellenwood. I am here today regarding a political mailer I received yesterday concerning Commissioner Nicole Messiah. This mailer made claims about a data center backroom deal and other allegations. After receiving it, I took the time to review the information and conduct my own fact checking. What I found is that the agreement related to the data center issue was put in place before Commissioner Messiah took office. It was not an agreement that she signed, it was an issue that she inherited and it came before her death. I want to make it clear that I am not here on the behalf of any political campaign. That I'm a part of Commissioner Asaya's campaign, I'm not. I'm here because the residents often come to me seeking information, and I believe they deserve facts. in my opinion the claim that this maryland made does not match the facts that's before us at this time when information is distributed to the public especially our community it should be accurate and complete misleading information creates confusion and dividing our neighborhoods our vote belongs to each one of us as an individual no one should tell another person how to vote however I do encourage everyone to do a fact check of information that you receive in the mail. Don't accept what somebody is sending you. Look for the truth yourself. As I review the mailer, I ask a simple question. Where is the evidence? After researching the claim, I did not find any evidence supporting any accusation against Commissioner Messiah. Seriously, allegations should not be supported. They should be fact checked. As president of Cedar Grove Association, I will continue to provide factual information when they come to me and ask me. I encourage everyone, on your own, do facts research. I believe in open records. I believe in checking other areas to get the facts because I know we're in a political season, but fact checking is very important. This is the mailer that I received. My residents called me about it, and I'm here to speak on their behalf. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker. Yes.

Madam Presiding Officer, on May 26, we had some citizens that needed to speak. The time ran out, and so I omitted those. I need to read those now.

OK. We'll go back to those. Thank you. OK. Nader Osman. Nader Osman, are you here today? I do not see them. Jocelyn O'Neil. Miss O'Neil. I do not see her. Annie Hicks. Annie Hicks. Nope.

Roger Thatchin.

Roger, are you here? No. Kenyatta Moore. Kenyatta Moore, good morning.

Good morning, my name is Kiana Jonesmore and I'm a resident of District 3 who happens to know about different forms of government. I happen to know that there are some county structures that have a county commission and they don't have a CEO. DeKalb County happens to be the only county in Georgia that has a CEO. There are other forms of government that have a weak mayor and strong council or a strong mayor and a weak council. And I happen to be having a conversation with the community member talking about different forms of government and the balance of power. And they have come without mentioning my name. But I'm not afraid to say what I've said because anything that I can say, I can say it again. And I'm saying again now that I do know. about different forms of government. I have never attacked our currently sitting CEO. I have always spoken about different forms of government and what they entail. I know forms of government that have a city manager or a city administrator. There are options and it's crazy that people would seek to uphold systems of oppression simply for the favor of the oppressor. What I wanted to talk about last week was the issue of water billing and the fact that there are people living in DeKalb County, particularly District 3, who are still dealing with erroneous water bills. People are having collections notices on debt that is actually past the statute of limitations. And it's illegal for the county to continue to go after those people. There was an entire conversation about shutoff protections, amnesty, and a water rate assistance program, and those things are not currently working or benefiting some people in DeKalb County, particularly in South DeKalb. For those who would like to say that I am Ted Terry's protege, first of all, be bold enough to call my name. My name is Kiana Jones Moore. And I stand on my own. And the fact that Commissioner Terry supports me is his prerogative. I also have the support of State Representative Mary Margaret Oliver, State Representative Gabriel Sanchez. I have the support of plenty of community members. And I am not afraid to simply tell the truth. When it comes down to it, I always tell people that I stand on a platform of honesty, transparency, and accountability. And I don't have a problem speaking to anyone about why it is that I decided to run, because if you want to know what I know about DeKalb County, I know plenty because I was born and raised here. But I also have a bevy of relevant experience for the position for which I'm running. I was responsible for a lot of municipal government operation when I had the chance to live away. But I came back home. And when I came back home, what I saw was not the South DeKalb that I grew up in. What I saw was not something to be proud of. So I decided to run for a change because I don't just talk about it. I am about it.

Thank you. Next speaker. Susan Rue. And please remember, we can snap but not clap, and we need to keep our voices down. Thank you. Say that name one more time. Susan Rue. Susan. OK, thank you. Pat Kolb. Pat Kolb?

Kolb.

we already have already yeah she's already here thank you beverly daphne good morning miss david good morning i'm beverly dabney i live at 2384 dunn drive i stand before you because the first meeting that i ever i guess it was a meet and greet that ever had a chance to meet kiana the first thing out of her mouth was we do not need a ceo I hope Decaturish is here today to learn about some of the things that's positive that is going on in the South DeKalb. Just like the proclamation that was presented here today. It's all about trying to do something in South DeKalb, get some economic development going on in South DeKalb, more than we're talking about the data centers, the data centers that people own the land, okay? What we should be talking about is other land that is in DeKalb County that we can get developed. As I drove down Candler Road this morning, I was ecstatic to see that the building was being demolished. So that means that Publix is about to develop that area. So when the commissioner, Nicole, came into office, she continued to push forward so that that would happen. We have to begin to realize there's more than just one community in DeKalb County. And in order for us to move economics forward, we have to work together to make this happen. I'm sure Decatur is just not here today to talk about the positive things that's going on in DeKalb County. I have lived here since 1974, okay? I didn't leave and come back. I've worked on numerous economic opportunities in this county. I've also met with a lot of people to help them in financial literacy, to enable them to acquire homes. Also work with small business. We don't talk about that. We have to begin to make a step forward in order for us to get the type of development that we need in South DeKalb. Ted, let's talk about some of the things in other communities. Because when you took a bus to look at some of the data centers, other communities weren't invited to be on that bus. Okay, so all of the data centers are supposed to cover all of the centers in South DeKalb. When I attended a meeting and you wanted to give all of your discretionary funding to Cedar Grove, that we were not included because I don't live in Cedar Grove. So let's start working together to make DeKalb County a better place. Our CEO is the only one that is working together with all of you all to make DeKalb County the type of county we want to have to move forward.

Jan Dunaway. Ms. Dunaway.

Good morning. Jan Dunaway. I live in District 4, unincorporated to DeKalb, and I'm a DeKalb Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor and a native Atlantan, one of those. We are in favor of a data center text amendment. We need it. but not the one that's currently written. You'll be voting on June 23rd on the text amendment, which may have some changes to it. And we have offered comprehensive, sensible changes and hope that those will be added. Any new changes to the text amendment should go through the entire zoning cycle. The citizens have made it clear we do not want hyperscale campus-sized data centers in DeKalb. We need a mile between data centers, not 1,000 feet. The North Georgia Water Planning District states on their website that closed-loop cooling systems use 100,000 gallons of water a day of drinking water, potable water. This is a fact, not my opinion. The typical water used for a three bedroom home is 300 gallons per day. My household of two uses 111 gallons per day. Closed loop systems use a lot of water. Though the blow-off that they discharge that chemically infused water from their closed-loop systems, this water must be pre-treated on-site before discharged into our broken sewer system. We cannot remove these chemicals in our wastewater treatment plants. We cannot afford to give our drinking water to data centers, and we will not get enough tax dollars from them to pay our way out of the consent decree. The current text amendment is not strong in monitoring, doesn't say who will provide oversight, and no consequences for noncompliance. We should require a significant decommissioning bond to ensure citizens don't get caught holding the bag. The federal consent decree has already cost citizens millions of dollars with no accomplishments. DeKalb has asked for another extension, which will cost us, in penalties alone, $80 to $100 million, and that doesn't include fines. The BOC already knows this, so my comments are for the public in the room and at home watching. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that you're having a town hall meeting tomorrow night when the very first data center comes before the community council to talk about another 10 by 10 increase in our stormwater utility fee that, frankly, we can't afford. We're going to end up running all the big businesses out of DeKalb. And that is the, not, anyway, that's enough. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Next speaker.

Donna Priest-Brown.

Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning, commissioners. My name is Donna Preece Brown, and I'm a resident of DeKalb County. I want to tell you a story, my story, and the South DeKalb story. In 2007, my husband and I did what families are supposed to do. We brought a brand new home right in South DeKalb. We signed the papers, got the keys, and believe we were building something to pass down to our sons. Almost immediately, our home went underwater. Not because we did anything wrong. We paid every note on time. But the market had already been poisoned by predatory lenders, by inflated appraisals, by a system designed to extract wealth from communities that looked like ours. It took 14 years. to rebound. And even now, our home is still not fully assessed where it should be in the market. That is not a market correction. That is a wound. When I sit with that, I think about Tulsa. In 1921, Black Wall Street, hospital, businesses, churches, generations of wealth was burned to the ground in 18 hours. Historians call it an economic assassination. The method was fired, but the pattern found a thriving black community, stripped its wealth, leave it to start over, and did not end in 1921. It showed up in South DeKalb with a briefcase instead of a torch. Our foreclosure rates was five times higher than white neighborhoods in the same county. Our tax base shrunk by 4.5 billion. My home was a part of that story. My 14 years were a part of that story. And now, there's a new chapter. technology corporations with NDAs and closed-door deals, targeting South DeKalb because land is cheaper here and political resistance is low here. They call it economic development, but I know how this story goes. Developers rejected by majority white communities pivot directly to black ones, they will always find the path of least resistance. And we have been that path too many times. We have been stripped of our wealth. We have been stripped of our health. If this board truly cares about South DeKalb, the path forward is clear. Restore our communities. Don't break them down. I'm still rebuilding what? 2007 took from me and my family. South DeKalb is still rebuilding. We cannot afford another 14 year setback or worse. Make the moratorium permanent until the requirements of the 2011 federal consent decree is met. Stand between this community and the next wave of harm. We have waited long enough. We have sacrificed enough and we are watching. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Joan Monroe. Ms. Monroe.

Good morning. My name is Joan Monroe, and I'm representing Concerned Citizens of Stone Mountain. We're District 4. I thank all of you and all the staff here that does so much. There is a business here in DeKalb operating under the name of The Handyman. I have witnessed this business owner declare he has a grant from DeKalb County to do repair jobs for seniors. To date, I have witnessed his signing up two seniors and witnessed two jobs he performed. On one, he unnecessarily epoxied someone's window so it no longer can be opened. On the second and worst job I have so far witnessed, the homeowner had a code violation. The code officer recommended they contact the handyman. I witnessed the handyman promise to make the repairs necessary to bring the house up to code. He stalled the job for months. One day prior to the code court date, he did the sketchiest job imaginable. I was called to see it and was shocked. He left it close to in worse condition than original and refused to do it properly. The code officer did not accept it as it was done to code. It was not done to code and commented that it was a terrible job. Right now the homeowner is on the hook for the fines the handyman should be paying. I have learned this so-called handyman is not a licensed contractor. He has only a business license, and that means nothing. The senior acted in good faith. The handyman did not. I don't think this is how DeKalb does business, and I certainly hope not. The handyman seriously built a senior citizen and likely to cab county too if the county is paying for jobs not done to code. And I'm hoping the county can help shed some light on this serious situation. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker. Steven Benny. Good morning, Mr. Benny.

Good morning, commissioners. I want to start today by complimenting you on the mostly nice and effective meetings you have been having lately. See what happens when adults work together? I want to congratulate our county employees on their recent raises to $19 an hour, although the $40,000 a year without overtime is still below the per capita income of $50,000 a year. The current situation with the 2021 land swap is unacceptable. The original land swap is illegal. Over $8,000 in bribe funds were paid to the presiding and deputy presiding officer at the time the swap was made. The total amount of money involved could be a lot more with further investigations. There is no way to get the original park land back, if there is no way to get the original park land back through the courts, then let's charge my favorite racist con man Ryan Millsap with bribery and fraud and prosecute him. Or we could just purchase the land back and use it as it was intended when the land was given to the county originally. We certainly don't want that racist Mr. Millsap selling it so that someone can put a data center on it, do we Miss Messiah? During the primary election, 40,000 people out of 120,000 people cast votes in the commission district three race. Voting in the runoff election is currently going on this week, with election day being next Tuesday, June 16th. The turnout average is around 6% during runoffs, which means that only 7,200 voters may decide who the next District 3 commissioner will be. District 3 is too important to let this happen. Please go out and vote. Miss Messiah, since you have not denied negotiating with racist Ryan Millsap or his representatives, it must have some truth to it. You have used a lot of deflection, which is what politicians do when they cannot flatly deny the accuracy of the statements. You have a tendency to push blame onto other people instead of taking responsibility for your actions. This has been an all too common trait of DeKalb County politicians in the past that I hoped would be ending. You encouraged people to speak in your defense at the last meeting, which is a very good idea, but part of the information was questionable. I do not believe the original email was from an executive session, otherwise it wouldn't have been obtained by Decaturish through an open records request. However, I must also point out that the public comments given by candidate Miss Kiana Jones Moore last Tuesday evening were not a highlight of her career and contained more anger and emotion that covered up the information she was trying to convey. Finally, there are four items on today's agenda dating from 2024, one of them from over 24 months ago, and one item dating from 21 months ago, and two items from 18 months ago. I am hoping for some closure on these items, or perhaps more accurately, some action on these items today or in the near future. Thank you.

Next speaker. Ciola Starling. Starling. Good morning.

Good morning, Commissioner. I'm here on behalf of the Sterling Calvary Village Association and some of my other presidents and members are here as well. We have concern concerning the seniors. We live here in DeKalb County. This place that we live is our home. We once had a home, most of us, and we paid our taxes. So we're expecting and we're asking that we get support from the DOT, the County Commissioner, whomever it is concerning citations and things that are going wrong in our area. Some of the other members are gonna get up and talk about some of the things. The public's safety in this. For us crossing the crossroad there at Candler Road, at the corner account in Melville. We should have had a gate there for the seniors coming in. We got through traffic coming in up at the counter library and the senior community. We don't have sufficient lines some of the traffic lights are not working properly we've had accidents of two of our residents down in this sterling county village we had one member to be deceased and we had one to get knocked out of a wheelchair I'm only going to talk about just that little bit. Some of the other members are going to speak on some of that, but I'm going to give them a time to come up. And we do have a family member, a sister and a brother of the deceased that lived there at Canada that was hit in the road. And it's because we need help there. We have students. We have a library. We have seniors. We need the support of our commissioner. We need the support given to us, and I'm gonna let someone else speak.

Thank you, ma'am. Next speaker. Cheryl Callaway. Good morning, ma'am. Good morning.

Good morning, commissioners. I'm a member of the VISTA organization. I stay at the Sterling on Candler Road. It's a senior community. Okay, my issue is I am a crossing guard. I work for the city of Decatur. Okay, across the street in the plaza, there's a school, it's called the Peace Academy. They are supposed to have, which I feel as though DeKalb County needs to have, a school assigned state, and there's a school zone there. Okay, they need to be able to change the timer on those lights. Those kids go to the library. They are taking a chance, coming across that street, going to the library. Okay, that sign that says school zone needs to be on both sides of the street. When those kids go to school in the morning and coming out, The speed needs to be lowered. It's supposed to be 25 miles an hour. On the way here, me and one of my neighbors, we was riding past a school zone. Okay, I guess I was past the mileage or whatever, and the light was flashing. I said, the kid is out of school. But it doesn't matter because that's a school zone, so it needs to be effective. Okay, if you go down College Avenue, go past where Beacon Middle School is at, when that light is flashing, it says 25 miles an hour. If you go on 30, city of Decatur police officer, whoop, whoop, whoop, there you go, blue lights on you. Y'all need to look at the fact that we live there, there are kids that be over there, and the point of the matter is, if it wasn't for us, some of y'all wouldn't be here. got to look at the fact it might be your mother your father it might be you it might be one of us trying to come across that street canada road is like a speedway they do not care and the point of the matter is we need for y'all to care about us because at the end of the day i'm 70 years old but guess what there are kids that go to that school they're seven years old You wouldn't want nobody hitting your child or your grandchild or whatever. You wouldn't want nobody to hit you. Don't come to our meetings blowing off smoke. Be some smoke and do something about it. Stop talking about it and be about it. Because at the end of the day, we put y'all in office. Y'all done put us in office. We put y'all in office. So do your job. We don't care none about no money, what you make, or whatever. Just do your job. Care about us. We are seniors. At the end of the day, our lives matter just like yours. And it doesn't matter whether or not you're black or white, all lives matter. So please look out for us and take care of us and do the best you can. Because at the end of the day, just like we go to sleep at night, you gotta go to sleep at night too.

Thank you, ma'am.

And how much time do we have left? So this is our last one.

Okay.

Good morning, ma'am.

