Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Good morning everybody and welcome to the August 11th Board of Commissioners meeting. I am Presiding Officer and District 4 Commissioner Shakira Johnson. Welcome back. We have been on recess. I hope all my fellow commissioners got some time off and got a little refreshed. We have a shorter agenda today so hopefully it won't be too bad. We will start with our inspirational speaker, Ms. Amaria Brown, if you'll start making your way to this front podium, and I'll read your introduction. Good morning, ma'am. I am pleased to introduce Ms. Amaria Brown, whom I've had the pleasure of meeting at the DeKalb Juvenile Justice Council's A Decade of Dedication Gala. The event was a wonderful celebration of youth achievement, community impact, and the council's longstanding commitment to creating opportunities for young people across DeKalb County. It was especially meaningful to see students recognized for their accomplishments and scholarship recipients, celebrated for their dedication and promise. Meeting Ms. Amaria at this event was an opportunity to connect with one of the young people who represents the potential and future of our community. As part of my continued commitment to youth development and positive outcomes for young people, I was proud to commit $10,000 in funding to DeKalb Juvenile Justice Council. I'm also pleased to welcome Ms. Maria Brown before the board today and look forward to recognizing her and the accomplishments that brought her here. Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning, everyone. Good morning. My name is Amaria. I am 19, and I'm enrolled at Shears Beauty Institute to be a master cosmetologist, and I'm honored to be here this morning. I'll be honest, when they first asked me to speak, I said yes, and then I immediately wondered why I said yes. But I'm here, so bear with me as I give a little bit of my story and why the IOP program means so much to young people like me. I entered foster care at 16 and I didn't meet my foster parents until I was 17. Before that, my life was, let's just say, unpredictable. Growing up, I moved around a lot, and there were times when housing wasn't secure, and I didn't know where I'd be sleeping or when my next meal would be coming. And when you grow up like that, you learn to survive. But you don't always get the chance to breathe, to plan, or to imagine a future for yourself. Some people grow up planning for college, and I was just trying to plan for tomorrow. That started to change when I met my foster parents. It felt like for the first time I could breathe. They gave me something I wasn't used to, security and clarity. And they showed me what a stable home feels like, what support looks like, and what it means to have parents who truly care about you. Simple things like asking how my day was became big things. And honestly, some of my favorite memories are just us laughing in the kitchen, nothing fancy, just real moments. that made me feel like I finally belong somewhere. Then I joined Bill Root's IOP program, and that's when I really started learning how to build a life for myself, not just survive one. IOP didn't just hand me resources, it gave me direction and it gave me structure. I've learned real life skills like budgeting, and let me tell you, that was not a skill I wanted to learn. I definitely needed it. They taught me how to manage money, how to set goals, how to advocate for myself, and how to prepare for the future I want. And also give me people who believed in me, even on the days when I truly didn't believe in myself. They help me with housing, transportation, education, and all the things young adults need, but don't always know how to navigate. And trust me, navigating adulthood is a whole different journey after high school. Nobody tells you how expensive groceries are until you're standing in the checkout line rethinking your life. But the biggest thing IOP gave me was confidence. Confidence that I can create stability for myself. Confidence that my past doesn't define my future. Confidence that I am capable of building the life I want. And programs like this matter because foster youth don't just need a roof over our head. We need guidance, support, and people who believe in us even when we're still learning to. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Maria. If you'll stay, I'll give you a pin a little bit later. Such inspiring words. Next, we'll have Pledge of Allegiance. Commissioner Marita Davis-Johnson will be joining us later. Dr. Bolton has decided to volunteer to step in, and then we'll go to the floor for 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 you'll join me on the floor for some proclamations

Good morning, everybody. How are y'all doing this morning?

Good morning.

Well, that was a strong good morning. Thank you very much for doing that. I'm still catching up from our few days off that we've had. We have a couple of important people here today. I want to say that my notes are not ready because the internet's not working. But Sarf, please come on down. And if you don't mind, first of all, yes. Yeah, nice to meet you, too. So my notes are not ready, so I'm just going to wing it. But I am going to say, first and foremost, you're a District 1 DeKalb County resident. And we are grateful for you, first of all, choosing, and your family choosing, DeKalb County, the greatest county in all of the Americas. I also want to say that it is super impressive. I can tell you that I can remember being in Canada taking spelling tests and in America taking spelling tests, and I never once got better than 80. So I'm instantly jealous of you and impressed. That's very impressive. Thank you. How old are you?

I'm 12.

12 years old. Yes. And you're smarter than a 55-year-old. That's great. That's great. That's great. Well, listen, it is with great honor to have you here today. What you've done is an amazing accomplishment at such a young age, and I hope that this is only the beginning for you. As you can see, you've got the entire Board of Commissioners here. I know that our CEO is watching online as well. I also want to acknowledge, if you don't mind, Principal Amy Hoytel. Amy, come on up. The benefits of a good education also involve a good principal, good teachers, good parents that are there to help and motivate you. So you are truly something that everyone else can aspire to. Do better, be better. Thank you, sir. Ms. Barbara, if you would, could you read in the proclamation? Yes.

Whereas DeKalb County is proud to recognize young people whose dedication to learning, perseverance, and achievement inspire their schools and communities. And whereas Sarv Dharane, a seventh grade student at Peachtree Charter Middle School in Dunwoody, has distinguished himself as an exceptional scholar and competitor, winning multiple Georgia State Spelling Bee for three consecutive years. And whereas Sarve has represented Georgia at the Scripps National Spelling Bee three times, placing 22nd in 2024 and earning third place in both 2025 and 2026. At the 2026 competition in Washington, DC, Sarve outlasted 245 other state and local champions to become the third best speller in the nation, repeating his remarkable third place finish from the previous year. Whereas, Sarve accomplishments extend beyond spelling. In 2024, he earned first place in the Georgia State Technology Fair and continues to explore his passion for mathematics, coding, technology, and innovation. He also enjoys reading, playing basketball, soccer, and swimming, performing clarinet with his school band, and playing piano. And whereas Sarve hopes to become an entrepreneur or scientist, using his curiosity and creativity to build and innovate the future. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that on this 11th day of August, 2026, I, Commissioner Robert Patrick, along with the governing authority of DeKalb County, Do hereby recognize Sarv for his outstanding academic achievements and remarkable performance at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee and congratulate him on being one of the nation's finest young scholars. Absolutely.