Thank you for letting us speak very briefly today. We are from the Vista voices of senior tenant association. And we're part of that complex next to the library, senior citizen. And then there's two senior apartments. That corner has never been. Finished safety wise. We've had two deaths that we're aware of. Somebody just died Saturday. That makes three. And then, uh, one gentleman. was injured and hit and pushed out of his wheelchair. We have for years been talking to commissioners, coming to meetings, telling them that that corner is dangerous and there's a series of things that need to be done. Where I'm from, we're ready to put administrative liens on your organization until safety is taken care of. There's no excuse. Those buildings have been there since 2019. And there's been so many near misses. Just Friday, I had my grandson with me. We were going across the street using the light. He dropped his backpack, and by the time he picked it up, the cars were zooming by. It's just by the grace of God that he did not get hit. There's no excuse for this. This is not a big deal. I've already given a formal petition, but we're going to have to hit your insurance because you're not – providing safety and you're getting public money, not only from the state but from the federals, and you're not using it for the safety of the building. It's not just seniors, it's children, it's handicapped people. I think that DeKalb County did a good thing because they didn't have a lot of senior places, but they just simply did not finish to make the place safe. And we're going to do some freedom of information. And if we have to, we will put a lien on this county. Nothing can move. Because you're talking about putting in these data centers, publics, that's going to be even more traffic for that corner. Somebody, if you guys can't do it, we at the public need to hit the insurance and stop all activity. Stop the money.

Thank you, ma'am. Does that expand our time?

Yes, ma'am. Okay.

Thank you. We are out of time for public comment. We will now move into our public hearing. We have a few items under public hearing. If you'll read in the instructions, Madam Clerk.

Excuse me, public hearing. Citizens may speak for or against an item that is considered by law to be a zoning ordinance, and each side will have 10 minutes to present its case. Citizens may also speak for or against an item that is placed on the public hearing agenda, but it's not a zoning ordinance. In that case, each side will have five minutes to present its case. In the event there is more than one speaker per side, speakers must divide their time in order to complete their full presentation within the 10-minute time allotment or the five-minute time allotment. When the buzzer sounds to indicate that time has run out, The speaker will be expected to immediately see speaking and to leave the podium area. Prior to speaking, a speaker shall complete a speaker card and present it when approaching the podium. If a speaker has any documents for the commissioners, the speaker shall provide 10 copies when approaching the podium. Seven copies are for the commissioners and the remaining copies are for the planning director, the county attorney, and the clerk. In all zoning ordinance and traffic common cases, staff shall make their recommendation for action to the Commission first, followed by applicants or citizens speaking in favor of the item. Applicants in zoning ordinance cases shall have the right to reserve time for rebuttal. Opponents of a zoning ordinance item shall have no right of rebuttal. For all other items placed on the public hearing agenda, applicants or citizens speaking in favor of the item shall speak first, followed by opponents of the item. Once the citizens have finished speaking, Staff shall make a recommendation for action to the commission. At this point, citizens are no longer allowed to speak unless called to the podium by an individual commissioner to answer questions or provide information. Speakers should always talk directly into the microphone and begin by stating their name, address, and the name of any organization they represent. Abusive, profane, or derogatory language will not be permitted. Holding up signs, clapping, yelling, standing, or laying in the aisles to show support for or opposition to a speaker will not be permitted. But a show of hands or quietly standing in place will be permitted to show support for or opposition to a speaker's position.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. There are two items for public hearing. First one is under finance. Item 2026-0941, all commission districts, home rule ordinance to amend the pension code of DeKalb County, Georgia, 1962, Georgia laws 3088, as amended to add a death benefit for beneficiaries of certain planned participants who die in the line of duty as officers, employees, or deputies of DeKalb County on or after September 1, 2026, and to provide for compliance with certain updates to federal tax law. Who is speaking on this item, Mr. Williams?

Actually not seeing Mr. Jacobs, this item was brought to us by the Pension Board. It was presented in committee and the other day. And what we would like to do is move forward with this. What it does is it authorizes payment of a new death benefit, which would cover persons who lose their lives in the line of duty. And what this would do is allow for them to receive their full retirement.

So staff recommendation is?

Recommendation is approval.

Thank you. At this time, we'll open the public hearing. Is there anyone here to speak in favor of this particular item? Please come to the back podium if you are here to speak in favor of this item. OK, just one more call. Anyone here to speak in favor of this item? OK, seeing no one. Is there anyone here to speak in opposition to this item? Is there anyone here to speak in opposition of this item? Seeing no one, Mr. Williams, if you will repeat staff recommendation.

Our recommendation is to approve this item.

Thank you. Is there a motion?

I move to defer this item for two weeks, and I have a comment.

For a public hearing or decision only?

For a public hearing. Public hearing.

Thank you. We'll have to advertise a public hearing, so I might need to get it right. It might need to be 30 days. Or you can do decision only.

Well, I'll do decision only for now based on what we get ready to discuss.

And also, we are not seeing our buttons on our screen to push. And is there a second on this item? Second. Second by Commissioner Messiah. Commissioner Bolton, there's a button. If you can hit your motion button. And you're second. Thank you. And Commissioner Bolton, you have a vote.

Okay, and this is something that we have been discussing since last year in the committee, something that we all have championed and we're excited about. Our public safety officers deserve to have this, especially those who are killed in the line of duty. And of course, you know, last year, Officer Rose and Master Firefighter Fant lost their lives supporting our community members. And so with them in mind, we wanted to make sure that we continue to support their families because of the lives that are given in order to save many of us. And so at the committee meeting, there were a couple of things that occurred that need to be ironed out today. Number one, typically Commissioner Davis-Johnson does not vote on pension items, but of course she and I were the only two at the Earps Committee meeting. So at that time when the motion to approve was made, normally she would have abstained from that sort of vote, which is why we're not going with that today. But also, a concern that I had, we had an in-depth conversation about whether this could be retroactive to include Master Firefighter Fant and Officer Rose. During that time, it seemed the administration or the county attorney's office did not recall that conversation. And I said, check the video, and we did. And we found that on December 15th, 2025, This was discussed making it retroactive February 17th, 2026. It was discussed making it retroactive through January 1 of 2025 to include Officer Rose and Master Firefighter Vance. And neither time was it ever indicated that it could not be made retroactive. And I understand that there is a clause that you're communicating now. That says it cannot be, but that is not acceptable to me. We need to find a way to honor those families, even if not through this specific home rule ordinance. And I'll read from you what Mr. Ed Wall said, because he was the one that brought this to our attention and create the ordinance and put the language together. When he was notified that neither of them would be included, this is what he put in an email. The whole thing came up because of the two public safety employees who died in 2025. We wanted to include them and started talking about this at that time. The BOC and I talked about it at length over multiple meetings. It was always talked about to include those two employees. I have learned that the county attorney says that that would violate the Georgia Constitution anti-gratuity clause and so on and so forth, indicating this was a major discussion in that conversation. And so I would like to give the administration more time to figure out what we will do to honor those families as we look through some of the adjustments for the home rule ordinance. In addition to some concerns regarding beneficiaries, whether it's a child maybe as young as the age of three years old versus someone who might be 90 since this is a payout for the duration of their lifetime. In addition to having an estate be the beneficiary, there were some concerns there and a few other things that were mentioned. So there are gaps in the policy that we should go back and address, clean it up a little bit, and then bring it back for board approval. And I'm currently asking for two weeks for decision only. But if you need more time to close some of those gaps, we can push it out a little bit further. I yield back.

Thank you. Next is Commissioner Davis-Johnson requesting to speak.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you. A couple of things that I will address. And thank you, Commissioner Bolton, for bringing to my attention that I did make the motion to move on this. My husband, Hank Johnson, of course, receives a pension from DeKalb County. And usually, I will abstain from voting on anything pertaining to a pension. However, in this particular case, this would not affect him because he was not a public safety official. my vote would not affect his receiving a pension. Now, secondly, I'd like to say, and I do understand Commissioner Bolden's passion. I had a friend, the previous mayor of Latonia, Her sister was killed in an automobile accident at the corner of Thompson Mill and Snufffinger. And it broke my heart so that I knew that there was a problem with that traffic light. And of course I talked to public safety and we changed the signal. So, and since that signal has been changed, no life has been claimed since that time. And that's been about two or three years ago. And I talked with the mayor about that change. And she was saying that she really appreciated, but it's not gonna bring her sister back. And I do understand your feeling. But she saw the benefit moving forward of other people. And so I would like Commissioner, I mean, I would like our county attorney to just explain the clause that... the county has referred to. And although the board may have thought it was legal, that's the reason we have attorneys to show us how we should and can proceed under the law. But my heart goes out to those officers. And my heart goes out to my colleague because I know where her heart is. But sometimes when we correct the past, it may not benefit those in the past, but it does benefit those in the future. But then that's their legacy. That's part of their legacy to make us understand that a change needed to be brought about. And I think that's where we are. Thank you.

Did you still want to hear from Attorney Phillips, ma'am? Yeah.

Go ahead, sir. Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. First and foremost, let me say that I think Dr. Bolton and this commission has been crystal clear from the beginning of this discussion that compassion for those lost and the families that survived them is a big motivating factor in this discussion and the attempts to do what the county can appropriately do to assist them. I would like the opportunity to work, the law department in its entirety, to work with the administration to address the concerns that Dr. Bolton's articulated today and the gaps in what we're trying to achieve. With respect to the direct question on the gratuities clause, there are limits to what the county can do. in a nutshell i need to remind you all i don't like giving public opinions but as a summary of the gratuity club gratuities clause unless the county as an entity is receiving a benefit one may argue that giving something of value is then a gratuity So that's an oversimplification probably, but the gratuities clause prevents us from just giving things away in a nutshell. So we have to be really careful about that. But again, we'll work with the administration. We've heard you all loud and clear. We thank Dr. Bolton for her compassion and leadership in this.

Thank you. Commissioner Terry.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, thank you, County Attorney Phillips, for clarifying that because I do remember the conversation early on and the intent was to recognize the most recent fallen officer and fire deputy. But I guess the concern with the retroactiveness is not only gratuities clause, but I guess, is there any question about how far something can be retroactive? Attorney Phillips, do you have any thoughts on that? Because I'll just share that I've been to many fallen officer memorials over the years. And I mean, you can go back to 1940s officers that have died in the line of duty. So just explain the gratuities clause and the retroactiveness aspect of what you're

Well, before I go too much further in this again, commissioners, I look forward to communicating with you offline about the details and nuances of our analysis. To be respectful of Commissioner Terry's question, what I will say is a part of the analysis is how far back you go. whether or not in applying something retroactively, how folks will benefit from it, what the benefit will be, and whether or not that benefit to the people who receive the benefit constitutes a violation of the Gratuities Clause. That's one of several parts of our analysis. So you are right, it is a part of the calculus that has to be conducted in evaluating the effective date of the decisions you make in these kinds of things.

OK, and in this ordinance it so just to clarify attorney Phillips this this would begin on September 1st, 2026 this year.

Well, a part of what we've been discussing is the effective date that you would have. Obviously, you have to pass the amendment to add the benefit and give an effective date to it, and that would be the starting point to apply it. Who qualifies, when they qualify, how they qualify will all be a part of what we're crafting for and then how we interpret it and use it going forward.

OK. So if the board wanted to make the effective date when we approve this ordinance, are we able to do that?

We'll take a look at that, Commissioner. The typical way we would do something like that is to say it's effective upon execution.

Okay.

Right?

I would encourage us to do that. And just not to get caught up in any retroactivity issues of, God forbid, something that could happen. We had an officer that was stabbed on North Decatur Road this weekend. So literally every single day that goes by, could be another incident and it could lead to a situation where we want this benefit to be in effect. I don't want to open up old wounds. Part of the concern of deferring this to even two more weeks is we're continuing talking about something that I believe the county attorney has said is unconstitutional. But the longer we debate this, the longer time goes by where something could happen, and this won't be into effect, and we'll get caught in that same catch-22. So if we could just pass this today, make it the effective date today, and then let's work out additional things. We could always come back and do amendments or other – I mean, the law department's very creative, and if we could – Just take care of this today and then work with the administration on other strategies that might address some of the issues we're talking about. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Perry. Yes, go ahead.

And thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. And if I may, I apologize for the original statement of approval. In looking at the agenda item, we're looking to schedule a second vote on this home rule ordinance. So we may be able to accomplish... but at the same time the board gets another opportunity to vote. So if the maker of the original deferral motion would allow this to move forward for a second vote, during that time we would do the research that Mr. Phillips mentioned.

so are you saying it needs two reads or that yes that's my read of the recommendation so today would constitute the first read yes yes and then so we still need to do a second read so either way it needs to come back for yes that's what we're saying all right commissioner bolton you have the floor

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. I do want to reiterate, though my biggest concern were the two that lost their lives. Those were not the only issues with this document. So I don't want to lose sight of that, particularly when it comes to beneficiaries and payout estates. If there are multiple beneficiaries, how is that delineated in the document? While that is my biggest concern about those who lost their lives, don't lose sight that this document has other gaps and holes in it. And thank you so much, County Attorney, for acknowledging my concern. But I would say it's not a gratuity because there was an exchange. One life was lost and nearly 800,000 were saved. That's what the county received in this exchange for a gratuity for the two families, essentially. or at least what we're calling a gratuity. And with that, I would like to better understand how it's possible that we're able to do COLAs retroactively, but we can't do this retroactively.

Commissioners, we've gone way past what I'm comfortable doing in the way of discussing our analysis. We will gladly answer your questions, Dr. Bolton. I respectfully request that we answer the rest of this commission's questions offline and not publicly.

Understood, so my request for a two-week deferral stands.

My second stands.

So clarification on that, if this is a first read, is that the proper action to be taken if this is a first read?

Normally, you would pass it and then pass it at the next read. But we may have to make changes based on some of the discussion that has taken place. And I think that's a part of what Dr. Bolton was pointing out. There are a number of moving parts. Quite frankly, a number of considerations, all of which I won't list today.

Understood. Thank you. Commissioner Terry, you've requested to speak for your second opportunity.

Yes. Just in light of the fact that there are two reads required and my original concern stands that the longer we delay this, puts us in a position where we are going to be told again that the Constitution of the state of Georgia will not allow this. So I'm not a lawyer, and I don't pretend to try to argue with lawyers about all legal things, some legal things, Attorney Phillips. But in this case, let's just get this done. I mean, there's gratuity, and then there's hyperbole. And we just need to pass this and move on and set it for all future employees. Any delay further puts at risk the very thing that we are saying that we are concerned about. So with that in mind, and understanding there's a second vote, and apparently there are potential things that could come back, and that gives us time to do that, I have a substitute motion to approve this ordinance as the first read. That's my motion.

Is there a second to that? Hearing no second, that fails for a lack of second. Do you concede the rest of your time, Commissioner Terry?

I'll just say I'm disappointed that I can't even get a second on this. And no one is even addressing the point that I just made. That if an officer or a firefighter dies in the line of duty in the next, I guess, two weeks or four weeks... we will not be able to impart this benefit. So just think about that. I mean, this is now becoming political grandstanding. Making a big deal about something that we said we could do, but then we did research and we can't do, and that's the law, and then arguing about it and purposely delaying it to make a point? I mean, come on. This is ridiculous. This is the law. This is the Constitution, and this is the right thing to do, but deferring it even further just because you want to make a political point or because you didn't get exactly what you thought you were going to get. I mean, welcome to being an unelected office, to being a professional. You don't always get what you want. But this is what's legal and accurate and right. So God forbid something happens, and we have to have all these conversations all over again while we can't. pay out the benefit that we're trying to do. An officer near my neighborhood on North Decatur Road responding to emergency was stabbed. Officers put their and firefighters put their lives on the line every single day. Let's not risk that.

Respectfully retroactive to January 1st, 2025 would include all of the folks that you are not allow you to speak over him.

I did not allow him to speak over you. Commissioner Patrick.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. When we have that offline conversation, if you guys could be prepared to talk about retroactive date versus effective date, because that is one of the questions I have. In theory, if we passed it today, would it have the effective date of today? So...

it i understand offline i just want to solve what i think is a critical consideration go ahead attorney it's home rule we filed it with the secretary of state that'll be the effective thing but obviously we have to complete our work make sure it says what this body wants it to say get it through the county's process and file we will be prepared to discuss that with you relative to retroactive and the like as well commissioner thank you

Thank you, Madam.

Thank you. Seeing no other requests to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. We have one more item for public hearing. Under planning and sustainability, item 2026-0857, all commission districts, application of the director of planning and sustainability for the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners to hold a public hearing to consider and review whether to extend a moratorium on data centers in DeKalb County. Good morning, Deputy Director Rice.