Thank you.

Thank you so much. Come on up.

Good morning, everyone.

Good morning.

I cannot be more grateful for the appreciation everyone has given me today. So I'd just like to say a few thank yous. First, I'd like to thank the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners for organizing this event. Next, I'd like to thank my school, Peachtree Middle, its teachers, and its fine principal. I'd also like to thank my home city of Dunwoody, the people of DeKalb itself. my state of Georgia, and my sponsor for the 2026 International Spelling Bee, the Georgia Association of Educators. Thank you all for supporting me throughout my spelling bee journey. Thank you.

Mom and dad, if you'd come on over. We have time for a quick photo. Yes, we do. Can you spell a word? Oh, we did have a word spell.

Serendipitous. Give me one second. What was the word that you wrote?

What was your winning word? What was your hardest word? Kato hadachou.

So that was hard for you? Okay, spell it.

No, no, it was the hardest. For other people.

Okay.

I'm going to test my ability to say words that I've never seen before in my life and then ask you if you can spell it. Silate?

Yes. Okay. Silate. P-S-I-L-A-T-E. Silate.

Just in case you didn't know, it's an adjective lacking ornamentation used, especially of pollen grain walls. So thank you, Sarv. Thank you. You've made us better people. Let's get a photo.

There's four more words on there. Yeah, I can't pronounce those.

Reclamation. Okay, so if any of y'all out there are Gen Xers, you will remember WWF Wrestling Night, Hulk Hogan, Mean Gene Oglin. The next person I want to call down is Larry Schleifung. Come on down, please. While Larry is making his way down, I wanna say that Larry is the person who has represented District 1, I believe, for 21 years. Come on down there. At the AAB Advisory Board. That's the Airport Advisory Board. He is an engineer, a pilot. He owns some really cool cars. He's a generally good guy, and he likes Mexican food at La Botana in Chamblee off of Savoy Road, in case you're interested. I think Larry is such an extraordinary individual that I got him a wrestling belt for how impressive he is. Again, I've known Larry, and I have to give full credit to my predecessor, Nancy Jester. She was the person, I believe, who had appointed you initially, is that right?

No, Elaine Boyer.

Elaine Boyer, pardon me. I've never actually met Elaine before. But thank you for your service. Thank you for your knowledge, your expertise. I appreciate your updates when you send them to us. Just in case anyone forgot, there were just over 2,000 noise complaints at PDK last month. and about 1,000 of them came from one person. And then three people accounted for 1,600, I think it was. Five people. Five people, pardon me. But Larry provides a lot of information, a lot of understanding about the airport, even as a city planner coming into this job. For all the things I knew, I knew nothing about airports except they were cool and my kids liked watching them take off at the park. But Larry has really given me an insight on sort of some of the Politics and drama that happened back there some of the realities that you know we do want to have an airport that is Growing, but we also want to acknowledge the small propeller Operators that are there who are sort of the mainstay, but the economy goes up or down, but you guys are always there So thank you very much I'm gonna ask miss Barbara to read the proclamation if she's ready, and then I'll have you have a few words, okay?

Whereas Larry shine flu has demonstrated a lifelong passion for aviation as a pilot aircraft owner and dedicated advocate for the safety, accessibility, and success of the cap history airport. And whereas since his appointment to the PDK airport advisory board in July, 2005, He has provided more than two decades of volunteer service serving under multiple district one commissioners and contributing his aviation knowledge and experience to DeKalb County. And whereas Mr. Sean flu has served as chair and vice chair of the airport advisory board, helping strengthen board participation, meeting effectiveness, public engagement, and informed guidance on matters affecting PDK airport. And whereas through his service, Mr. Scheinfluh has contributed to major airport initiatives, including the PDK Airport Master Plan, construction of tea hangers, development of airport rules and minimum standards, along with review of lease agreements and landing fee discussions. Whereas he has consistently fostered constructive dialogue among airport officials, pilots, airport users, and the surrounding community, helping promote greater understanding, transparency, and respect. Whereas his commitment to aviation public service and the future PDK airport has made a lasting contribution to DeKalb County. reflecting the highest ideals of civic engagement and community stewardship. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that on this 11th day of August 2026, I, Commissioner Robert Patrick, along with the governing authority of DeKalb County, do hereby recognize him for his exceptional years of service to aviation and the PDK Airport community, and extend our sincere appreciation for his dedication, leadership, and commitment to DeKalb County.

Well, thank you, Commissioner Patrick. I really enjoy working with you and all the previous county commissioners as well. It's been a real honor to serve on the PDK Airport Advisory Board, working with four other airport directors. As mentioned, aviation is my passion, even though my professional career, I was an engineer. But my main goal is to make PDK a safe place. And And so far, we're doing a really great job over there. So I don't know what to say. I'm beyond words. I mean, this is quite a surprise. But I appreciate... Raise it up.

Well, we're going to get a photo with you raising it up. Oh, okay. All right.

Hold on, hold on, hold on.

But I really do appreciate the recognition. This really came out of the blue. I just enjoy public service, started in the military, serving my nation, and it's carried over into my personal life, being after the military, still continuing my public service to the community. So thank you very much. I appreciate the honor, and quite a surprise. Thank you.

Just one thing. Let's do the clap. So Larry is very tenacious, and I had asked Hunter, the airport director, Hunter Hines, to do some research discreetly, get me a bio on you so that we could put something together. And he reached out, and then all of a sudden you're like, hey, why is Hunter calling me? why is hunter asking all these questions about me what's going on i was like i don't know hunter you know he's a he's a good guy but i don't keep up with him you know he's his own man but um but that's what was going on in the background and uh again larry truly you know um i'm grateful for your knowledge grateful for your service um you don't pay attention to party labels You pay attention to what matters, which is keeping people safe. That's right. Keeping DeKalb County running, and I am truly grateful as a commissioner. Even when I was a first-year commissioner, sort of learning everything at once, I truly am grateful. So thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. Okay. If we can move this out of the way, Zach. All right. Then, Larry, you do have to hold it.

Thank you.