Good morning, commissioners and members of the public. As you know, most recently I've been coming before you to talk about data centers. But the Planning and Sustainability Department oversees the zoning code, which we're working to update. So if you or members of the public have any feedback on our current zoning code, we're actually in the one stop shop today taking feedback. So just wanted to let you know that. Regarding this item, the staff recommendation, so although this item currently recommends a data center moratorium be extended to August 12th, after our recent discussion at the Committee of the Whole meeting, staff is actually recommending a 100-day moratorium from today's date. So that would be a moratorium that would extend to September 17th, 2026.

Thank you, ma'am. Thank you. So we will open the public hearing. Is anyone here to speak in favor of this item? Please come to that back podium. Good morning.

Good morning again. Jan Dunaway. And I'm sort of on the fence here. I'm glad to hear 100 days, although we really need a year. Or until the consent order is resolved because the water part of this is so important. It's too important to rush through it. You're going to vote on it on June 23rd. So we need to be very clear and we need to move the moratorium along. We currently only have one data center application for a two million square foot center on Loveless Place in Ellenwood, which should have been denied in January since the application is only for a million square foot data center. You all know that we have two others waiting on the sidelines, just waiting for the moratorium to expire. I was present at the Metro CID 10-year celebration when Shadowbox spokesman Jeff Weber announced their plans to build the data center on the 155-acre parcel rather than the movie studio expansion. The county sent Shadowbox a letter of intent February 25, stating per the code they could, but this is not an approval. Mr. Weber told me personally that silly moratorium is getting in our way. The moratorium nor the text amendment is not silly. It's put together to put guidelines in place to protect the citizens of Dekalb, and it is not silly. We know that Ryan Millsap plans to build a data center on the 40 acres that was swapped for a parkland. He too, as Hickory Real Estate, received a letter of intent from the county February 24th saying the same thing. We learn something new every day about this fast-moving technology. We need to proceed with caution, not with recklessness. One year would be better, not eight weeks, and now whatever, how many weeks that is. But we need the moratorium, but we need to do this for a year. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Next speaker. Good morning.

morning i'm brandon brown from connelly georgia speaking uh with regards to the uh with to the moratorium i believe that if it is possible to extend it any further than 100 days that would be ideal i do believe like a public hearing and more comments and more information about the text amendment the upcoming changes is critically needed. I think some of the suggestions that the previous speakers spoke with during the previous public comment portion are essential to that text amendment with regard to doing something with the property after its useful life. having more teeth as far as enforcement when they do break the code because code enforcement in this county is notoriously terrible. I have no faith that the county government would ever have any teeth in punishing the data centers if they do violate the code. So I think more comment from the public is needed, more information is needed, more communication is needed. We receive so many text messages and mailers during the election season, but we never hear from you otherwise. So I think I think more communication from the commissioners, especially within District 3, is critically needed to understand what we need to do going forward and to hear out what the public feels about the data centers versus keep kicking the can down the road to make us come here every couple of months to yell at you and let you know that we really don't want this. It's pretty clear how we feel. You guys need to get it together and just make whatever, either moratorium permanent or extend it far beyond so we can get more information. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker.

Good morning. Hi there, Joan Monroe. I just want to say the longer the moratorium, the better. Forever would be great. I think the more we learn, the worse the situation gets. So thank you.

Thank you, next speaker, good morning.

Good morning, Board of Commissioner, Presiding Officer, Deputy Presiding Officer. My name is Valerie Conqui, and this is my second time coming here hoping to speak, and did not get to do so. Data Center, we do not know enough about it to approve or authorize. We need more information to bring something such as that in our neighborhood, close to our neighborhood, or even in Dekalb County. The other thing I want to address real quickly is that, I'm going to say something from my heart. Madam CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson is one of the most professional, strongest, and best leadership the Cal County have ever seen. Let me tell you this, we dealt with crumbling sewer system for a long time. Pipes were bursting all over the place. Everyone kicked the can down the road, and she was strong enough, woman enough, to face it head on and make it one of the first order of day in office.

Ma'am, I do need to keep the comments to the issue at hand, which is the moratorium. I appreciate your passion.

The other issue to the moratorium is that Commissioner Nicole Messiah is against data center. They are spreading lies on her. She's not for it. Okay, thank you. Speak the truth.

Thank you, ma'am. Next speaker. Thank you.

Kiana Jones-Moore, resident of District 3. I do agree with the moratorium being extended as far as possible, preferably until we have met the terms of the federal consent decree. And I do just want to raise another concern about financing. It's been proven that Ryan Millsap has funded the campaigns of some sitting commissioners, former commissioners. But we do have one commissioner who's in the runoff who has not filed a campaign disclosure. And it's still under an ethics violation for lack of filing from a previous election. So I do think that we need to make sure that we pay attention to that so that things can be as transparent as possible.

I will have to do the same that I did to the one before you. We need to keep it to the moratorium. Thank you. Hello, Mr. Benny.

I will keep it to the subject.

Thank you, sir.

Steven Benny, 1083 Seville Drive, Clarkston, Georgia. I would like to suggest a longer moratorium. It's been six months and we have gotten no new revisions on what zoning is going to do. But also this last legislative term, The state was supposed to be working on something but passed nothing at all. So we have no state guidelines and we don't know what's going to happen if we write something, how the state is going to affect it. I would suggest a nine month at least until the legislative session is over next year. I would prefer a year, but I would accept nine months. Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you. Anyone else speaking?

I told you.

Thank you, Mr. Penny. Anyone else wishing to speak in favor of this item, which is about the moratorium? Okay. Seeing no one else wishing to speak in favor, is there anyone here to speak in opposition of the moratorium? Of the moratorium. Thank you. Yes.

Okay. Um, again, good morning. My name is Donna priest Brown. I'm a resident of DeKalb county, South DeKalb. And I speak today on behalf of the silent majority, the residents who are living with consequences of decisions made in these chambers. I first came before the board of commissioners in September of 2025. with concerns about our aging water infrastructure. I told you then what I have witnessed in my own home over the past several years, a noticeable decline in water pressure and flow that tells me our system is under strain. That was not a complaint, that was a warning. And I live at the edge of DeKalb County, East DeKalb. Today I'm back with a clear ask. DeKalb County remains under a 2011 federal consent decree related to our decaying water and sewer infrastructure. That decree was issued because this county's systems were already failing. 15 years later, Those federal requirements still have not been fully met. Gina Mangham has made this point plainly and this board cannot afford to ignore it. Data centers are among the most water intensive industrial facilities in existence. We don't need AI large scale data centers. Approving new data center development while our infrastructure remains under active federal oversight is not just unwise, it's unconscionable. My ask is straightforward. Impose a moratorium on data center development and hold it in place until every requirement of the 2011 federal consent decree has been satisfied. Nothing less. Our water belongs to our residents, not to data centers. We are watching, we are organized, and we expect this board to do the right by the people who... were elected to serve. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Next speaker, in opposition of the moratorium.

I'm totally in opposition of the moratorium due to the fact of the data campus. We are in a 10 for 10 water decree. And it really needs to be, I agree with you, Mr. Patrick, a one year plus moratorium. If we had that, y'all would have enough time to go and do your little, investigation in your studies to see what will happen because it just rained this morning and water is sitting on top of the grass water is sitting on the streets we have roads crumbling up and down boulder crests that got cones going up and down boulder crests we know for a fact it's not gonna our infrastructure is damaged So with that being said, we need to kind of put the brakes on this and to stay in that moratorium for one year plus. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Anyone else wishing to speak in opposition of the moratorium? Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning. All right, guys. I'm nervous. It's my first time coming. I'm a resident in DeKalb County, Georgia. And I have absolutely nothing to say positive about this besides you guys are aware of the strain that data centers put on communities. Y'all are, you are not blind. You are human. You have eyes and you can see what happened in Fayetteville, Georgia. You can see what's happening in communities around the country in regards to these data centers. I understand you don't see us every day. I understand to you we don't matter, but I just need you to take a second to think about this. Even if you don't live in our communities where these data centers may be located, what about your family and your friends? What about your pastors and your cousins, your brothers, your sisters, your nieces, your uncles? You can't protect everybody. so i am pleading to you with the community and with people like she said silent voices who you guys know want to be here and for a multitude of reasons cannot be here to please not only extend this moratorium but really think about the impact this is not just going to have on the community and the people around you but our society as a whole right now whatever kickbacks or whatever people are doing and getting with this i just need you to have your conscience and your soul in place and understand that this is not just going to impact you, but what about your family? Can you protect everybody? Is their water going to turn brown like those in Fayetteville? Can you stop that from happening to them? We care about the children, right? Oh, that's America's slogan. We care about the kids. Do you really care about the kids? What about the schools? Can you stop their school water from turning brown? What about those places, the day cares, right? How are you going to protect these people when the flow off and all of the drainage and all of the things that come from data centers start to spill over in our communities? It does not take a lot for data centers to get built. They get their contractors. They get in here. They get a lot of jobs. People get the place built up. But what happens after that when there are only 50 jobs left and the community is left with drainage and water? We see what's happening in Branton, Georgia. We're not stupid. What's going to happen to our farmland here when you guys start to move these data centers into the city and we don't have anything in South Georgia? Where is your food going to come from? Are you guys flying food in from out of state? I'm just trying to figure out if you think that you are immune to what is going to take place after these data centers are built. Do you think that not only can you protect yourself, but your family, your friends, your pastor, your children, your aunties and uncles? Have you talked to your families about this? Or is the saying just, we don't talk about my job? right we just impact the community and those around us and we don't talk about our job we just terrorize the community with the laws and regulations that we pass but we don't talk about our job can you protect everybody right we love that the world cup is coming here we love the braves we got a big stadium for it right i know you guys go i go diago we love the games what's going to happen when the water starts to impact that right when people can't eat or drink because the food is contaminated how are you going to protect everyone when this starts to impact us because please look at the research take a year take two years how far off does the runoff from these data centers flow into communities is it five miles is it 10 miles What happens to the infrastructure with this worm that's now coming from Texas and impacting food? How are you going to protect us when our water is contaminated, it's infected? I mean, take whatever time you need, six months, nine months, a year, but I am pleading for the young people of my community who are not here, who are fighting other battles that all y'all come. Some of y'all come from where I come from, right? You're fighting, you know, the battles they're fighting, you know why they can't be here. I got a baby at home. I took my nieces and I'm here. Okay. Okay? I just ask that you hear us, because I'm going to speak through my nervousness. I'm going to stand until that time run out. I want you to know that we care about what happens to our community, even if the ones sitting high don't. You guys look at us as peasants. You think that you're separate. You think that you can go in your community and lock your little gate. You think that your double doors protect you. But lo and behold, when that water starts coming down, When all the food start getting infected, I just want to see you fly your food in from another country. I just want to see you. How much water are you going to say? How protected do you think you are in a space where everything is infected? Everything is, I mean, what is your goal here? What is your goal? I just want to know, because we all want money, baby. We all out here trying to make it. What is your goal? What is your goal? What is your end goal? You leave here, you be like, oh, I got a check. They paid me. I'm going to do what they asked me to do because, hey, I got money. My family is protected. My wife, my daughter, my kids. What about your mother, your father, your aunt, your uncle, your pastor? Are any of these people in the community, their pastors, their loved ones, their aunts and uncles, when they go home, please question them and ask them, how is this going to affect me? How is this going to impact me? You guys might not live in DeKalb County, but I bet you some of your friends do. You guys might not live in DeKalb County, but I bet you your pastors and neighbors and people that you know do. How much do you really care about these people? I just wanna know, how much do you really care? We know, we saw the line in Atlanta, the south side of Atlanta gets no love. You guys don't build and turn infrastructure, yada, yada, yada, but data centers are going all over Georgia. They're going all over Georgia. How are you gonna protect yourself? Yeah, do damage to the South Side, do damage to black people. How are you gonna protect yourself when your water is infected? Tell me where you're gonna get it from. And then how many people are gonna be in line behind you or in front of you, and how long is it gonna take for you to get service? You are not alone. Please have a backbone that God gave you. Stand up for people and stand up for us. Do the right thing, please. It's not that hard, baby. Please do the right thing. My time is over.

Thank you, ma'am. Deputy Director Bragg, if you'd like to come forward and restate the staff's position on this item, and if it is for 100 days with a public hearing.

So the moratorium would last for 100 days, but if it were to be extended, we would actually propose a new item. So there would be no hearing in 100 days. Understood. Thank you. So just to be clear, the staff recommendation is for a 100-day moratorium beginning today and ending on September 17, 2026.

Thank you. Is there a motion on this item?

Make a motion. to approve the recommended 100-day moratorium that will start today and will end September 17, 2026. CHRISTIE WOODARD- Hit your button.

Is there a second? There is a motion and a second for the 100 days moratorium to end September 17. Commissioner Terry has requested to speak, and then Commissioner Bolton.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I seconded it for purposes of discussion, so I would like to just say a couple words on this issue. So many of you all know that several years ago, DeKalb County was the epicenter for what became known as the Yollywood craze. And this is referring to the fact that the film industry moved into Georgia because of the tax credits. And DeKalb County was, in fact, the epicenter. Most of the sound stages in Georgia were built in DeKalb County. To this day, 90% of those boxes are empty. In a cruel twist of irony, the AI technology that data centers are powering replaced many of those Hollywood workers. Some of them went overseas, some of them are literally being replaced because of AI. And now we are being asked to replace those sound stages or what could have been future sound stages with massive data centers. And when I say massive, I'm saying not a million, two million, six million square feet. And based on the existing draft text ordinance would be a by right that would allow 6,000 square feet of hyperscale facility to be built in DeKalb County without a public hearing. We also have to remind ourselves that the richest individuals in the world are looking to get even richer. SpaceX that is part of XAI is looking to go into the S&P to have a $1.5 trillion valuation to which when it goes on the S&P, all of our retirement accounts will be in that stock. And that's concerning because the warning signs are already there about a bubble about a rush to, quite frankly, most of the data centers that are being proposed in Georgia right now haven't even been built. Some of them have been approved, but they haven't even been built yet. And Georgia Power, in this last Public Service Commission hearing, it was revealed that our residential power bills are subsidizing the current data center infrastructure build out. And most of them haven't even been built. So the question for us is, do we want to be a part of approving something that undeniably will raise all of our power bills in this room? Every single DeKalb County resident that's a Georgia Power customer will have higher power bills in the future because of data centers. I heard a great argument from my colleague, Commissioner Robert Patrick, about the Public Service Commission elections. The Public Service Commission actually can do something about that. Right now, they're not. I've heard about the legislature. The legislature could, presumably, if there is a change in governor, if there's a change in the House, could pass laws that usually go into effect July 1st. So part of our mindset should be actually let's let the voters decide where they really stand on power bills and data centers and our environment, to add a third to that. Because if we don't get this right, we are going to be screwed. And the last thing I want is for another empty box to exist on DeKalb County land, which by the way, the three data centers, one that's proposed, two that have been proposed, are in District 3, District 6. So this is my district. I'm representing my community, and I don't want to see blight, abandoned properties. I don't want to see more tax money, all right? There have been tax abatements and tax allocation districts funding in the millions of dollars for these projects, the infrastructure. And I don't want to see that money go to waste. There's a term called economic cognitive dissonance, and it's the psychology of sticking your head in the sand. It's like watching the stock market hit all-time highs while ignoring the global warning signs we're seeing all over the country, all over the world. And Georgia is, in fact, seeing the fastest growth of data centers in the world. We literally are seeing the highest per capita. So this should concern us all. Because the planning department is still working through these issues, because we're still concerned about public input, because we're still worried about water and sewer and water treatment and the environment and air quality and noise. Let's not even forget about noise and the low frequency noise that is terrorizing neighborhoods. And because we have a precedent in our code to have moratoriums going longer than a year, we should extend this moratorium for one more year. and allow time for the voters and the legislators and our elected officials to work our way through this. So with this, I propose a substitute motion to extend the moratorium for one more year. That's my motion.

Is there a second to that? Second. All right. There's a motion to extend it for one year, seconded by Commissioner Long-Spears. Commissioner Davis-Johnson, you have requested to speak.

Thank you. You know, I'd just like to say this.

And if we can get her. There we go. Thank you.