Sar, if you and your family come up, we'd love to pin you. And Ms. Amaria, if you're still here, we'd love to pin you as well.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right.

Yeah, these are thank you

Thank you. Okay.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you everybody. So now we'll go into comments from the public. Ms. Madam clerk, if you will read in the instructions.

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 turn into 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 comments 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 shall 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. Do we have any left over from the last meeting?

Yes, we do. Quite a few. Steven Benny.

Good morning, Mr. Benny.

Good morning, commissioners. During the last OPS meeting, which was very scary in its efforts to put limitations on public comments and submitting bills to the county agenda, Ms. Davis Johnson, who isn't here today, whom I rarely agree with in talking about the length of commission meetings, stated that it is not the process that is the problem. It is the people. I agree wholeheartedly and ask why you are spending the majority of your time on changing the process and very little time on the people part. Previous changes to the agenda have not helped to shorten meetings because commissioners are acting like schoolyard bullies and talking past and over one another like children, fighting over who gets to claim credit. It is embarrassing to witness. I do not understand why the millage rate of unincorporated DeKalb County was raised half a mill but the millage rate of incorporated DeKalb County was not. Everyone in DeKalb County uses a majority of its services. However, a little research shows that at least five of the seven commissioners live in incorporated DeKalb County, so they will not be paying the increased tax rate. Coincidence? Where is the fairness in that, Mr. Patrick? Mr. Patrick used the CPI increase of 39% since 2015 as a reason for why we needed to raise the millage rate. Was that one of your bad jokes again? The budget of DeKalb County has increased 73% over that same time period, nearly twice that of the CPI. Ms. Davis Johnson, I am the person who used the term sharecropper last month. If your relatives at one time were sharecroppers, then hopefully you have an understanding of the hard circumstances that they lived under. But you seem to fail to see how residents of South DeKalb are being abused through unincorporated millage rate raises, aggressive e-host taxes, and undisclosed data centers being built. You have a tendency to say that you know what is right for your constituents. Do you believe that this current unfair tax system is best for them? If you do, you have become a part of the problem and have stopped being a part of the solution. Miss Messiah, last month you said that if Mr. Terry introduced a resolution to ban data centers, you would second it. If you are so eager to ban data centers, why don't you introduce the resolution yourself? The commission as a whole seemed to wash their hands like Pontius Pilate of this data center affair, giving influence to the CEO and her staff. to suggest rules and regulations for data centers which will allow commissioners to absolve themselves of responsibility or blame when regulations are finally presented and approved. The Ellenwood and Entrenchment Creek Park proposed data centers are still grandfathered in under this new moratorium. Remember, the process has changed, but the final destination has not.

Thank you, Mr. Binney. Next speaker. Cheryl Dudley. Ms. Dudley.

Praise Enrico.

Ms. Dudley. Okay, I don't see Ms. Dudley. Ms. Mangum. Gina Mangum. Gina Mangum. Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning. Corruption is defined as dishonest or illegal behavior by people in power, and that includes breaking the rules. For nearly a year, DeKalb residents have come before this board, met with the administration, and educated residents at numerous community forums about the ill effects of large, hyperscale AI data centers, only to be repeatedly disrespected by our commissioners and our CEO. What is so perplexing is why from the very beginning of this process, we've been treated like the enemy. It begs the question, what's in it for you? DeKalb citizens have provided a wealth of research, data, and other evidence to support our position. Bolton criticized our white paper before reading it. Commissioner Messiah refused to deny the Ellenwood Data Center without good reason on multiple occasions. and presiding officer Chiquera Johnson treats public comment as if it's an annoyance. And then there's commissioners Marita Davis Johnson and Robert Patrick, who always seem to be cooking up something on their own. After the CEO's planning department dropped a surprise substitute at the June 23rd public hearing, the BOC voted to defer the item. Then during the regular BOC meeting, hours after everyone had left, They reopened it and denied the text amendment altogether. We never said we didn't want a text amendment. We just didn't want that text amendment, especially since we hadn't even had a chance to review it. And then there's the backroom correspondence, apparently with Shadowbox, far away from the public eye. Apparently, Shadowbox is under the mistaken impression that they are entitled to build a hyperscale AI data center, wherever and whenever it suits them, without any regard for the negative effects on our communities. They now claim that they were given assurances months before the formal community engagement process began. Meanwhile, we discovered that Commissioner Patrick had received a substantial campaign contribution from Shadowbox, and then he sat on the Decide to Cab board that issued them bonds. Shadowbox CEO Officer Jeff Weber was so arrogant, he announced the project at the South Metro CID conference. anniversary celebration. When asked about it, our CEO, Cochran Johnson assured us that as far as she knew, the data center had not been approved. As for our elected officials, we can either cave into the alleged interests of shadow box, or you can vigorously defend this lawsuit to protect our interests. Any corrupt backroom settlements to appease developers is unacceptable and you will be voted out.

Thank you, ma'am. Next speaker. I do not see them. Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning. My name is Soyini Koch. I am the founder and board president of J2, the Fine Arts Enrichment Camp. And we were at 1415 Constitution Road in Atlanta. And I'm here for three reasons. One, I wanted to thank you all enthusiastically for your support of this program. In October the 25th of last year, you all voted to provide financial support to the program. And I'm pleased to let you know that that vote of confidence gave other funders the confidence to come in and that became the anchor funding that made the camp possible um this year and so we're very very grateful for that and i wanted to let you know that the camp was successful we had 65 beautiful students we had a performance on a successful performance on july 17th And your investment in the youth of DeKalb County was well made. We, as you all know, for those of you who are here, we had a few of our students come and talk about the experience at the program. And so I just wanted to reassure you that the investment that you made was well made. You can go online, the Joy to Infinity, and see pictures of the performance. And just let you know that the demand and the need for this program for arts education is very, very real. And with your support, we can continue to serve more students. And so I thank you. I hope you all have a great rest of your day.

Madison Donaldson. Madison. Okay, I do not see them. Riley Glover. Riley Glover.

Jan Dunaway. Miss Dunaway, good morning.

I'll take this off. Dan Dunaway, District 4, and a DeKalb County Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor. A voluntary position, but I'm a state official. I hope that you will hear my words, and I hope that the citizens are listening. The citizens have spoken. We want a fully funded, comprehensive, independent, Health and Environmental Study to protect the citizens of DeKalb before approaching another data center text amendment. We do not know if DeKalb County has the capacity to supply the water needed for data centers. We do not know if we have the sewer capacity for the discharge of the chemically treated recycled water. We don't even know what they will put in it and where it will go. The DeKalb County Industrial pretreatment permit does not remove the common chemicals used for cooling, and we don't know if the data centers will disclose what chemicals they will be using. DeKalb County is under a federal consent order related to years of old sanitary sewer overflows into our soils, our streams, and the South River. In the last 15 years, DeKalb has made very few improvements needed improvements while spending millions of tax dollars in fines and penalties. How can we move forward with data centers with no completion date? Moving forward without understanding the impacts to our community and our citizens is reckless. Land disturbance permits are not transferable from one use to another. Developers are required to comply with an approved set of plans, and should they change the use, this requires the site to meet the approved plans before they can even be closed out, including the state NOI. Only after this has occurred can they submit new plans that have been carefully reviewed and approved. If a site is 50 acres or more, then they need a new 50-acre letter from the EPD. This is not like turning a switch. The DeKalb Soil and Water District monitors these actions to assure that the county is enforcing these rules. The citizens of DeKalb expect the elected officials to vigorously fight lawsuits to protect us. If you choose to prioritize the desires of the developers, like Shadow Box, over the needs of residents, then you do not represent us. And you don't deserve to represent us. In the words of the former coach, Bear Bryant, in a crisis, don't hide behind anything or anybody. They're going to find you anyway.

Thank you, ma'am, next speaker. Natalie Kaiser. Natalie Kaiser, are you here? All right, I don't see them. Austin Carl. Austin, good morning.

We're going on a year. DeKalb residents have made it clear that we reject the political and economic project of AI data centers, which require extensive natural and computational resources and provide little in return beyond fictitious economic growth. If it were not for us, the residents of DeKalb, educating you all on the daily growing list of harms, you would have pushed through performative regulations to facilitate rather than protect against data center development in the name of growing DeKalb's tax base, which you squander on surveillance. It was because of the insufficiency of the prior text amendment that we opposed its approval as draft after draft after draft repeatedly failed to incorporate our recommendations. We engaged with the drafting process for roughly nine months and yet you'd have to circle the differences in bold bright red marker for anyone to know the difference between the first draft and the last draft. But our stance was never to outright deny the text amendment. It was to continue revising the text amendment until an independent third party health and environmental impact study had been conducted so that all of our concerns could be meaningfully addressed. This is not even to mention that we are not afforded the opportunity to review the version that the board actually denied, which was purportedly emailed to you all the night before. Thus, we could only speak to the then out of date version made accessible to us, which you initially deferred responsive to our comments. Yet after the public left, the text amendment was outright denied under a motion to reconsider. This took place without even the possibility for a public hearing because the public was under the impression that the next hearing would not be until today. You all then tried to save face by claiming publicly that you had given us what we wanted, which is a gross misrepresentation. Now the county is facing a $30 million lawsuit claiming that your denial of the text amendment is proof that the data center moratorium has never had any standing, among other reasons. But the text amendment was under revision for the entire duration of the first moratorium up until its denial on June 23rd. then on july 14th the board introduced a new moratorium to afford us time to quote further research and or commission studies relating to the adverse impacts of data centers on the public welfare including their broad environmental impacts and to effectuate comprehensive regulations that fully protect the county's citizenry unquote that is the preconditions for lifting the moratorium the second moratorium have yet to be fulfilled That in short shadow boxes suit is frivolous and only serves to distract from what has been and remains our demand that the county fully fund an independent third party health and environmental impact study so that we can proceed with full knowledge of the potential harms data centers pose to our communities. There's no excuse for settling.

Thank you. Next speaker and Mellinger bird song.

Anne, are you here today? I don't see anybody. Go ahead, ma'am. Hannah Davis. Hannah Davis. Good morning.

Good morning, commissioners. I would also like to push for an environmental study of the data centers to be pushed through as soon as possible. But today, mostly I want to talk about flock. and the dangers that they pose to our community and why we should deflock DeKalb. For the past two weeks, I've been parsing through flock data from DeKalb County obtained legally through FOIA requests. The Flock Network represents serious risk to the safety and security of the citizens of DeKalb County. I commend the DeKalb Police Department for suspending eight officers for flock camera misuse, but it is not enough. The Flock Network allows users to follow people across state lines for private and public reasons. Better training or resources will not help this. There are independent news organizations across the country that have investigated and linked police misconduct. to the use of the flock network including here in the Atlanta metro area. Does FLOC help to reduce crime? No. Since the institution of mass surveillance technologies like FLOC, the FBI Crime Data Center, shows there has been no significant reduction in crimes or increase in solve rates for these crimes across Georgia, not even in motor vehicle crimes where we would expect to see that increase. Let's dive into DeKalb County specifically. Over 17 million searches were completed on the DeKalb County FLOC network in the past 18 months. Top agencies outside of Georgia were the Houston, Texas Police Department with 8,000 searches, 250,000 of those categorized as other with no discernible keywords in the search reason. The Dallas, Texas Police Department with 500,000 searches. Again, a large majority of them categorized as other. The California Highway Patrol with 70,000 searches categorized as other. Palm Beach County, Florida Sheriff's Office with 69,000 searches categorized as other. The NYS Crime Analysis Center Network with 52,000 searches categorized as other. This is not to mention the reasons that we do not have from police officers who have searched DeKalb County. Adam Harlow completed 5,568 searches with a reason, the letter C. Robin Hutarte, Ruben, sorry, Hurtarte, completed 4,986 with locate as the reason. Flock intentionally tells people to obscure their search results, and this isn't gonna change. No matter how much training that we do, we have to deflock the cap. Thank you.

Thank you. Jordan Moses. Jordan, good morning.

Hi, good morning. I'm Jordan, District 3. I am also here to speak on the Environmental Impact Study. I think that, as we all know at this point, these data centers pose a danger to our communities and the values of our homes, but it would be nice if you guys could actually do the research yourselves through an independent impact study. Ted Terry has put in a lot of effort to try and give us a voice down here at the bottom. And so we would like if you would hear us and carry out the wishes that we've already said. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Jonathan Hole. Jonathan. Hole, holy.