OK. I'd just like to say this. I don't represent Softie Cab. I not only represent Softie Cab. I live in the heart of Softie Cab. I'm a black woman. I work every day. I have a job other than sitting on this commission. My family live here. I have lived in South Dakota probably longer than many of you that are sitting there. You know, so I have a state. I don't have money. You know, my father did not leave me an estate. And like most of us up here, we don't have inheritance. You may look someplace else and you may think that we do, but we don't. And we understand clearly what happens in South DeKalb and DeKalb County affects us. We're not in a back home. So if you are affected, I'm affected. And I understand that. And I work every day to protect the rights and the dignity and the character of DeKalb County and its citizens. So I don't want anyone to misunderstand that, because I live there, have lived there, and would not live anyplace else. I chose where I live. And I'm very happy there. And since I've been on this board since 2015, I've represented people in my district, in South DeKalb, and in DeKalb County. No one sitting in that audience has called my office to have a conversation with me about data centers. One thing that my mother always taught me at a very young age And that is don't do things based on emotions. Take a deep breath because people, believe me, will lead you off the cliff and stop just before they fall off. And if you make decisions based on emotions and what other people tell you that don't have the same interests, you you're gonna be messed up and so I just want to say that because super districts seven and six they represent half this county they don't necessarily live where you live but if you stop and you look around, you will see that sometimes opinions flow with the wind. Whichever the wind is blowing, that's where I am today. Now you move someplace else that benefits somebody's interest tomorrow, and the wind blows back to the left, look up here and see who's going to be going on the left with you. But they're not going to be jumping off that cliff with you. So I just say this. You know, research what you're talking about. Talk to us. Call my office. Let us know your thoughts. We understand your thoughts. Y'all been talking this the same as we have. For many, many months. So we're not stupid. Like y'all say, y'all not stupid. We're not stupid either. We hear you. We have a state. And I just want you to move based on facts and not have people lead you off a cliff. So I yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Bolton.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. And I just wanted to reiterate, you guys have heard me say this many times. I'm from the east side. I live off Glenwood, not Glenwood Avenue, Glenwood Road. So nobody's experience in this room is more devastating than anything I have experienced because I was raised off Glenwood and I'm raising my children there. But I'm going to tell you the concerns that I have as an east side chick. We have folks up here double talking the community. Because they know they can give great sound bites that have you back there clapping and snapping your fingers. Let me tell you all, two agenda items you should be concerned about. Number one is 20260341. You have a commissioner up here who requested months ago that the amendment you don't approve of, he requested that we go ahead and pass it. And he put forth a resolution making that recommendation publicly. Go back and read it. 20260341. So he's telling you it's not ready today because he knows that's what you want to hear. But months ago, he requested that this document that is not ready get approved. Number two. Item 20260158. Y'all, let me tell you what this is. This says it is a resolution to establish a for the people AI tech dividend fund. You know what that is? Somebody planned for the money that's coming when they approve a data center. He already knows what he want to spend that money on. And y'all up here listening to this double talk, read the items that he has proposed. Read the items. 20260158, a resolution to establish a for the people AI tech dividend fund. You know why he's calling it for the people? So you can say you agree with it. But when you look at it, a dividend fund for AI, he wants data centers. and he wants large data centers. That's why he's asking for a dividend fund, something that he knows will accumulate a large amount of revenue for the county, and he already has a strategy to spend the funds for it. So now he get up here and he's telling you, we need a one-year moratorium. The item is not ready. We need to do all of these things. He's going into the history. It sounds amazing. it does y'all don't believe the hype don't read into the sound bites read into these agenda items read these resolutions read these proposals and hear what we're saying to you now Being a legislator is about being a strategist, not an activist. An activist can do and say whatever they feel whenever they get ready. As a strategist, you have to understand federal, state, and local laws. You have to understand who you're working with and what they want and what their mission is so that you can strategize around those arterial motives and give the community what they really want. It may not be packaged the way you want it to be packaged, but you're going to get what you ultimately want for your community. Hear what we're saying to you. Really listen to what we're saying. Read between the lines. We're strategizing to get you what you want. And you got folks up here strategizing to get what they want. I'm going to read these items again so you can read them for yourself. 20260341, it was a request to approve that amendment that you said is not ready. And 20260158, this is a plan to spend the money after he approves the data centers that he wants in District 3. And I live in District 3, too, so I will be voting. I yield back.

Thank you. I'll go to Commissioner Messiah for her first time and then Commissioner Terry for your second.

Thank you, Madam PO. So much of what has needed to be said has been communicated by my colleagues. Just as passionate and committed and convicted as you are, we are as well. And it is even more of a challenge for us when we understand, when we hear, when we feel the concerns of of our community, of the folks that we represent, and the communities we directly live in, and then we sit with colleagues that say something different and do something different. I've always remained and said, I am not for data centers in our backyards and in our communities. I've also very poignantly shared that we need protections that are in place. And my record has been consistent in terms of ensuring that we have protections, air, water, sound, pollution, trying to get a bond, decommission, that we actually have folks that will inspect. If you read and pay attention to the agenda items as they've come forth, I've always remained consistent with that specific point. It has also been to extend the moratorium until those things have done. The issue related to the park dates back to 2020, before myself and several of us were on the Board of Commissioners. I have never engaged in any backdoor secret negotiation or any improper deal at all. The only thing that I've ever done and will continue to do with any agenda item that comes before me is to use the facts, all of the faculty that God has poured into me, listen to my community, do the research, be prepared, and make the best decision for my community. My record shows nothing but, in spite of the political play, and performances for people's own agenda, the one hit wonders on an issue that is polarizing to the community instead of uniting the community to fight and protect and have what we need in South DeKalb better. People have done other things. Pay attention, y'all. Pay attention, y'all. Pay attention. Because it matters. The decisions that we make matter. The games people are playing with folks matter. We have to make sure that we unite, and I will always fight for you and with you, because that's what my record shows and because that's what my conviction is. Don't let anyone, anything for their own benefit tell you anything different. With that, I yield back. Madam Pio, thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Terry, for your second opportunity.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So first off, I don't have time to rebut all of my colleagues' inaccurate comments. But right here, right now, and it's three minutes, by the way.

One second. I need to correct the clock. It should be three minutes. OK, go ahead.

So I don't have time to rebut all those inaccuracies, but what I will do right here right now is challenge any of my colleagues to a public forum and debate on all of these issues. I have no problem defending my position every single time on every single proposal I put forward. Commissioner Bolton, I will forgive you for being mis- MISUNDERSTANDING MY AGENDA ITEMS BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT AT THE TWO COMMITTEE MEETINGS WHERE WE DISCUSSED THOSE AGENDA ITEMS. SO YOU JUST DON'T KNOW BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T THERE BUT THEY ARE ON DC TV SO YOU CAN WATCH THEM AND YOU CAN CORRECT YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF MY AGENDA ITEMS AND WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO THERE. BUT LET'S NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACTS. ALL RIGHT? AND I'VE BEEN PUTTING FORWARD FACTS. THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PUTTING FORWARD FACTS. THERE IS A MOTION INVOLVED BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE FACTS ARE BEING IGNORED. So when the facts are being ignored, people get upset. I get upset. I'm a little upset right now because the facts are being misrepresented. Let's stay focused on the facts of what this issue of data centers in Georgia and DeKalb County means. Grid reliability, a single campus where it can require as much power as a small city. The sudden surge in demand strains local energy grids and increases the risk of brownouts, that's a fact. Rising utility bills, Georgia Power, at the Public Service Commission hearing three weeks ago, I was in the room. They literally talked about $130 million of infrastructure that actually was paid by our power bills. $130 million. That's a fact. Fossil fuel reliance. Georgia Power is building 10,000 megawatts of fossil fuel plants to power data centers. For 45 years, by the way, which we'll be paying for. Not data centers. We'll be paying for it. We've already talked about water use, 1 to 5 million gallons of water per day. The pump for our water is in North DeKalb. The data center is being proposed in South DeKalb. I've been on PWI for four years. We know there is a pressure issue in South DeKalb because you have to get that water across the entire county, 1 to 5 million gallons extra of water every single day. Okay, wait for those pipes to burst. Drought and scarcity, what about? When we lose water, what's going to happen then? We're all going to be impacted by that. The most recent news, and this is why I reserve my right to change my opinion, so it's possible that over the last year I've evolved and learned new things. The two things that we should all be concerned about is urban heat island effect and the low frequency noise. That's why we're pushing for more than 500 feet of 1,000 feet would be good, a mile would be really good. Low frequency noise is a serious problem. Last fact I'll point out, this study just came out, CNN published it in March, I sent it to the commissioners. It is four to five degrees Celsius hotter in neighborhoods around data centers. That is a climate injustice and environmental injustice issue.

Commissioner Patrick, I think this is your first time speaking on this one.

It is. Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. I know that county staff has recommended 100 days. If I could ask on the county attorney or the director of the department to come and explain why 100 days or both.

And I think a county attorney did want to address the length as well. So they can vote.

There's a couple of things that we would like to address. We wanted to extend, because staff originally put on the sheet 50 days, to make it 100 days for us to continue to review based upon the conversation that we had last week. We wanted to take into consideration any other additional items that have come up to date. So we wanted to extend that full period of time. However, we've discussed several times about the fact that the data center ordinance to what we can possibly affect is limited to the land use. Some of the issues that are coming up, we have worked diligently to activate the staff members that were here at the data center town hall meeting that we just had, that they're activated in what would be necessary for any reviews regarding environmental and water use, which is beyond our purview. So as far as the land use, we feel very strong. We've taken the comments that the commissioners have provided and put those updates into play that will finalize it. As far as the additional things that have been requested beyond our purview, we've already activated those departments that will be reviewing those applications on that specific letter for water, all environmental uses. However, I would like for the attorney to come and speak about one other aspect that is currently under discussion that we just want to bring to the attention of the commission.

Attorney Phillips?

Commissioners, there is one issue that I'm concerned about, and that is the length of the current motion. One year, I think, is too long given what we would use to justify a moratorium. We have a moratorium to investigate, research, and discuss the county's plan. We, at this time, think that the discussion and the items you've asked the professionals in planning to look at with the lawyers justifies another 100 days. I don't see a year, and I wouldn't want to have to explain a year publicly, but you could always extend beyond the 100 days as we get into it if we identify a need to go beyond that. But for today, I would ask that you go with the professional's recommendation. of 100 days moving forward. And we'll continue to monitor, research, investigate, and consider the things that you present for consideration. And we recognize and acknowledge your listening to your constituents and asking us to look at the things that they present as you receive them.

Perfect. When I was a municipal employee and we had put in some moratoriums, the city attorneys at the time would say, as you just said, what's legally defensible. And so although it may be a wise strategy for other reasons, you've just said what's defensible is time for staff to be able to do the research necessary for the recommendations that were put forward by the Board of Commissioners, also reacting to the concerns from the constituents, correct? Okay.

Yes, commissioner. That's my understanding of where we are right now. And as those circumstances change and you present more things, then we will evaluate that and what that means for the existing moratorium, be it continuing it, extending it, asking you to approve an item that's developed. We will continue to monitor, monitor the circumstance. Okay.

Thank you. I've got about a minute left. Uh, director Joko, um, you made a comment that, that is, uh, very relevant to everything we've been discussing everything we've been hearing up here zoning only regulates land use is that correct yes sir it doesn't talk about water consumption it doesn't talk about runoff yes sir it doesn't talk about a lot of the other environmental factors that are legitimate concerns that i know you guys are working on is that correct

Yes, sir. We review those things through the LDP process, but as far as the depth of what is being requested, the environmental depth, the monitoring, the staff monitoring, the funding that would take that, and the expertise, that those would be in an environmental. or water we don't definitely don't deal with electrical of course we don't deal with the energy and the power components of it some of the topics that have come off we've taken in consideration and activated the division areas that would be dealing with that and provided information to the public and to the commission board of who would

Thank you. Thank you. Commissioner Long-Spear is your first opportunity to speak.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Madam Peo. First of all, I am the District 2 Commissioner. I don't represent South DeKalb. I am not a super district commissioner, so I'm not on the west side or the east side. My district basically runs from Brookhaven up by perimeter down to the city of Decatur. My next question is for the county attorney. Sir, you mentioned you felt like you had to justify a one-year moratorium, and you also stated that you didn't want to have to explain a one-year moratorium publicly. I am the second for the substitute motion for one year. How would you feel about six or nine months?

Commissioner, I am basing my comments on what the professional staff has recommended, and that is 100 days. I will tell you that we support the 100 days based on their professional assessment of the time needed to complete their research and investigation of what's been presented. So that's what I would recommend, the 100 days that's been presented by them. They're the ones completing this. We're working closely with them, but they're the professionals making that determination. How much more time do they need?

So when you stated you didn't want to explain the moratorium publicly, your reason is because you're listening to the planning department and their expertise.

Beyond that, I'll offer this reason to you. I don't want Commissioner Terry, who made the initial motion, or you as the second, or any of you to have to, for the first time, explain things to the professional staff or me. If it has not been communicated to us, I'd like you to have an opportunity to share that privately and offline. I consistently say that to all of you in this commission. What we understand right now, and I would invite Planning to rescue me if I'm misunderstanding something. their assessment is 100 days would be appropriate based on what's been presented. I was very careful to qualify that by saying if those circumstances change and we need to ask for a further extension, we would do that.

All right, thank you, sir, for your explanation. Again, I just flagged when you said publicly, and I appreciate you addressing that. I am comfortable with the one-year moratorium. I agree with a lot of the comments that were made today, made at the NICAL meeting, and made previously over the last year, that we really do need to study the impacts of data centers in such a densely populated community such as DeKalb County. However, if the substitute motion, if the sponsor of that would like to consider six or nine months, and that is more amenable to the planning department and the law department, I would support that friendly amendment. So sir, I'm asking that question on my one minute and 51 seconds left.

Yes, thank you, Commissioner. I appreciate the opportunity to address that. And yes, in my experience from past moratoriums, like the small box discount retail store, we've done studies. And then we've had to take community impact assessments. And we've taken into account all factors, you know, state legislation, federal. And so, you know, if six months gets us passed to the next public service commission or nine months gets us to the next legislative session, then I'd be okay with that. And so it sounds like he's not going to change his mind though. And the reason why I'd asked for the year was that most laws go into effect July 1st. And so if there was a law passed that regulated data centers or the Public Service Commission add additional protections on power usage, we would know about that next year.

So six months would get us to the end of this year. Nine months would get us to, I assume, around the end of March. So midway through legislative session, I believe, somewhere around there. How about nine months?

I would accept a friendly amendment for nine months.

All right, and my second stands with that friendly amendment.

County Attorney Phillips, I just want to make sure we're doing this properly. There was an original motion for 100 days, a substitute motion for a year. Are we allowed to do the friendly amendment to the nine months? What did you guys end on? Initially, it was a year. And then I just suggested nine months. Nine months, OK.

As I followed your discussion, I would invite Commissioners Terry and Spears to rescue me if I missed this. It was a friendly amendment to the substitute, which is what you are deliberating about. Correct. So the substitute is still before you, and the friendly amendment was accepted moving it from one year to nine months. So what is before you is the nine month extension. from Commissioner Terry, seconded by Commissioner Spears, if I'm following their discussion. Yes, sir. And that is the item before you. That has to be completed. If it fails, you would then go to the original 100 days that both planning and law have recommended.

Understood. Thank you. I just wanted to make sure we were doing this properly. Commissioner Patrick. I yield back, by the way. Thank you.

Thank you. Commissioner Patrick, your second opportunity. Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. Part of a successful strategy as a staff person was always listening to the county attorney's office or looking at the comprehensive plan that I was responsible for administering on top of the codes that were there. We've just heard from our professionals to follow their strategy. And I'm going to follow the strategy that they've put forward. I also want to speak to some of the other things that have been set up here at the dais. There is a lot of fear and consternation associated with technology in general, data centers, cameras, cell phones, the level of privacy that we willingly give up when we have our cell phones and computers in our homes. Those are all conversations that have to be spoken about, but we don't necessarily have that opportunity to speak about those fears. those very real fears when we're talking about a land use opportunity. And I just want to remind everybody that fear comes and goes, but you've got to stick with your head on a lot of things. So with that, thank you very much, Madam Presiding Officer.

Thank you. Commissioner Longspear is your second opportunity. Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much.

So I just want to emphasize to everyone who's present with us today and will watch our recording of this meeting, is that I really believe in my heart that the full governing authority, the seven commissioners, plus the CEO, really want to get this right. And we care about community. And as I stated earlier, I don't represent South DeKalb. but all of the residents of south dekalb are my concern they're our responsibility and we are accountable for getting this right again i believe that one year was is sufficient for us to do everything we need to do to listen to our community to do health study loop in the health department really everything that I could possibly think of to figure out, you know, is this a good fit for our community or not? And nine months is what I suggested or six months to find a compromise, if you will. This is a incredibly complex issue. It is polarizing for our residents. I've had a whole lot of people reach out and don't want data centers. I've also had people reach out and want data centers. And so again, we represent everyone in DeKalb County. Everyone should have the opportunity to hear their voices heard. You also clearly recognize that it's polarizing up here on the dais with the commissioners. It's also become very political. and so again i am absolutely in support of the longest moratorium that we can implement so that our priority is to get it right and to do what is in the very best interest of the citizens of dekalb county thank you very much and i yield back thank you as commissioner davis johnson second opportunity to speak

Okay, I'm ready to vote. I'm going to withdraw.