Do not see him.

Bentley Hudgens.

Bentley. And we're still going through from the last meeting, right?

Yes, ma'am.

Yeah.

Regina Roberts. Regina Roberts.

Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning, commissioners. My name is Regina Roberts, and I live in unincorporated DeKalb County in the Boulder Crest-Morton area. I'm not here today simply to talk about the data centers. I'm here to talk about the people. I am asking you as our elected officials to look beyond the dollar amount that a data center may bring and ask a more important question. What is our responsibility to the people who already live here? Economic development is important. Jobs are important. But there is something even more important than money. Human life, human dignity, the health and quality of life of the people you were elected to represent. A community is not simply acreage on a map waiting for the highest bidder. It's a community and it's someone's home. It is where children sleep at night. It is when families and how they raise their children. It is where elderly people have spent decades building their lives. it is where churches schools neighborhoods trees streams and wildlife exist all together and when government makes a decision that permanently changes that community i believe government has a moral responsibility to ask who benefits and who bears the burden That is the question that I'm asking you today. I understand that data centers represent technology, investment, economic opportunity, and I'm not against these things. Technology, it represents progress, but progress should not mean that some people receive the benefits while another community absorbs the costs. If a developer requires enormous amounts of electricity, enormous infrastructure, water resources, industrial equipment, generators, cooling systems, and continuous operation, then we have to ask whether a residential community is the appropriate place for it. And I want you to think about something very simple. Is this proposed facility, if it was going next to your own home, your child's school, your church, your family's neighborhood, would you look at the decision the same way? That is an important question. So this is not an economic question, it is a human question. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. PJ Lemuel.

Say that again. Good morning, ma'am. Good morning.

Good morning, commissioners. My name is PJ Lemuel, and I'm a resident of South DeKalb and have been a homeowner for 20 years. I come before you this morning to let you know that I am not in favor of data centers in South DeKalb. Since the last time I came before this board, I have continued to research the advantages and disadvantages of data centers to the communities where they have been built. Unfortunately, I have not yet come across any positive feedback for these centers. Last week, I came across an article that data centers will reside on the campus of Fisk University. This one move will effectively destroy not only Fisk but Meharry Medical College and others in close proximity. Why is it that our skin people are paving the way for the destruction of our communities only to give oligarchs more money? Why? For the promises of renovating dorms, building recreation centers or a park? We cannot live without water. One of the candidates in our governor's race owns data centers in Texas. How can you justify making sure that homeowners in our communities, yours and mine, will never realize the redeemable equity and value of our real estate? For the most of us, that is our only asset. Let's speak about regulations. I'm not convinced that regulations will be enforced in DeKalb County. I called to mind one department in particular, Code Enforcement. Getting them to enforce regulations already on the books is like pulling hen's teeth. Citizen after citizen has come before you to sincerely ask that you deny data centers in DeKalb. And your pushback is that there is a safe way to control water usage with closed systems closed systems circulate water tis true but after five cycles all the water that has not been evaporated will be released back into our system or in the ground this waste water is toxic lastly commissioners when you see the bad man coming It's too late to call the sheriff when the bad man is at the door. I asked respectfully do not approve these permits. Thank you.

Thank you. Stacy shorts. Stacy. Okay. I do not see Stacy. Devin Lancaster. Devin.

Do not see Devin. Emily Whaley. Emily. Go ahead. Jackie Malcolm. Jackie Malcolm. Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning.

Grand Rising, Commissioners. I'm Jackie Malcolm. I live in District 3 off of Bowdercrest. I would like to mention we need transparency from all of you. If you explain something to someone and they are not in an agreement of understanding, you didn't do your job. We just still read back to square number one. So if you communicate with the public, your citizens, your constituents, please make sure it's eye to eye that they understand where you're coming from. We going this way, but you're going that away. And we just, we, we need the foolishness to stop. I saw the news on the other day and found out that was that shadow box studios is trying to do a lawsuit. Why doesn't matter right now, but I would say that the community, we will stand with the county if they'd like to do this lawsuit. Why I believe, and I'm not quite sure that shadow box probably. has not followed certain particular things that other people have to do when they try to have businesses in the area. And I'll leave it at that. And I hope you all took time out of your break to come up with a definition for a data campus data center. And we hope that y'all have already been working on a text amendment that will work for the people. Because as far as the last text amendment, it is not safe. The citizen for us in our community, it has no safeguards, no safe rails for the people and no protection for us. It seems like that text amendment was written for shadow box. And I think that would be what Jeff rubber. Is that right? okay yeah him but that's another story by having a current tax amendment we're left unprotected okay as commissioners you are all supposed to make sure that we are protected and without a tax amendment we're not let's talk about Cedar Grove community in our area we're dealing with small to mid-size industrial companies that emits dust smoke particles in the air and with other things like landfills and a 40 acre satellite company along with several other things like we have these little small airplanes that fly over our heads that emits toxic chemical chemtrails, smoke in the atmosphere. We got Hartsfield Jackson Airport having airplanes flying all around, and we do believe it's emitting, I guess, jet fuel, because some of our neighbors have smut on their driveway, so they have to sandblast that down. This is one of the main reasons why we need a health environmental impact study approved. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Our last person is Maya Godfrey.

Maya Godfrey. I do not see them ma'am.

Elke Davidson.

Elke Davidson. Not seeing them. Lexi White. Lexi White. Go ahead. Steve Parker. Steve Parker.

And Ralph branch, Ralph branch. That completes our last. That's just the last one. Okay.

So, so we are, we have one more. So commissioners, we could get in one from this week. If someone wants to make a motion to extend, so moved for how long?

Five minutes. Excuse me. How many speakers? Enough for two speakers? So sufficient for two speakers.

An additional two speakers?

So a total of three? That is correct. And so incorrect at exactly what time that is, but just wanting to make sure we have the opportunity for at least two more speakers to be able to speak.

So just to clarify before we go with the vote, we said we had time for one and then you're saying two more. So we would have three speakers from today.

That is correct.

Okay. And that is seconded. Do we need to hit our buttons, which are not up yet? Okay. So that was seconded by commissioner Davis Johnson. Okay. All in favor, show of hands. Let's do at least three more. Thank you. Pat call. Good morning, ma'am.