You're withdrawing your request? Yeah, I mean, it's so funny. Liz, open the machines to the vote. Again, this is for the friendly amended to nine months of extending the moratorium. Has everyone voted who plans on voting on this item? The nine months failed, so we're back at the original motion, which is 100 days. Please open that machine for the vote.

The original motion was 100-day moratorium beginning today and concluding September 17, 2026.

And we have a second. And then we do have new questions. You still want to? Yeah, I still want to ask my question. Commissioner Bolton had requested to speak before we switched over.

And just really quickly to staff, why wouldn't it be 100 days from the date of expiration? Yeah, it doesn't expire today.

That's correct. It was really just for simplicity. That's the only reason. So if you would rather have a motion that it begins on June 24th and extends for 100 days, that's acceptable as well?

Yes, I think that's reasonable. That is not the motion before us.

I'll go ahead and Mr. County attorney.

Yes, please. Is that a friendly amendment?

Yes, it's a friendly amendment to extend 100 days beyond the expiration date.

I'll go ahead and amend my motion to say this 100 day moratorium extends beyond the currently

set to expire date for the existing moratorium commissioner davis johnson your second stands just technical question what date would that be with a hundred days so it's not quite three months it's over three months i think they've got a figure okay you're working on that okay thank you miss bragg there's a website called calendar.com and i think it can help you out

Do you yield your time, Commissioner Bolton? I yield back. And before I flipped over, I think I saw Commissioner had requested to speak her second opportunity.

I did. And thank you so much, Commissioner Bolton, for bringing that point, that it could just be 100 days after the expiration of the current moratorium, which I believe ends in June. So opposed to, and I think it's maybe June 23rd is the date. That's correct. That is the date.

Yeah. Sorry, 100 days from June 24th. It would be until October 1st.

Okay, so we got October 1st opposed to September 17th. And then we can continue to extend it from there if need be. Okay. All right. And then just very briefly, I think it's just important that, you know, again, it's been talked about in the political play and where there had not been discussions with other colleagues, with legal, with the administration, with anyone else. about making motions to do certain things. And not that there has to be a lengthy conversation, but at least an understanding as to why the recommendation is the recommendation, any potential legal implications of doing something outside of that. There are some individuals that will do it for the play of the community, power play. in front of folks and without understanding whether or not that's best. I think it's always important to look into what is being recommended, why it's being recommended to prevent us from getting into any potential challenges. Especially when we have the opportunity to extend the moratorium either further. not knee-jerking as we're up here and making a definitive, let's just go against what's being recommended, opposed to let's make sure that we have the max and then gain a better understanding as to extend it even further, I think is the better way to do things. I mean, that's just the responsible governance way opposed to knee-jerk passion just to play into political games, but to actually do what's best. With that, I yield back.

Thank you. The vote is in progress. Before you vote, I would like to clarify.

We need a consistent moratorium. I want to make sure there's no confusion about it ending and restarting. So it's scheduled to end on June 23rd. Mm-hmm. I would suggest the one you're voting on now start on June 23rd. That would take you to September 30th, I believe. And I wanted to clarify that for the record and make sure there is no break in the moratorium.

Okay.

I think that is the intent of the motion.

That is the intent of the motion. Do I need to, I guess for clarity, make a motion to have a moratorium that begins with an effective date of June 23rd and shall extend till September 30, 2026.

Second stands, Commissioner Davis-Johnson. Yeah. OK. We can continue voting. All right. that motion to extend for 100 days carries.

We have one other item under public hearing for decision only.

And we are at 1143. So I, commissioners, once we finish this last decision only item, I would like to at least get through consent before we break. So we're bottom of page three under watershed management. Again, decision only, no public hearing. Item 2026-0778, commission districts one and six, partial easement abandonment for repost drive.

Yes, I'd like to make a motion to approve.

Is there a second? Commissioner Terry seconded. Commissioner Patrick, you requested to speak.

I did. Years past, there was a development in Chamblee, and Commissioner Terrigan, I believe, spoke with the developer, and the land transaction was worth a few hundred bucks. And we had a conversation, and we made out with a couple more dollars than that. But in this case, I had an opportunity to go out to Reprose Drive. It looks like it's a 54-lot single-family detached development. And a portion of that property has a huge field that ties into a stream buffer. And when I looked at Chamblee's master plans, it looks like there's a proposal to have a trail that goes in that green area, that landscape area. And so for that reason, I make that motion to approve. I also took a photo or two, not great photography because it was muddy, but it's very clearly that there's a house or rope houses in the back. There's an area for where the jail system potentially could be. So there you go.

Thank you for that. Seeing no other requests to speak, please open the machine. It was a motion to approve, correct? OK. That motion to approve carries. Bottom of page three, there are no appeals. Now we're on appointments. Top of page four, from the Chief Executive Office, all commission districts, item 2026-0975, appoint Ms. Deborah Jackson to post three of the DeKalb County Community Service Board, and this was a PECS item.

Thank you so much, Madam PO. There's a motion to defer to the June 23rd BOC with a stop in PEX to be heard by committee today.

Second. I have a motion and a second. Seeing no request to speak, please open the machine. Two weeks.

Two weeks with a stop to be heard today in PEX.

Machines are open for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Item 2026-0756, all commission districts appoint Dr. Jeremy Cole, PhD, to post nine of the Fulton DeKalb Hospital Authority. Also a PECS item.

Thank you so much, Madam PO. Move for action.

Thank you. Item 2026-0757, all commission districts appoint Mr. Jerome Edmondson to post three of the DeKalb County Housing Authority.

Move for action. And I have a motion, Madam PO, to approve the items ending in 0756 and 0757 as they were approved by the PECS committee.

All right, thank you. Motion to approve by Commissioner Messiah, seconded by Commissioner Long-Speers, I believe. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Seeing no request to speak, thank you. That motion to approve those two items carries. And we're now top of page 5, which is the consent agenda. You ready, Deputy Peon?

Yes, ma'am.

All right. Under airport item 2026-0947, commission districts 1 and 6, standardized T-hanger space lease agreement with Marvin Royster. Move for action. Under Board of Commissioners, item 2026-0969, approval of minutes for the June 2, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting. Move for action. Under District 2 items, item 2026-0946, allocation of $50,000 of ARPI funding to Atlanta Humane Society to support mobile vet services in DeKalb County. Move for action. Item 2026-0967, District 2, allocation of $3,885 from District 2 capital reserves for due diligence for potential park property acquisition. Move for action. District 4 item, item 2026-0920, transfer of $40,000 from District 4 2026 reserve for appropriation Discretionary funds to community development for the Lived Experience Training Academy, an exclusive professional development program for individuals integrating into the day center placement. Move for action. Top of page 6, District 6 item, item 2026-0981, to appropriate $9,850 of the D6 reserved for appropriations to echo addendum for kudzu removal and naturalist walks. Move for action. Clerk to the Board of Commissioners and CEO, item 2026-0698, approval of the minutes of the Board of Commissioners meeting of May 26, 2026. Move for action. Item 2026-0730, approval of the minutes of the Board of Commissioners zoning meeting on May 28, 2026. Move for action. Item 2026-0963, all commission districts approval of the minutes of the special called meeting of May 21st, 2026. Move for action. District attorney items, item 2026-0970, acceptance of additional sexual assault kit initiative grant funding to district attorney's office in the amount of $373,291, no match required. Move for action. item 2026-0971 acceptance of dekalb county's allocation of 407 thousand seventy one dollars no required match under the 2025 edward fern memorial justice assistance grant move for action off of page seven item 2026-0972 all commission districts acceptance of project safe neighborhoods grant of twenty thousand five hundred seventy one dollars with no match required move for action Item 2026-0973, all commission districts acceptance of Project Safe Neighborhoods grant of $16,429, excuse me, with no match required. Move for action. Medical examiner item, item 2026-0929, all commission districts, acceptance of grant funds in the amount of $44,840 from the Centers for Disease Control through the Georgia Department of Public Health for the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office. Move for action. And finally, under public safety, item 2026-0956, all commission districts to amend the previously approved Grant year 2023, Urban Area Security Initiative grant amounts not to exceed $382,606.81. Move for action. And with that, Madam PO, I move to approve items 20260947, 0969, 0946, 0967, 0920,

0981, 0698, 0730, 0963, 0970, 0971, 0972, 0973, 0929, and 0956. Second.

Put your button again, please, on that motion. Motion is made by Commissioner Bolton, seconded by Commissioner Messiah. No request to speak. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to approve the consent agenda carries. You want to go to new? We'll get a couple more items in. I'm good. Look, I'm always ready to push through. But we do have 45 pages today, and we are on bottom of page 7.

So we will start with preliminary items, Board of Commissioners, item 2026-0984.

All commissioned districts, the Board of Commissioners nominates and elects voting delegates to represent DeKalb County and external association and organizational matters. So we, I had sent an email out looking for commissioners who will be attending this. We will need to make a decision on who that is. I believe right now I know of Commissioner Long-Speers, Commissioner Terry are attending. Commissioner Long-Spears. No, I'm not attending. Commissioner Long-Spears. Commissioner Terry. Commissioner Patrick, you've decided not to go. That's correct. I'm not attending. Are you attending, Commissioner Davis-Johnson? And what about you, Commissioner Messiah? Oh, for the New Orleans. Yes, I will be in New Orleans. OK, so these are the three commissioners who are attending. We also can reach out to the CEO's office and see if she is attending and would like to be the delegate. So I think it probably would be appropriate to, Reach out to the CEO. And so defer this item for today for two weeks? Yes. Well, remember, we passed a resolution that did look at that when we passed that resolution. So now I'm trying to make sure we adhere to that resolution we passed last year. So with that, if I could get a motion to defer for two weeks.

Motion to defer for two weeks.

Second. Thank you so much. Please open the machine for the vote. And I'll send out some communication so that we can create a substitute that will name the person. Thank you.

Top of page eight.

Board of Commissioners, District 6, item 2026-0982, a resolution urging the administration to implement the specific recommendation outlined in the DeKalb County Racial Equity Study as adopted in 2025. And this was going to PECS.

Thank you so much, Madam PO. I have a motion to defer to the August 11th VOC with a stop to be heard in PECS. That agenda item had, well, there was an agenda item already to adopt and to implement the recommendations that have been done. I believe at the beginning of the year. And so there's just an opportunity for us to ensure they're implementing them without an additional resolution as it was passed unanimously by the Board of Commissioners.

If you'll hit your motion button. Is there a second on this? Commissioner Terry is seconded. Commissioner Longspear is requested to speak first, and then Commissioner Terry.

Thank you so much, Madam Presiding Officer. So this study, I believe, and Mr. Williams, I think you will have this information, began in 2021 or 2022, is that right?

I believe so, thereabouts.

Okay, and I believe it was passed unanimously through this board towards the end of 2022. because it was championed by Commissioner Larry Johnson and Commissioner Jeff Reiter. All right. Could you, like, distribute to all of us? Everybody here is honestly new except for three folks.

The report?

Just the report and any additional information that you can provide to us would be wonderful. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Thank you so much. I yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Longspares. Commissioner Terry.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I did introduce this item, and it's for a simple fact that I'm looking out for the Board of Commissioners. I'm trying to represent our interests. We unanimously approved the adoption of this study a year ago. And can anyone up here or out there say what we've done in a year? So why do I have to do this? I don't know. I don't know. I remember... In the last administration, there was just like this deference to whatever the CEO wanted. Oh, let's ask the CEO what they want to do. What do they think? Literally months and years would go by with no response, no action. So this is not new for me, anyone who's been following my career up here for going on six years now, is I don't work for anybody except the people who sent me here. I don't work for the CEO. I work with my colleagues. And especially if the board unanimously approves something, that says we are going to do something on something that really is important, as in racial equity. I think we all can get behind that. But what does it say about a government of all Democrats watching a White House, a president erode voting rights, expanding discriminatory practices? We heard the other day, I was at Park 500, colleagues, And I heard from the families that we were able to get out of Extended Stay Hotel into the Park 500, say that because of the Trump administration and their racist policies, They are getting kicked off childcare and SNAP benefits because they can't do the paperwork in time, because they can't prove they're working or volunteering X number of hours, making them jump through hoop after hoop after hoop. What does that mean for us? It means we have to fill the gap. So hundreds of thousands, millions more dollars are going to be probably allocated on this board to help those families while the federal administration does nothing and actually makes it worse. And I won't even get into the voting rights issue and gerrymandering the districts they're going to do next week. So it's just a problem when politicians say that we support something. And we spent like three years working on this plan, by the way. I did all my interviews. My staff did the interviews. We all participated in it. And then just to have nothing to show for it a year later. So this is just me speaking up for my board members. as a board of commission, as the legislative body that says, this is important. There's a number of other things that I won't reference, but this is important. And if we're not talking about it up here and it's not being talked about out there, then we're missing something. so again you know as we've all heard the ceo's in charge you know it's an urging resolution county attorneys reminded us over and over again we can't force action on certain things so this is just me putting a placeholder to say we should do something about it and i'm sure they're working on something but it shouldn't take a year and if there's a big announcement to make or there's going to be a big you know next steps to the plan now would be a time to introduce it or tell us about it. Because as of this moment, I don't know anything that's happening in the implementation of this plan. It's possible there's something happening behind the scenes, but I do not know about it. So now's the time to say what the plan is. Let's not wait another three months, six months, a year. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Masaya.

Thank you so much. I appreciate it, Madam PO. And so, seeing as I was the sponsor to bring this forward when, yes, my predecessor sought the importance of a racial equity study. that it was adopted and thank you for the correction to our colleague in 2025 and unanimously approved by this board of commissioners with agenda item 2025-0521. With that, there's just an opportunity to have a conversation and have collaborative leadership. That's the only thing that is sought in terms of things that are going to be implemented between this board and the administration and all of us sitting up here. And so I welcome that conversation as to how we can implement this. and make it into fruition in conjunction with the administration as well. That's my only thought here. The reason why I put it forth and sponsored it was because of that importance, particularly in South DeKalb County where I've consistently heard from my constituents that there is an issue in terms of feeling there's a racial divide and challenges with services that are being provided by the county and taking it seriously and continue to lead the charge to make sure that we actually make a difference. And so because it was that important, it is one of the few things that I championed in not rushing into anything but realizing it was something that can positively impact the constituents, that they can see how seriously as a united governing body we are taking their concerns. Because if we don't deal with the issue, we can't expect them to believe that we realize that there is one. So that's why I pushed it so that it can make a difference, so that we can overcome that narrative and to do it together. And so as I sit here today, that's the only thing that I seek is that we have a conversation in and around how we do that as a collective governing body and be most impactful versus not even having a conversation with the person that sponsored it in the first place. With that, I yield back to you, Madam PO.

Thank you, Commissioner Bolton.

Thank you, and just really quickly, I want to say it sounds like there was no request for information, a presentation, or an update, and I think it's premature to put forth an urging resolution without doing so, and I think it is not effective. It's not leadership. It's not collaborative, and it's actually self-serving, so I would recommend to all of my colleagues before putting forth urging resolutions on things that were, in this case, unanimously approved, please reach out to the administration to get more information and update a presentation, a memo, something so that you're not putting us in a position to push forth legislation that would not serve the community simply to build our resumes, pad our history of doing the work, quote unquote. So please just consider that moving forward and I yield back. Thank you.

Commissioner Terry, your second opportunity.

Yes, I will say that this was on our committee, the whole agenda, last Tuesday. So the commissioners have known this resolution was on the agenda for seven days, six days before this day. But there's a quote that I was told years ago, and it relates to politics and political leadership, that it's amazing what we can accomplish when you don't care who gets credit. And instead of asking the question of why are we not moving forward on the plan that we adopted that we all agree to, I'm being attacked for introducing it. Why not say I would like to co-sponsor? And for your information, I have asked about the status of this several times over the last year. I mean, I guess at some point one commissioner only has so much power. I can ask for information, ostensibly the administration can provide it or they can just say we're working on it. And then months go by and then nothing happens. So what are we left with other than to bring it up for discussion here at the board? So I don't really understand the concern about asking for us to implement the thing that we said that we all agreed on a year ago. It's not self-serving, this is about doing what we say we're gonna do. And I don't want to be a leader in this county to vote for something, and then a year later, anyone out there that saw us pass this plan, and we did press releases about it, and we highlighted it, and we were, you know, we were clapping. And then a year later, nothing's happened. I mean, that's why people come to public comment and they get mad at us, because they're like, y'all haven't done anything. So this is just holding ourselves accountable and it's not personal, I'm not saying someone didn't do something right or wrong, I'm just saying we haven't had action on this and we should have action. So this is the board's opportunity to agree with the idea that when we approve something unanimously that we should act on it and preferably it shouldn't take a year, preferably there should be some movement And again, I'm just going to speak in favor of the Board of Commissioners. And ironically, we were talking about the CEO from government the other day, or earlier this morning. In every other county in Georgia, if a Board of Commissioners passes something, guess what the county manager does the next day? They say, we're going to start working on it. Can you imagine if a county manager delayed an action from a unanimous board decision a year later? They'd be fired. But in this form of government, we have to wait for the CEO. I respect that, but at the same time, I am going to be the squeaky wheel. If our board passes something, I would like us to actually mean it and take action on it.

Thank you, Commissioner Terry. Commissioner Davis-Johnson, your first opportunity.

Okay. Thank you. I say it's amazing what we can accomplish together. when we work together rather than try to divide and conquer. One of the things that I learned early on becoming a commissioner is I had to have four votes to pass what I feel is good for my constituents. If I don't have four votes, I can scream and holler, talk about my colleagues as much as I like, but if I don't have sense enough to know that I have to have four votes and to have four votes, I can't demonize them because it's not gonna help my constituents. You may be able to fool some of them sometimes, but at some point they're gonna say, well, where are your votes? And so I don't need someone to look out for me. I mean, I'm black, I know. racial inequalities. I know that. I don't need anyone to tell me I'm black. You know, I mean, I can ride down the street and get stopped by a policeman, not a DeKalb policeman, because I'm black. Whereas my other colleagues may have an advantage over me, not because of who I am, but because of the color of their skin. So no one had to go to bat for me. Like I stated earlier, I integrated the schools of Nashville, Tennessee. I marched in the marches. So no one had to go to bed for me to talk about racial equality or inequality. So if you respect your colleagues and try to work with your colleagues, then they will respect and work with you. That's what I found. Because I know, and I say it all the time, everyone doesn't love me. And I know that everyone doesn't agree with me. And I don't agree with everyone. But I do understand how to listen to my colleagues. I do understand that sometimes, although we may disagree, they can change my perspective on something. By the facts that they give me. So we're not a one man ship up here, or one woman's ship up here. We have to work, or we should work together. And that was one of the first things that I've learned when I got on this board. then I'm going to need at least three other folk if I'm going to be effective for my constituents. I can talk and yell and shout and say I'm undemocratic or I'm not a Democrat because I don't agree with this Democrat or I'm not black because I don't agree with this black. You know, but that's... not going to get my votes to help my constituents. And when my constituents understand that I can't get votes to help them, then they'll get votes to get rid of me. So I have to work with my constituents here. And so I just want to make that point that I don't need somebody to fight for racial equality For me, that ain't even black. You know, I can do it myself. So thank you.

Thank you. Seeing no further requests to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. So I want to at least get to the bottom of page nine, commissioners. I think we can do this. I think most of the IRPS items are gonna be moved for action and then there's just the one FAB committee item. So under police services, the middle of page, middle top of page eight, item 2026-0957, all commission districts acceptance of federal forfeiture property police services. Move for action. Purchasing and contracting under IRPS item 2026-0823, cooperative agreement, bus and other transportation vehicle parts and service for use by police services to obtain equipment installation service for vehicles awarded to Monster Customs LLC amount not to exceed $156,000. Move for action. Item 2026-0829, all commission districts, a cooperative agreement for technology solutions, products and services for use by police services to obtain 160 Toughbooks and docking stations for police vehicles awarded to ProLogic ITS amount not to exceed $636,000. Move for action. Top of page nine, item 2026-0897, Change order number four to contract number 1349075, cloud solutions and services from a statewide contract for use by police services and animal enforcement services for OpenGov software supporting management of licensing and permitting functions Seeking increase in contract funds and term through September 30th, 2029. Awarded to Carasoft Technology Corp. Amount not to exceed $384,161.62. Move for action. Item 2026-0898, change order number one to contract number 200023, DeKalb County E911 call handling system for use by E911 communications to obtain emergency call handling system seeking increase in contract scope and funds awarded to AT&T Enterprises LLC amount not to exceed $1,219,732.

Move for action, and with that, Madam Presiding Officer, I move to defer items 2026, 0957, 0823, 0829, 0897, and 08984 until the June 23rd BOC with a prior stop in Earps. Thank you. If you'll hit your button. Is there a second?

Second. Seconded by Commissioner Long-Spears. No request to speak. Please open machine for the vote. And that is motion to defer carries. Let's take care of our one FAB item. Okay. Item 2026-0839. Request for proposals number 2025-048 RFP financial advisor services for use by the finance department to obtain financial advisory services in connection with various financing transactions and programs awarded to public resources advisory group amount not to exceed $1,167,000. Thank you.

Motion to defer for two weeks, and we will hear it in FAB this afternoon.

Second. We have a motion and a second. No request to speak. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. It is 12.15. Attorney Phillips, do we have executive session today? We sure do.

Yes, for litigation purposes, please.

If I can get a motion to go into executive session, it will be a working lunch. Second.

So moved. I thought she did. So moved.

It disappears sometimes. Okay. Motion passed. Commissioners, thank you. We are now in executive session and will return.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. ... ... Thank you.

Good afternoon, everybody. If I can get a motion to reconvene.

So move. Second.

All right, if we open the machine for that vote. All right, we are reconvened. There was no action to be taken out of the discussion during executive session, so we will continue through the agenda. We are on the top of page 10 of a 45-page agenda. These are ops purchasing and contracting items, item 2026-0689. Invitation number 2025 dash 073 card access installation maintenance and repair services for use by facilities management public works and roads and drainage police services public works sanitation Department of watershed management. Fire Rescue Services and the Marshal's Office to obtain installation, maintenance, and repair of all card access points at county facilities. Recommend award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidders. Southeastern Security Professionals LLC and Georgia Entry Solutions. Total amount not to exceed $858,000.

Move for action.

Thank you, ma'am. Item 2026-0791, change order number one to contract number 1330298 and 1330301. on-call electrical services for use by facilities management and fire rescue to obtain inspections, maintenance repairs, and installations of electrical systems components and equipment, seeking increase in contract funds in term through December 31st, 2026, and ratifying previous term increase awarded to GC&E Systems Group LLC and Electrical Contractor Inc. Total amount not to exceed $430,000.

Move for action.

Yes, ma'am. Item 2026-0858, statewide contract management consulting services for use by the Department of Innovation and Technology to obtain consulting services for the application portfolio rationalization project awarded to Gartner, Inc., amount not to exceed $183,000. Move for action. Top of page 11, item 2026-80869, all commission districts change order number two to contract number 125-5805, Evolve Software Corporation's SAAS project docs electronic plan review sole source for use by the Department of Innovation and Technology to be used by the Department of Planning and Sustainability to obtain the two-year purchase of Project Docs software, seeking increase in contract funds and term through August 8th, 2028, awarded to Evolve Software Corporation, amount not to exceed $268,704. Move for action. Item 2026-0894, change order number 1 to contract 1385069, DeKalb County Juvenile Justice Courtroom 2 build-out for use by the Department of Facilities Management to attain construction services for the build-out of Courtroom 2 at the Juvenile Justice Center. seeking increase in contract funds and term through December 31st, 2026, awarded to diversify construction of Georgia, amount not to exceed $75,000.

Move for action.

There's a substitute on that item?

There's a substitute on that one.

So let's pull that one out. You want to take the action on the previous ones, ma'am?

Okay. Madam Presiding Officer, I make a motion. to approve 0689, 0791, 0858, 0869 as approved in the Ops Committee.

Thank you. Second. If you'll hit your button, please. And that motion is to approve those items. Seeing no request to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to approve carries. Thank you.

And Madam, since you've already read out 0894, I make a motion to approve the substitute on 0894. And before we make that motion, can someone... I mean, second. Yeah. Hit your buttons. And if someone could explain this. Okay. If someone could explain the substitute.

Yes. So commissioners, that document is provided to correct the public information. So the original indicated this was change order number one, and this is actually change order number two.

Okay.

Okay.

Understood. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. My motion stands.

Thank you. Second stands, ma'am. Second stands. All right. Seeing no request to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to approve the substitute carries. We are now on purchasing and contracting items for the PICS Committee. Bottom of page 11, item 2026-0493, change order number one to contract number CPA 1349718, in-home services for seniors and their caregiver for use by the Department of Human Services to obtain in-home services for seniors who need assistance for their daily living. Seeking increase to contract funds and term through December 31st, 2027, awarded to Trusted Hands Senior Care LLC, amount not to exceed $1,200,000. Move for action. Thank you. Top of page 12, item 2026-0595, request for proposal number 2025-050, on-call services for small area planning for use by the Department of Planning and Sustainability to obtain as needed on-call pool of planning and engineering firms for planning services. Recommending award to the eight highest scoring proposers, Blue Cypress Consulting LLC, Kimley Horne Incorporated, Friesen Nichols Incorporated, The Collaborative Inc., Pond & Company, NEOO Development LLC, Inspire Placemaking Collective Inc., Geographic Technologies Group Inc., total amount not to exceed $1,250,000. Move for action. Item 2026-0777, invitation number 2025-165-ITB Memorial Drive corridor branding sign fabrication and gateway feature implementation for use by a community development to obtain fabrication, installation and implementation of signage and banners along Memorial Drive. Recommend award to the sole bidder who is responsive and responsible. Land Jack LLC, doing business as Fast Signs. Amount not to exceed $143,624.28. Move for action. Item 2026-0843. Commission districts 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 change order number 2 to contract number 2000464, court construction and maintenance, for use by the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Affairs to obtain as needed court construction and maintenance, seeking increase in contract funds and terms through June 12, 2027, awarded to Signature Tennis Courts, Inc., amount not to exceed $137,600. Move for action. Top of page 13, item 2026-0844, change order number one to multiple contracts, as well as a change order number two and change order number three for architectural engineering services for recreation parks and cultural affairs, fees by the Department of Recreation Parks and Cultural Affairs to obtain on-call architectural and engineering design services, Seeking increase in contract funds awarded to American Engineers, Inc., Columbia Engineering and Services, Inc., Foresight Group, LLC, Jericho Design Group, LLC, Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc., and WSP USA Environment and Infrastructure, Inc. Total amount not to exceed $3,297,250. Move for action. Yes, ma'am. Item 2026-0864, Commission Districts 3 and 6, change order number 2 to contract number 200011, pool renovations at N.H. Scott Park for use by Recreation Parks and Cultural Affairs to obtain renovation services of the pool and pool site. Seeking increase in contract term through December 31st, 2026. And ratifying previous term increase. Awarded to Summit Properties and Development Company, LLC. Contract term increase only.

Move for action. And Madam PO, I have a motion to defer agenda items ending in 0493, 0595, 0777, 0843. 0844 and 0864 with a stop at the, I'm sorry, to the June 23rd BOC with the stop impacts to be heard in committee today.

Second. Thank you for the motion and the second. Please open the machine for the vote.

Madam Presiding Officer, my screen, never mind.

It just started working for you? It just started working. It was a little tired.

Thank you, Dionne.

Missing one vote. Thank you. Motion to defer carries. We are now on purchasing and contracting for PWI, bottom of page 13, item 2026, excuse me, dash 0119, invitation number 2025-111-ITB, sanitary sewer stream crossing inspection, fee used by the Department of Watershed Management, to obtain inspection and assessments of sewer stream crossings. Recommend award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, R.K. Reeves and Associates Inc. Amount not to exceed $697,000. Move for action. Yes, sir. Top of page 14. Item 2026-0312, Commission Districts 4 and 2, Cooperative Agreement Maintenance Repair operating supplies, industrial supplies, and related products and services. Omnia partners contract number 16154 for use by the Department of Watershed Management to obtain construction services for renovations and installations at Roadhaven Warehouse and Painting at the Scott Candler Plant, awarded to the Home Depot, Inc. Total amount not to exceed $1,166,690.27. Move for action. Item 2026-0691, change order number six to contract number 1325127, change order number five to contract number 1325124, and change order number four to contract number 1325126, landscape maintenance services for public grounds, annual contract with two options to renew, fees by facilities management, public works, sanitation, recreation, parks, and cultural affairs, To obtain landscape maintenance services for the county's public grounds seeking increase in contract funds and term through December 31st 2026 awarded to artscape Inc the Simmons group and let us love your lawn total amount not to exceed eight hundred sixty seven thousand and ten dollars move fraction item twenty twenty six dash zero seven nine nine change order number seven contract number one one two four four zero three teledyne isco training and support equipment software and licenses parts and related system components for sanitary sewer flow monitoring fees for the department watershed management to install and maintain equipment related to consent decree requirements ratifying term increase and an increase in contract funds and term through December 31st, 2026, awarded to Teledyne ISCO, a business unit of Teledyne Instruments, Inc., amount not to exceed $3 million.

Madam Presiding Officer, I apologize. We should have stopped at 0691 and done a motion to approve. So again, motion to approve 2026-0119, 0312, and 0691. Thank you. If you'll hit your button, please. My screen is frozen.

so his screen is frozen he's not allowed to hit the button but commissioner patrick wants to motion commissioner terry like the second yes there it is um commissioner long spears noted that that seems to happen after lunch i think our system is sleepy as well after lunch it's overheated it ate too much something voting machines are open Commissioners? Loading machines are open. Thank you. Motion to approve carries.

It's fine now.

It'll happen again.

I went back to that screen.

So back to item 2026-0799. I did read the whole thing. Do I need to read it again?

Actually, it's a move for action as well.

Okay, move for action. Top of page 15, item 2026-0822, Request for Proposals Number 2025-154, RFP Construction Management Services for Snapfinger Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion Phase 3A, 3C, and 3D projects multi-year contract for use by the Department of Watershed Management to provide pre-construction services, construction inspection, and other field services. Recommend award to the highest scoring proposer, excuse me, Arcadis US Inc. Total amount not to exceed $20,583,045.01.

Move for action. Madam Presiding Officer, motion to defer the following agenda items for two weeks to the June 23 BOC meeting with the prior staff at PWI and those items are 2026-0799 and 0822. Thank you. A motion and a second to defer.

Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries, middle of page 15, item 2026-0837, change order number two to contract number 2000430, roll-off and compactor service and repair for use by Public Works Sanitation to obtain repair and maintenance services to roll-off containers and self-contained trash compactors throughout the county. Seeking increase in contract funds awarded to CAR Industries of Georgia II LLC, doing business as container repair services, amount not to exceed $200,000.

Based on the recommendation of PWI, motion to approve. And I have a comment.

We have a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Terry. Commissioner Patrick, you have the floor.

Yep. Just a reminder of some of the discussion we had at PWI, which was staff was going to get back to us on commercial sanitation locations and making sure what is the responsibility of the county versus private contractors. And if we can have that come back to us, that would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Patrick. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to approve carries. Item 2026-0838, renewal of several contracts for purchase of tires including recapping and repair, exercising first renewal option through July 31st, 2027, awarded to Action Tire Company, Atlanta Commercial Tire, Best Drive Tire LLC, J&R Tire Inc., Southern Tire Mart LLC, and Next Tire Commercial Inc., total amount not to exceed $3,640,000.

Move for action.

Top of page 16.

Madam Presiding Officer, I'm going to suggest that with the 30 or so contract numbers here, there's no need to read those out. Thank you for the suggestion. You may have seen my reaction, but it was not.

Item 2026-0863, Renewal of Multiple Contracts. repair of equipment all automobiles on the road off the road vehicles motorcycles trucks trailers and motorized equipment annual contract with two options to renew exercising first renewal option through june 31st 2027 awarded to 40 vendors listed above total amount not to exceed seven million five hundred fifty thousand dollars

Move for action. Madam Presiding Officer, I'd like to make a motion to defer the following items for two weeks to the June 23rd BOC with a prior stop at PWI. Agenda item 2026-0383 and 0, excuse me, 0863. Again, these are over $3 million and they're going through the audit review process.

Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you, Commissioner Terry. For a second, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Middle of page 16, item 2026-0902, change order number four to contract numbers 1-2-5-2-3-5-6 and 1-3-2-4-8-1-3, disaster recovery and sewage cleaning services for use by the Department of Watershed Management and Facilities Management. to obtain disaster recovery cleaning services of water and sewage, seeking to increase contract funds and term through December 31st, 2026, awarded to Belfour USA Group and Will Pro Enterprises, Inc., doing business as ServPro, total amount not to exceed $1.1 million.

Motion to approve.