You are so generous.

Good morning. My name is Pat Culp, and I reside at 3577 Boulder Press Road, and I'm a resident and a president of City Groves Native Association. I do agree with the study. We do not want diner centers in our community, but I came here for another reason. On last night, CBS, not CBS, I'm sorry, Channel 2 did a report on something that was very concerning to our members that the planning department and planned standing department has been in talks with shadowbox as far as for three years in terms of a data center on their property now we didn't know anything about this Until Commissioner Messiah was on that interview and mentioned that to us, of course, I got some calls about it. Now, I want to know, for three years, you were not in that seat, but I want to know from Commissioner Ted Terra, did you know anything about what has gone on outside of what is happening now? We deserve accountability. This is our community. Shellabox has not come before us. I'm the president. They act like they're not our neighbors, but they can come and make a deal with Planned Sustainability is what I'm looking at. Now maybe with some back dope deals, I don't know. You were accused of that at one time. But I'm saying to you as the president, we should deserve accountability. And I just feel like you need to make sure that we know what's going on in our community. Mr. Terry, if you know, let us know, okay? I want to know what happened in three years that we didn't have a voice in what was going on over there. I've asked, I've met with Jeff time to time, and he has not indicated anything to me that he was talking to Planning and Sustainability about a data center over there. We've got enough going on in our neighborhood. Why should we endure what Jeff is wanting to put and Shellabot is wanting to put in our neighborhood? It's not right. Commissioners, we have a voice. And that voice is a strong voice. And we're going to fight. We're going to fight to keep these things out of our neighborhood. We're going to fight shadow box, whatever it takes. We're going to fight. I'm not the Metro CID. I don't have a whole lot of money, but I got a voice. And I got people behind me. And we're going to fight to know that this should be accountable to us. And it has not been. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, ma'am.

Brenda Pace.

Ms. Pace.

Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning, everyone. I'm going to direct this to Commissioner Nicole Messiah, please. She is still District 3's commissioner. I'm going to recognize that until there's a November election and there's a change, okay? Ms. Messiah, I am asking for a meeting with you. a private one-on-one meeting i will have some other people in that meeting i will tell you who they are there are some issues and some things i'm not going to take the time to hit everybody with that i think you are capable of handling and let's get them cleaned up okay i would like for that meeting to take place asap because of the time frame okay you have an opportunity to do something since everybody says you didn't do anything. So let's put something on the table for them to talk about differently, okay? There's no sense in wasting time. The other thing I wanna mention is these ladies, this group, I support you 300% and then some. You have more than a voice, you have a vote. One of the things I'm going to put together, I'm gonna be in touch with you about, okay? If you want something, I will help you pay for it, okay? That's number two, and yes, I can't afford it, thank you. So secondly, I wanna talk about DeKalb County's government. It's a piece of crap, has been for 30 years. It's not new, but it is the voter's fault. It is the voters' fault. You like people, so you crawl up, okay? Quit crawling up, okay? Let's get some people in here that knows what they're doing. We need to clean out this BOC. You want to get rid of Nicole Messiah? Let's get rid of everybody, because she has not been alone in getting anything done in South DeKalb. The black area of South DeKalb has suffered forever. Money, where's Alan Mitchell? Are you here, Alan Mitchell? Money that came in through DeKalb County from HUD, And the federal government has always been directed north. I know. I've proven it. Mr. Belcher and I have been best friends over the years. I have proven everything they have done corrupt. Right now, we have a new police chief, and we have a new, what do you call him, major over at, They're not having anything in the community in South DeKalb like they should have to address the problems in South DeKalb. We're going to be taken up to conduct. We got seniors and people who don't have cars, can't go up there, don't use computers. I'm going to suggest, Ms. Messiah, that you get with the CEO if you have to. If you don't, then do it yourself. And you make sure that they have something over here to introduce this so-called. Because South DeKalb Precinct has been a mess, and that is why crime has come up. We had a corrupt, very corrupt, major in there that I proved, OK, was corrupt, still have the documents. If any of you want a copy of that file from AI, I'd be happy to send it. He was shaking down businesses like crazy, including your CID, by the way. $5,000. I still have copies of those checks. Okay. And that police department has been in a mess.

I'll get with you. Thank you very much. Deborah Saunders. Miss Deborah. Good morning, ma'am. Good morning.

Good morning. Thank you for letting me speak. I don't think I'll be back because I believe it's a waste of time. When I was here last month to talk about safety for seniors that are being hit and killed in the road because of violations, I have since applied to the Open Records Act and I want to let you know that you will be formally sent a default, These particular agencies, which starts with the CEO, they've had 30 days to answer an Open Records Act. Your state law says three days. So they will be receiving a default and every senior citizen should stand behind it. They're not the only ones. DeKalb County Police. We've been trying to get police records for people left dead in the middle of the road. Department of Public Works, default. Office of Aging, Director Damon Scott, default. Georgia Department of Transportation, default. CEO Lorraine Johnson, default. DeKalb County Public Works, default. This is the service you're getting. You're supposed to be administering. We don't expect you to do everything, but if you're not administering, it's your fault. Now we will be sending formula faults and a notice that we either you're going to have to sell it with some of these people who have been injured, or we're going to, we're going to file a lawsuit. You'll be sending, I'm giving you a pre-notice, but your, your, um, attorney and risk management will be receiving that. Um, And the only department, and I have to give them credit, was the Georgia Department of Transportation. They asked for more time. And we gave them more time. We gave them 30 days instead of 15. They have given us information that just on Candler Road, there's been over 2,600 accidents that they consider Candler Road One of the, let me just quote what it says here. What's wrong with that? They've identified the Canada Road as one of the highest crash roads in Metro Atlanta. Don't you care about the senior citizens that are dying in this particular road? You okay for publics to come in and bring more traffic? But these people can't, they're in wheelchairs, can't get across. You got a school there, no school zones. I sent that to you already. So we just have to take the next step.

Thank you, ma'am. Thank you so much. We do have some public hearing items. So Madam Perkins, you'll read in the public hearing instructions.