Motion and a second. Please open the machine for the vote to approve. Yes. Motion to approve carries. Item 2026-0927, invitation number 2025-070, indefinite quantities water, sewer, and emergency for use by the Department of Watershed Management to provide means for water and sewer infrastructure repairs, replacements, and unforeseen malfunction responses, recommend award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidders, Georgia Sewer and Storm LLC, GS Construction Inc., In-Situ Form Technologies LLC, Ruby Collins Inc., SAK Construction LLC, and SD&C Inc., total amount not to exceed $325,572,028.52.

Motion to defer two weeks to the June 23 BOC pending a prior stop at PWI. Again, this project is well over the $3 million threshold. It's over $325 million. And so Mr. Lavois Campbell's department is doing their audit review. And then as I recall, watershed management will come to us for the discussion sort of explaining how this $325 million is broken down so we can explain it to our residents when they say what's going on with our money. So motion to defer.

Thank you.

Till the June 23rd meeting with the prior stop at PWI.

Thank you for the second, Commissioner Terry. And you have requested to speak. You have a floor.

yes thank you madam chair and i know we're working on the um getting the the monitor um that's going to be an important part of this because you know 325 million is a lot and it's over multiple years so you know hopefully we can move forward with this once we get all the information back um but then like commissioner patrick said be able to track the progress you said the cip monitor yes cip monitor thank you thank you commissioner terry please open the machine for the vote

Motion to defer carries. We are now top of page 17, Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Affairs, item 2026-0940, All Commission Districts Approval of Park Pride, Inc. Contract 2026.

Motion to defer to the June 23rd BOC to be heard in PEX today.

Second. Motion and a second. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Watershed management item, item 2026-0867, all commission districts, City of Atlanta CIP payment for various quarters 2021 through 2023, fourth quarter 2025, cost $29,800,874.87. Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. Again, this item is over $3 million, so Mr. Lavois-Campbell's team is taking a look at it.

Motion to defer two weeks to the June 23rd, 2026 BOC with a prior stop at PWI.

Thank you. If you'll hit your button. Commissioner Terry, can you second this? This PWI item. Thank you. Seconded by Commissioner Terry. No request to speak. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. We're now under items for decision by the board. Middle of page 17. This is a District 1 item. Item 2024-1237, a request for the Director of Planning and Sustainability to amend the DeKalb County Nuisance Ordinance to add a closure of Chronic Nuisance Properties Ordinance Chapter. And this is in PECS.

Madam Chair, if it's all right, This one's been around a while. Let me have a conversation with a couple of our colleagues, and if I can't get any traction, I'll come back and we'll pull it by the last meeting in July.

All right. So is it acceptable then to defer to the July 14th POC with a stop in PEX, or would you like to defer? No, that's appropriate. All right. So there's a motion to defer to the July 14th POC with a stop in PEX. Excuse me.

Second. Motion and second. If you can hit your button. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Please open the scheme for the vote.

Commissioner Longspear.

Motion to defer carries. Thank you. Moving over to page 19, middle of page 19, item 2024-1239, all commission districts, an ordinance to amend the Code of DeKalb County, Georgia, as revised 1988, Chapter 18, Article 3, property maintenance to establish minimum standards for vacant property, require property owners to apply for a board of permit and for other purposes. Also a PEX item.

Motion to defer to the July 14th BOC meeting with the staff and PECS committee. Second.

Motion and a second to defer. Commissioner Patrick, you have requested a speak. You have the floor.

Thank you very much, Madam Presiding Officer and Madam Chair as well. Same concept here. Let me talk with some of our colleagues and see if I can get some traction. I will say, you know, this one does talk about minimum standards for vacant properties and applying for a board permit. I'll say that all of the good work that was done over at UPS off of Pleasantdale Road, to sort of clear up homeless encampments, clean up all the trash and debris. They literally moved across the street And that section of Pleasant Dale Road in front of the Burger King, there is just loads of trash. We've got the outreach team trying to engage with the homeless folks to get them to a better spot. Of course, as everybody knows, they have a right to refuse. But if we had an ordinance like this that says you got to put a fence up or somehow maintain your property, even if it's a vacant property, I think it would be very helpful. So commissioners, I will be reaching out to you. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Patrick. Please open the machine for the vote. That motion to defer carries. Moving to top of page 21, item 2025-0683, all commission districts to approve a resolution to address egregious littering and the illegal dumping of scrap tires. And this is an IRPS item.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. For this item, the recommendation out of committee is I move to defer this for two weeks to the June 23rd meeting with a prior stop in Earps. Second.

Move motion. Second, if y'all can hit your buttons. Commissioner Patrick, you have requested to speak.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. Commissioners, I believe central staff, Mr. Marcus Allen has sent out the most current version of the ordinance. So I hope that you guys can read up on it and then for our next ERP meeting, hopefully get a positive review on this and then bring it back to the commission. And it will save three pages on our agenda next time.

Only two, not three. It's two pages.

You've got to round up. You've got to round up. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Patrick. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. This is a district two item, bottom of page 22, item 2024-0842, resolution to review and amend the Board of Commissioners standing procedural rules, and this is an ops.

Madam Presiding Officer, while this is a district two item, it has been carried by the ops chair. Yes. So I think it's best if she'll make the motion, and I'd be happy to second since it's my item.

Okay then, I'm going to make a motion to defer this item to the June the 23rd meeting. Second.

There's a motion and a second. No request to speak. Please open the machine for that vote. Motion to defer carries. Now this one is closer to three pages. I'm sorry. It's two years old. I know. We're getting there. You guys are doing work on it, so. We're getting there. Appreciate that. Page 25, item 2026-0596, all commission districts, an ordinance to regulate the restraint and transportation of animals and for other purposes. And this is in IRPS.

Yes, so last meeting we had a really good conversation. So out of committee, I move to defer this item for two weeks to the June 23rd meeting with a prior stop in IRPS. Second. Second.

Motion and a second. Commissioner Long-Spears has requested to speak. You have the floor, ma'am.

Thank you very much. I want to thank Madam Earp's chair, Commissioner Bolton, for allowing several stakeholders to present at the last Earp's meeting. I recognize it ate a lot of your time for that meeting, but I felt that it was a very fruitful, engaging meeting dialogue with the animal advocacy stakeholders. And I believe that they really emphasized the heart of amending the existing tethering ordinance. And I just want to offer to any commissioner or anyone who has any questions or concerns about it, please feel free to reach out to me or any of those stakeholders and we'd be happy to talk you through it and address any concerns that you might have. I yield back. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Long-Spears. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Moving to the top of page 26, a district three item. Item 2026-0550 to adopt an ordinance to amend the code of DeKalb County to address public safety, vacancy, unauthorized camping, and certain public nuisance behaviors. I believe there was a substitute for this item? There was. Do we have the substitution for this one?

the next one it is i'm sorry it's coming now yes you want to go ahead and make your motion my motion is going to be to defer the substitute to the june 23rd voc meeting with a stops and stop impacts committee today second thank you so much

Okay, thank you. So the motion is to defer the substitute that is being passed out. Please open the machine for the vote, thank you. Motion to defer the substitute carries. Okay, thank you. This is a District 6 item, bottom of page 26, item 2025-0015, an ordinance to amend the Code of DeKalb County, Georgia, Chapter 16, pertaining to regulation of sound and for other purposes. There's a substitute, I think I said that.

I have a motion to defer to the July 7th BOC meeting with a stop and PEX committee on June 23rd, and that would be for to defer the substitute. Thank you. Is there a second?

Second for purposes of discussion. Thank you.

Commissioner Terry has requested. Yes, thank you. Which meeting? Hold on, Commissioner Terry. Which meeting were you deferring to?

The July 7th BOC stop and PEX on June 23rd. Okay. Go ahead, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you Madam Chair and so at the last PECS committee meeting we discussed the main policy point on this item, whether to have a plainly audible definition or have a decibel level. And so the majority of the committee was in favor of a decibel distinction. And so the red line version has basically changed it to a decibel in all of the sections that are relevant. So I look forward to presenting that further and answering any questions or concerns that the committee members might have. And that's it for that. Thank you.

Commissioner Terry, quick question. Has that been emailed to all of us, the substitute? I don't remember.

Yes, this morning it was.

Okay, thank you. Commissioner Patrick, you're good? No question?

That was my question.

That was your question. Okay. Seeing no further questions, please open the machine for the vote. Motion carries to defer the substitute. That was 015, okay. Moving to bottom of page 28, item 2025-0017, all commissioned districts, a resolution to create an electric landscape maintenance device rebate program to encourage switching from gas-powered landscape maintenance devices and for other lawful purposes, and this is PECS.

Excuse me. Motion to defer to the July 7th BOC with a stop impacts committee on July 23rd. June 23rd. June, excuse me.

Second. Please hit your buttons. Thank you. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Now we're moving to page 31, top of page 31, item 2025-1525, all commissioned districts, a resolution by the DeKalb County and Board of Commissioners establishing a DeKalb County Water Customer Bill of Rights. And this is a FAB item.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We were gonna hear this item in FAB today, but we have canceled FAB because of timing. So in order for us to have enough time to hear it in committee and come back to the full board, we will need to defer this to the July 7th BOC.

And Commissioner Terry, we were just handed a substitute, so that is to defer the substitute?

Yes, the substitute, please. Okay, thank you.

Second. We have a motion and a second to defer the substitute. Please open machine for the vote. Yes, that has been emailed. If not, he will send it to us. Thank you. All right. That carried. I don't know. Now we're going to page 32, item 2025-1787, all commissioned districts, a resolution to enhance environmental equity and sanitation practices in DeKalb County, and this is a PWI item.

Yes, move for action.

Yes, sir. Item 2026-0744, all commission districts, a resolution adjusting all DeKalb County tire tip fees to $1.

Move for action.

Item 2026.

Madam President, Officer, I'd like to make a motion to defer the following items for two weeks to the June 23rd BOC with a prior stop at WI. Agenda item 2025-1787 and 2026-0744. Second.

Okay, we have a motion and a second. Thank you, Commissioner Long-Spears for pitch hitting there. Machine is open for the vote. Motion to defer carries, thank you.

Oh, and if I could just add, as a reminder, tomorrow, no, is it next week?

Tomorrow. Tomorrow.

Tomorrow is our town hall for the Board of Commissioners to talk about the rate increases, proposed rate increases, and Commissioner Terry's idea about the dollar for tires tipping fee is probably one of the conversation points we have there. And the notion is, as has been discussed, there may be some correlation between the fact that the rate went up and the increase of illegal dumping in other parts of the county. And so we'll have that conversation and, I think, action to go with that one. So thank you, Madam.

Madam Presiding Officer, could I ask a question of Commissioner Patrick?

Yes, ma'am.

Is it being live streamed? I actually received a few questions on that.

Yes, it will be live right here. You can have your comfy chair like the rest of us have our comfy chair. But we will have staff, I believe it starts at 6.30. And the idea is we will take one of the two topics first. There will be a presentation and then there will be opportunities about half an hour or so for comments from the public. And then we'll move into the other item that we're talking about for the potential rate increase. And then again, 30 minutes worth of conversation from the public so they can let us know. Yes, no or no. Okay. Thank you so much. And thank you for asking that question. I hope we can get a full quorum. It's going to be a fun time.

Fun time. All right. We are in now middle of page 33, item 2026-0769. All commissioned districts, a resolution requesting the administration to establish independent civilian oversight and auditing for DeKalb County's digital shield initiatives and surveillance infrastructure. And this is an IRPS item.

Yes, ma'am. And we hadn't had an opportunity to discuss this. So on behalf of the IRPS committee, I move to defer this item for two weeks to the June 23rd meeting with a prior stop in IRPS.

Thank you. Hit your button. And thank you, Commissioner Davis-Johnson, for your second. Please open that machine for the vote. Commissioner Terry, thank you. Motion to defer carries. Bottom of page 33, under Chief Executive Office, item 2026-0860, to amend the fiscal year 2026 annual budget and appropriate capital funding for various items. And this is a FAB.

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. This was heard in FAB and recommended for approval. So this time I motion to approve item 0860.

Second. Thank you. That motion is to approve. No request to speak. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to approve carries. We are now on page 34, Fire and Rescue Services, item 2026-0903, Commission Districts 4, 5, 6, and 7, Fire Stations 16 and 27, Street Lighting Lease Agreement.

I move to approve item 20260903.

I have a second for Commissioner Davis-Johnson. No request to speak. Please open the machine. Motion to approve carries. We are now middle of page 34, Public Works and Roads and Drainage, item 2026-0587. All commissioned districts propose stormwater utility fee increase, and this is in PWI.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. Motion, excuse me, move for action.

Move for action, yes, sir. Top of page 35, item 2026-0930, all commission districts, sanitation department increase of commercial and residential service fees, landfill and transfer station tipping fees.

Move for action. And I'd like to make a motion, Madam Presiding Officer, to defer the following items for two weeks with a stop at, well, defer for two weeks to the June 23rd BOC meeting with a prior stop at PWI. Agenda item 2026-0587 and 2026-0930. And again, a reminder that we're gonna have a town hall tomorrow night to talk about both of these items, proposed items that the administration is coming to us for.

Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Terry.

Commissioner Long-Spears, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. Officer, through you to Commissioner Patrick or COO Williams, is there any time sensitivity to either of these items? Yes.

I think the time sensitivity relates to being able to get it onto the bill. For both?

For both items. Okay, for both items. That's correct. So what is the deadline date, if you will?

We need to provide something to the tax commissioner by July 7th.

At the same time we vote on the military? Yes.

Okay. Yes. Thank you. That's the drop dead for all those things.

Understood. Thank you so much. Yield back. Thank you, Commissioner Long-Spears. Please open the machine for the vote on that deferral. Motion to defer carries. Middle of page 35, Public Works and Transportation. Item 2026-0891, Commission Districts 2 and 6. Indication of roundabout support at SR 8 Ponce de Leon Avenue Northeast at East Lake Road Northeast and SR 8 Ponce de Leon Avenue Northeast at West Ponce de Leon Avenue and North Parkwood Road, G.PI number 0015682. Move for action. Yes, sir. Item 2026-0895, Commission Districts 2 and 6, indication of roundabout support at SR 155 Claremont Road and Rosecliff Drive, G.PI 0015956.

Move for action. Madam Presiding Officer, I'd like to make a motion to approve the following items, 2026-0891 and 2026-0895, as approved in committee.

Thank you. Seconded by Commissioner Terry, thank you. Please open the machine for the vote. A motion to approve carries. We are now on page 36. Purchasing and contracting for IRP's committee. Item 2026-0303. Change order number one to contract number 2000432. self-contained breathing apparatus purchase, repair, and maintenance for use by the Department of Fire Rescue Services. This contract consists of the purchase, repair, maintenance, and management of the county's SCBA equipment. This request seeks to ratify a previously provided contract term increase. This request also seeks to increase the contract funds and term through October 30th, 2026. awarded to MES Service Company LLC, amount not to exceed $80,000. Move for action. Yes, ma'am. Item 2026-0687, change order number 4 to contract number 1210840, inspection, care, and maintenance and cleaning of personal protective equipment for use by the Department of Fire Rescue to obtain inspection, care, maintenance, and cleaning of personal protective equipment. ratifying term increase and an increase in contract funds term through October 27th, 2026 awarded to North America Fire Equipment Company Inc. amount not to exceed $75,000.

Move for action. With that, I move to approve items 20260303 and 20260687. Thank you. Is there a second?

Thank you, Commissioner Davis-Johnson. Please open the machine for the vote. The motion to approve carries. We are now top of page 37 for Purchasing and Contracting, FAB Committee Item. Item 2026-0693, change order number two to contract number 1310425, Financial Advisory Services for use by the Department of Finance. This contract consists of providing financial advisory services and acting as the county's municipal advisor. This request seeks to increase the contract scope and extend the contract term through December 31st, 2026. Recommend award to Public Financial Management, Inc., doing business as PFM Financial Advisors, LLC, contract term extension only.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We did discuss this in the FAB Committee. I did have a question for Zach or Diane, but just for purposes of discussion, I'll move to approve this item.

Okay, can I get a second?

Second for purposes of discussion. Thank you.

Commissioner Terry, you have a floor.

Thank you. Director McNabb, so for PFM and the contract term extension, we discussed that this was mainly for them to complete the banking RFP.

That's primarily the purpose that we're aware of at this point. But if anything comes up between now and the time we award the new contract, they would be engaged to move forward with those services, too.

Okay. And if PFN was able to complete the banking RFP before December 31st, would we just end the contract then?

Normally, we would just let it expire.

Just let it expire, okay. Does the contract, do we pay them just a retainer every month?

Yes, we do.

Okay. Would y'all be willing, and this is just to have flexibility, could we just do it a month-to-month contract? So if they do complete their work early, we just, you know, we've done.