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 cease speaking and to leave the podium area. Prior to speaking, a speaker should 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 comment 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 applicants or citizens speaking in favor of an 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, ma'am. Our first item is under finance. That is item 2026-0941. We are on top of page 3. 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 October 1st, 2026 to confirm that no participant can add, replace, or remove a designated joint annuitant after payment of pension benefits begins and to provide for compliance with certain updates to federal tax law. Good morning, sir.

Good morning, Madam Presiding Officer. Good morning, Commissioners. Good morning. And this is the first reading of the Home Rule Amendment, and we would be coming back on August 25th for a second reading and final adoption. And as stated in the ordinance, this is the benefit that will give an employee, regardless of your department, so it's not just limited to public safety, a pension benefit that is the maximum benefit for the plan in which they're enrolled And they do not have to meet the typical age or vesting requirements. And then there's some other housekeeping items, as we mentioned. practice and follow the rules for naming a beneficiary. And this just makes it more plain that once you retire, you cannot add or change a joint beneficiary. It's long been our practice, but this housekeeping addition to the ordinance just makes it a little bit more plain, a little bit more clear.

Thank you so much. So this is a public hearing item, so I will open up to the public. Is there anyone here to speak in favor of this item? Anyone here to speak in favor of this item? Seeing no one, is there anyone here to speak in opposition? Good morning.

Steven Benny, 1083 Seville Drive, Clarkston, Georgia. Did I understand that basically this says that if a person retires and names a beneficiary, if their beneficiary dies before them or if they divorce and get married to someone else, that the benefit will not go to that person? The officer or whoever or the employee who worked for that benefit should get the opportunity to give that benefit to whoever they want who is in their family, whether they get remarried or the spouse dies and they want to give it to their children instead. I think this needs to be looked over a little bit more if I understood correctly. If I didn't, then I apologize. Take care.

Thank you, Mr. Benny. Anyone else in opposition of this item? Final call. Anyone else in opposition? OK, seeing no one. If you come forward and give staff recommendation one more time. And if we could get clarity on that one question, that would be great.

Yes, staff does recommend approval. And if I understood, I'm going to let Laura Johnson answer that. She's better than me.

Good morning, ma'am.

hi commissioners as mr jacobs mentioned it is necessary to adopt a home rule ordinance twice at two consecutive regular meetings and so the motion i would suggest would be to adopt the june 15th 2026 version of the home rule ordinance on first reading and defer it to the august 25th 2026 meeting for a second reading all right thank you so much is there a motion

I move to approve the first adoption which was indicated from the June 15th meeting of the home rule amendment and to defer for a second reading on the August 25th meeting for public hearing.

All right. Is there a second?

Second.

All right. If you'll hit the button, ma'am. And Commissioner Bolton has requested a speech on the floor.

And I just want to make sure we did address the question. Can you start by first stating the ultimate purpose for the home rule ordinance, which has to do with the death benefit? And then respond, please, to the question that was brought forth.

Yes, that is correct. To answer the first part of your question, the primary ask today is to approve the line of duty death benefit. And with your permission, Commissioner, if we could come back in writing to IRPS to Mr. Benny's question, we want to make sure that it's very clear. And with your permission, we'd love to come back and bring that in writing at perhaps a future IRPS committee.

That's fine. Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Bolton. Seeing no one else requesting to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Our second item is under planning and sustainability. Item 2026-0885.

Pardon me, Commissioner. Was that the motion to adopt on first reading and defer? Yes. Okay. I just wanted to clarify. Thank you.

No problem. Thank you. Item 2026-0885, application of the Director of Planning and Sustainability for the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners to hold a public hearing to amend Chapter 15, Article 12 of the Code of DeKalb County, Georgia. Good morning, Ms. Bryant.

We would also ask that you hear 2026-0886 at the same time, please.

Yes, ma'am. Item 2026-0886, all commission districts, application of director of planning and sustainability to amend applicable sections in Chapter 27 of the zoning ordinance of DeKalb County to reflect the updates of Chapter 15, Article 12, adult entertainment establishments.

Thank you. Good morning, commissioners. It's so nice to see you all. So these are two companion items which propose to update the county's regulations for adult establishments. In October of 2025, planning became aware of a number of deficiencies and inconsistencies in our existing regulations, both in the zoning code and in the business license requirements. Since that time, planning has worked with the law department, business license, zoning, and outside legal counsel with specific expertise to conduct a comprehensive review of the county's existing regulations. Excuse me. The goal of these amendments before you today is to clean up and modernize our existing regulations, update our definitions and uses, and make sure the business license and zoning provisions are coherent and consistent with one another. We are not proposing any substantive changes to the existing supplemental regulations through these items. This is primarily a cleanup and coordination effort to make sure that we're using current terminology and applying it consistently. throughout the different sections of the county code. There is also an important legal foundation for this work. Local governments may regulate adult establishments to address documented secondary effects associated with these uses. Our outside counsel reviewed the body of studies, reports, judicial decisions, and other evidence supporting this regulatory framework, and those materials are in the record. I'll briefly walk through these two items. If a more detailed discussion is desired, I would request a short deferral and the opportunity to present in an upcoming PECS meeting. The first item, which is 20260885, updates the county's business licensing requirements, which is in Chapter 18, Chapter 15 of the code. So it replaces the existing terminology adult entertainment establishments with adult establishments. This updates that article within the chapter and establishes consistent definitions for the types of businesses covered by the ordinance. This is the primary change in both regulations is that change of definition and the change of language from adult entertainment establishments to adult establishments. The legislation also clarifies the licensing requirements for adult establishments and their employees along with clarifying application issuance, suspension, revocation, and appeal procedures. The amendment includes operational standards which addresses issues such as interior lighting and visibility, exterior monitoring, loitering, and conduct within establishments. It maintains the county's existing 1,000 foot separation requirement from residential zoning, schools, churches, parks, libraries, and other adult establishments and establishments serving alcohol. The one new thing that it does do is it also establishes 150 foot separation between locations who are selling sexual devices and residentially zoned property. So for the first time, there is 150 foot separation between that use and residentially zoned districts, while it does also provide for existing compliant businesses. Finally, this initial item updates alcohol provisions so that the terminology and standards are consistent. The second item, 20260886, is the companion item, which proposes to update Chapter 27, our amazing zoning code. So this amendment carries the same terminology from the business license to the zoning code and makes the same corresponding changes so that, again, the definitions, use tables, supplemental regulations, and references work together across the code. Again, it updates definitions and languages regarding adult entertainment establishments to adult establishments and also updates that language wherever it's found in the code from the overlays, alcohol outlets, and package stores. So in conclusion. Taken together, the two amendments are intended to create one clear and consistent regulatory framework with the business license section addressing licensing and operations and the zoning code addressing land use and location. I, again, want to emphasize that these amendments are not intended to resolve any broader policy questions related generally to adult establishments. As part of the county's code update, we will have the opportunity to take a more comprehensive look at the use itself the supplemental regulations that apply to it, and the zoning districts and locations where that use should be permitted. For these items today, the focus is much narrower, just to bring our existing regulations up to date, make them internally consistent, and ensure that the zoning and business license provisions work together. So the staff does recommend approval of both items. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bragg. This is public hearing, so is anyone here to speak in favor of these items? Is there anyone here to speak in favor of these items? All right, is there anyone here to speak in opposition of these items? One more call, anyone here to speak in opposition? All righty, Ms. Bragg.