That's fine with me if it's okay with purchasing. We'd have to change the contract to monthly. Okay.

My second stands with that friendly amendment.

But there's no problem with that. No problem.

Okay. All right. So I'll just, um, uh, make an amendment, change my, amend my motion, uh, to approving, uh, the contract with PFM, um, to be a month to month contract. And then, you know, we'll let y'all work out whenever they're, they're done.

Great with me. But so long as we don't have to bring it back every month.

No, no. Yeah. It's basically month to month. And when their work is done, you can end it and then we'll be finished.

My second stands and I thank you. Apologies. All right. My second stands. Commissioner Terry, I just want to make sure I'm clear on what you're suggesting. So you have asked CFO McNabb if we could just go month to month, but maintain the sunset of this particular contract through December 31st, 2026. Is that correct? You want to go month by month?

Yes.

With this still expiring on December 31, 2026?

Yes, with the expectation that if they complete the banking RFP before that time, whatever that month is, then the contract will end that month.

That's fine. Well, let me back up. So long as we don't have any new engagements that we've had to enter into since then. Okay. Yeah, that's fine. Okay.

Okay, so this is what I'm just trying to make sure happens and maybe you can offer some assurances. So if we do proceed with the plan that we just mapped out, we'll go through the end of the year, but it'd be month by month. Say for example, we get to October and all of the projects have been, I mean, whoever we go with next, but have completed for this contract, which is with PFM. what assurances do we have or i just need you to assure me that we don't continue paying them their retainer for the month of november and december if they're not providing any services at that point in time that would be my expectation certainly so i'll make sure that that's what happens okay so you would monitor that yourself okay fantastic all right yield back thank you thank you commissioner davis johnson

I guess my question is for the county attorney and that is to, they said it, well, I was heard that if it's month to month, we wouldn't have to come back every month for an approval. Is that correct?

That's the express authorization being offered as I understood the motion.

Oh, okay. So we wouldn't have to do that? You would not.

Commissioner Terry is pretty clear he's authorizing that in this motion.

Okay. And so this contract provides financial advisory services and acting as the county attorney's, of the county's municipal advisor. So if a contract is not renewed one month, and we need financial advisory that next month, how does that work?

What I've heard described, Commissioner, is the Chief Financial Officer, Ms. McNabb, is going to monitor this process. We have two possibilities. We will complete the competitive procurement process and have an opportunity to transition to a new financial advisor, be it PFM or another one. We would go to the new contract is the best way to think of it. and we would end at the end of the month the current contract with PFM. The only caveat is if we engage some function where PFM is handling a matter for us, we would allow them to complete that matter before we ended the current contract.

Fair. That's absolutely correct. Once we've got, once we all have voted on the new contract, then the old contract will only extend to the completion of whatever services. They will not be assigned new projects.

Okay. And that would be at the same rate that they're receiving now?

Yes, ma'am.

Commissioner, the way that a month-to-month works, all of the terms and conditions in the written contract will remain the same. The only thing we're doing is saying that it will continue every month with the county's chief financial officer monitoring if we can end it before the end of the term that's being discussed. Okay.

Okay. Thank you.

You yield, Commissioner Davis-Johnson. Okay. Thank you. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to approve carries. And Commissioner Terry, just to confirm, you did say we are canceling FAB today, correct? Okay. Yes. Next, we are purchasing and contracting for the Ops Committee, item 2026-0771. Change order number nine to contract number 1000846, public sector agreement for Oracle Cloud Services for use by the Department of Innovation and Technology to obtain ongoing support and maintenance of all products and services for the county's Oracle Cloud Service platform Seeks to increase the contract funds and term through December 31st, 2029. Amount not to exceed $13,093,995.76. Okay. I make a motion to defer this item to the June the 24th meeting with a stop in ops. This agenda item is still in audit. Thank you, ma'am. If you'll hit your button. And is there a second? Second. Thank you. If you'll hit your button. And please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Moving to top of page 38, item 2026-0781, change order number three to contract numbers 1309686 and 1309666, on-call roof maintenance, repair, and replacement services. for use by the Department of Facilities Management, Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Affairs, Watershed Management, and Fire Rescue to obtain roof maintenance, repair, and replacement services at county-owned facilities, seeking to utilize SPLOST II funds for the roof replacement and repairs at North DeKalb Comprehensive Health Center, East DeKalb Health Center, E.L. Richardson Health Building, T.O. Vincent Health Center, DeKalb Crisis Center, Kirkwood Mental Health, Fox Recovery, and Clifton Springs Health Center. Awarded to Hawk Construction Company, LLC, and National Building Contractors, Inc. Total amount not to exceed $3,736,514.10.

I make a motion to approve 260781. It was supported by audit and recommended out of the Ops Committee.

Thank you. If you hit your button. Second. Thank you, ma'am. Commissioner Longspear, do you have a question?

Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. So my question, I believe, is best directed to Mr. Williams. This is a splossed to proposed expenditure of $3.7 million out of the 15 million dollars in sploss 2 and that would be category d2 is that right sir uh yes i can't quote the category but yes out of the health public health and health facilities yes okay so two questions um how much is remaining of sploss two in this slide item is question one question two is um two million left in this line item approximately yes ma'am okay thank you let me make a note um and then my second question is what is the timeline for some of these repairs there's a few of them i know that are pretty egregious that really need to be done sooner than later yeah thank you for asking that commissioner

um we're moving as quickly as possible with with all of these items um as a matter of fact this is kind of a companion item that you've approved a couple weeks ago so as quickly as we can get this these funds allocated to these contracts we have you know work being done so hopefully over the summer oh so this year

HVAC has already started. We approved that a few months ago, a few weeks ago. We have a few more that will come before for other items.

All right. But this year? This year. Oh, fantastic.

As quick as possible.

Well, I know some of these stakeholders will be very pleased.

They will be happy to hear that. And then we've been working in conjunction with them.

All right. Thank you. Yield back. Thank you, Commissioner Long-Spears. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to approve the substitute. I mean, sorry, I'm looking at a sub. A motion to approve carries. The next item has a substitute, and this is from the PECS Committee. Item 2026-0457, change order number five to contract number 1226949, meal services for seniors for use by the Department of Human Services to obtain congregate and self- shelf stable mills for seniors seeking a contractor term increase through October 31st, 2027 and ratification of a previously provided contract term increase awarded to Mills on Wills Atlanta Inc. contract term increase only.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. Motion to approve 0457. This is the substitute, and if we can get a second, I would ask staff to come up here and just remind us what is the substitute.

Second. Thank you, Commissioner Longspares. Mr. Williams, if you could explain what is different in the substitute, or if somebody can, and then also a reminder on all these substitutes that... We need to get a copy of the substitutes over to central staff so they can complete their minutes.

We need to approve the substitute. Yes, he says substitute.

Yes, thank you. Go ahead.

So the substitute you have in front of you is to make sure you have accurate information. So it is correcting the current contract term expiration, which at the bottom is June 2026. And also the documentation from the user department that was also updated to align with that as well.

Thank you, ma'am.

Perfect. Okay, my motion stands.

Okay, Commissioner Longspears, you had a question on that?

Yes, ma'am. Director Butler, I apologize. You said that the contract expiration in the substitute is what?

June 30th, 2026. So you'll find that information in the additional information section of the agenda item. It's usually at the bottom of...

It's on top of the... Okay, I found it. So the...

And so it looks like it's set to expire October 31st. Is that correct?

June 30th.

Was the original expiration?

The original expiration was April. And so that is also why you have ratification language in there. So we're making sure that you have the documentation to show you have an active contract to even talk about.

Understood. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Commissioner Terry.

Yes. In the user department recommendation, it says through December 31st. Is it going to be December 31st or October 31st?

I'm sorry, Commissioner. So the information that's in that little blurb talking about October, that is the future looking at request that they would like to extend the contract through October 2026. You have a substitute because the information you were originally provided had the wrong expiration date in the information section and on the user department document.

Okay.

So the request is to ratify the June expiration and to also ask for your permission to move to extend the contract through October of this year.

Okay. But the user department recommendation says the human service department recommends a six month extension through December 31st, 2026. I just want to, is there any issue with it?

user department asking for the end of the year versus october uh i don't want to miss anything just in case let me check on that but if the user department document is asking for december then we'll defer to that because they're the ones who have the need and then we'll get you a substitute that actually aligns with the user department's request so should we hold this We're going to get you a revised substitute document that is in alignment with the user department's request.

Okay, so if I motion to defer for two weeks?

If you could, because this is the Meals on Wheels, so this is servicing the seniors, we will work on that correction while we're here today, and we'll make sure that you get the corrected documents. So if you could not defer that, we'll make sure you get the correct documents.

So a motion to approve the substitute would still be accurate?

yes could we table this till the end so we get the can you guys get us the corrected documentation and when we bring it back off the table we can move forward with that yes okay so i would like to change my motion to a motion to table until the end of the meeting the substitute the substitute second thank you so the new motion is the table please open the machine for the vote and make sure i don't forget to bring that back up thank you that motion to table carries thank you

Top of page 39, item 2026-0487, invitation bid number 2025-134ITB, Landscape Maintenance Services for County Parks for use by the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Affairs, consists of providing landscape maintenance services for county parks, recommend award to the most responsive and responsible bidders, The Simmons Group LLC, Grand Landscapes LLC, and Universal Landscaping Services LLC, total amount not to exceed $573,576.

Based on the recommendation of PECS, motion to approve.

Thank you. Second. Hit your buttons, please. Thank you. Seeing no requests to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to approve carries. Middle of page 39, these are purchasing and contracting for the PWI Committee. Item 2025-1800, change order number two to contract numbers 1335341, 1335342, 5468, 5409, and change order number three to contract number 1335343, pond maintenance services for use by public works, roads, and drainage. These contracts consist of cutting, cleaning, and spraying, and repair, maintenance of stormwater retention and detention ponds. This request seeks to increase the contract term and funds for all awarded contracts through June 30th, 2027. Awarded to KSK Landscaping Inc., ASAP Landscape Management Group, LLC, Mariani Enterprises, LLC, Doing business as Ed Castro Landscape, Executive Realty Solutions, Inc., and Phillips Lawn Care and Services, LLC. Total amount not to exceed $2.9 million.

Move for action.

Yes, sir. Top of page 40. Item 2026-0317. Renewal of contract number 2000217, electrical switchgear inspections and repair for use by the Department of Watershed Management. The contract consists of providing inspection and repair of switchgear equipment at water and wastewater treatment plants. This request seeks... to exercise the first renewal option through March 31st, 2027. This request also seeks to ratify a previously provided 60-day contract term increase awarded to Brown Electrical Services LLC amount not to exceed $300,000. Move for action. Middle of page 40, item 2026-0423, renewal of contract numbers 2000219 and 220, engine and generator maintenance and repair services for use by the Department of Watershed Management and Facilities Management to obtain services for maintenance and repair of engines and generators in multiple locations throughout the county, seeking to exercise the first renewal option through May 4th, 2027, and to ratify a previously provided term increase awarded to Power and Energy Services, Inc., and Generator Maintenance of Georgia, doing business as Sage Properties, LLC, total amount not to exceed $1.4 million. Move for action. top of page 41 item 2026-0455 change order number two to contract number one two eight four two seven five sanitary sewer easement cleaning for use by the department watershed management to attain services for clearing vegetation along the county sanitary sewer system easements seeking increase in contract funds awarded to total outdoor llc amount not to exceed 1.8 million dollars move fraction Item 2026-0456, change order number two to CPA number 1324317, rental of various heavy equipment for use by the Department of Watershed Management, Public Works Roads and Drainage, and Public Works Sanitation to obtain equipment through rental of various heavy equipment to support ongoing operations and emergency response efforts seeking to increase contract funds awarded to Sunbelt Rentals, Inc. amount not to exceed $900,000.

Move for action. Madam Presiding Officer, I make a motion to approve the following items, 2025-1800, 2026-0317, 2026-0423, 2026-0455, and 2026-0456.

Thank you. Is there a second? Thank you, Commissioner Terry. Please open the machine for the vote. the motion to approve carries we do have a substitute for this next item top of page 42 item 2026-0477 invitation number 2025-123 itp right-of-way mowing and maintenance services for use by public works sanitation and beautification to obtain mowing and lawn maintenance services at various right-of-way locations Reserves the right to transfer funds between contracts based on the needs of the county. Recommend awards to the lowest responsive and responsible bidders. Reimage General Contractors and Russell Landscape LLC. Total amount not to exceed $835,980.

Yes, Madam Presiding Officer. I make a motion to approve the substitute for this item. And then if I could ask staff... to come explain the differences. And I should note that staff was also good enough to prepare a GIS map for each one of the commissioners where it mapped out specific items. But Director McKinney, if you could walk us through.

And the second by Commissioner Terry. Director McKinney.

absolutely good evening madam chair committee members how the difference works once you start looking at um the streets and everything that we're covered that we provided previously um committee members wanted to add some streets in their areas to ensure they were clean and included so we added we you all provided those the list to us we added them in through our gis and put them on our list so what you're seeing is a substitution include those areas one update uh from staff is that uh Commissioner Terry, three of the four streets you asked to be included was already not contracted in the area. As well, Commissioner Patrick, all areas that you provided were included except some private streets that we don't provide services. Understood. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Director. So we've made our motion, and the Director has made the pitch. Madam Presiding Officer.

Thank you. Commissioner Terry has requested to speak.

Thank you, Director McKinney, for just clarifying that. So were they on a different contract, or I just didn't, I must have missed them?

The understanding I got was once we purged everything cross by cross, those three of those streets were already in some contracted areas. So I can get those information specifically for you as soon as possible.

Okay. Okay, and can you, I don't think I saw the final map. Did you already email the final map? The GIS or just the listing? The GIS map.

GIS, no.

We can get that to you right away. Okay. Send the most recent one. Absolutely. Because I was looking at that map and they weren't on there, but I think maybe you clarified that. And then I had just one other question about La Vista Road. I think that's a GDOT road. Is that correct? La Vista Road. um that is it's been confirmed yes it's g dots yes okay um and commissioner patrick i think in some of the roads where i guess like we're not doing g dot right we're gonna let we ask g dot to clean those roads yes okay can we put a request in at um north sherwood hills and la vista westbound towards houston mill they have those little like french fries you know to prevent people from turning left and basically the french fries have all been like knocked over and there's just like weeds growing in it like they just need to like clean it up okay so i don't know if we can i've been i've been meaning to mention that but i don't want to forget because it's been that way for a year and it just looks really crappy absolutely so they just need to like vacuum up the leaves and replace a few french fries and remember remember staff already recording that information to make sure that happens all right thank you

Thank you, Commissioner Terry. And I just want to shout out our central staff for always thinking about us and knowing when we need a little extra sugar, so we appreciate y'all. Commissioner Long-Spears, you have the floor.

Thank you very much. From Madam PO to Commissioner Patrick, we have some additions from District 2 that did not make the list. And so would it be possible for us to follow up by end of week with a few other locations?

Yes. Yes. However, time is of essence. Understood. This contract really needs to be expedited because we're using the existing staff to approach into the contracted area. So we would do everything humanly possible, provide them to us right away, and make it happen.

Should I send it to you directly?

Absolutely. Expediency.

OK.

Question to help with what you just asked. If she does need to add something, is it possible just to amend the contract later and move forward with what we have so as not to slow up progress?

right what we're i was just talking to the uh um purchasing director trying to figure out what do we do about the money if there's an increased cost so i'm you know i guess we could build in a little flexibility uh to accommodate what you're uh discussing commissioner long spears but otherwise we would have to come back if we have to add more money so i don't know if we you know can add another 20 000 or something like that on the contract to try to cover him

Yeah, just trying to make sure she's covered, but we can move forward. Thank you. I didn't mean to impede. I just wanted to help.

No problem. Thank you. Could we instead just do total amount not to exceed $740,000, which would be a little about roughly. No, the.

I'm sorry.

I'm on the wrong one. Okay. So $855,000, would that be acceptable to the administration? Yes, that's fine. Fantastic. All right.

Is that your friendly amendment?

Yes, please. Okay. If Commissioner Patrick would consider that.

So just for clarity, so we had a GIS map that had proposed areas or what existing was going to be done under the contract that was originally submitted to us. commissioners have had opportunities to add additional items to the map. Commissioner Spears is asking for a little more time to be able to add additional things to the map, and then that's the rationale that you have for bumping it up 20,000 to cover that potential delta that might be there. And then if that exceeds even what the 20,000 is, then... Director McKinney will come back to us and ask for additional funds.

I don't want to slow the progress up. We just have a couple of other locations we need to convert.