The staff recommendation for both items is for approval. I would ask that you vote on them separately.

Separately. All right. So for the first item, item 2026-0885, is there a motion? This typically would have been PEX.

I'll make a motion to approve agenda item 2026-0885.

Second. I see no request to speak. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to approve carries. For item 2026-0886, is there a motion?

Motion to approve agenda item 2026-0886. Second. I have a motion and a second.

No request to speak. Please open the machine for the vote. We're now on the top of page four, item 2026-1184, application of the Director of Planning and Sustainability for DeKalb County Board of Commissioners to hold a public hearing to consider and review whether to extend a moratorium on adult entertainment establishment's sexual devices. Ms. Gray.

Yes, so given the previous two votes, the staff recommendation on this item will actually be for withdrawal. Those items will go into immediate effect and the current moratorium will expire on September 3rd. So the staff recommendation is for withdrawal.

All right, thank you, ma'am. It is still listed for public hearing, so is there anyone here in favor of this item? Anyone in favor? Seeing no one, is anyone in opposition of this item? Mr. Bennett.

Yes, I am assuming that the previous two pieces of legislation will not allow the sex shop in Druid Hills to be put into, go into business. And just on principle, I sort of object to something being written into the ordinance just to please a certain neighborhood. Where was all this concern when these sex shops were sitting up in South DeKalb or in Central DeKalb or in Clarkston or in Stone Mountain? But no, when the rich people decide they don't want a sex shop, all of a sudden a new ordinance is written. Disgusting. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Benny. Anyone else in opposition? All right, seeing no one, Ms. Brad, one more time. Staff recommendation is for withdrawal. Thank you. Thank you. Is there a motion?

Motion to withdraw.

Second. Thank you so much. Seeing no one requesting to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to withdraw carries. We have one more item under Public Works and Transportation. Item 2026-1147, Commission Districts 5, Super District 7, Streetlight Special Tax District, Rogers Lake Road, Lithonia Industrial Boulevard. Good morning, sir.

Good morning, commissioners. This agenda item is to establish a special tax district for streetlights on Rogers Lake Road that's required by the zoning and land development code. And staff recommendation is for approval.

Thank you so much. It is public hearing. Is there anyone here to speak in favor of this item? One more call. Anyone here to speak in favor of this item? All right, is anyone here to speak in opposition? Anyone to speak in opposition? Seeing no one, sir, if you will give staff recommendation one more time.

Staff recommendation is for approval.

Thank you so much. Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

Second. We have a motion to approve. Seconded by Commissioner Bolton. No requests to speak. Please open the machine for that vote. Motion to approve carries. So we do have one appeal before us under Planning and Sustainability, item 2026-1185. Commission Districts Two and Super District Six, appeal of a decision by the Historic Preservation Commission concerning property located at 1080 Clifton Road. Good morning, Ms. Brack.

The staff recommendation on this item is for a deferral to September 15th to ensure the record is complete and to provide sufficient time for the board to review any updated documents.

All right, thank you so much. Is there a motion?

I move to defer this item to the September 15th meeting. Second.

Motion and second. I see no requests to speak. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. All right. Thank you so much. We're now in the middle of page four under appointments, and we were handed some substitutes. I'm sorry, give me one second.

OK.

So we're at item 2026-1196. All commission districts appoint Boniface G. Eccles Esquire to post for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Board of Directors. I think this would typically go to our PWI. Excuse me.

Yes, PWI.

So can I get a motion?

Motion to defer to the August 25th BOC with a prior stop at PWI.

Please hold your buttons, please. Thank you so much. Please open that machine for your vote. Motion to defer carries. Now we are on the substitutes. Item 2026-1150, this is under Fire and Rescue Services. Appoint Interim Deputy Fire Chief Winifred O. Smith the second to the cap post for the Region 3 Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council.

I move to defer the substitute. Was that what you read, the substitute? I read the substitute, yes. Okay.

Until when?

Two weeks, the August.

25th.

I'm sorry, September 15th meeting. All right, thank you so much.

Seconded by Commissioner Long-Spears. Please open the . Motion to defer . Our next one. Item 2026-1151, there is a substitute to reappoint Dr. Michael Carr to DeKalb Pulse 3 of the Region 3 Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council.

I move to defer the substitute to the September 15th meeting.

Thank you. Second. Thank you, ma'am. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer the substitute carries. We are now on item 2026, statute 1152. Appointment of Samuel Charter to DeKalb Post to the Region 3 Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council.

I move to defer the substitute to the September 15th meeting. Second.

Motion and second. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer the substitute carries. We are now on top of page five under consent agenda. Madam Deputy Presiding Officer, are you ready?

Ready to go.

All right, thank you so much. Under District 2, item 2026-1193, allocation of $25,000 from District 2 reserved for appropriation to DeKalb Schools Foundation to support educational field trips. Move for action. 2026-1199, allocation of $25,000 of District 2 ARP interest funds to Women's Resource Center to support Nia's place. Move for action. Under the CEO, item 2026-0703, approval of the minutes of the Board of Commissioners meeting of July 14th, 2026.

Move for action.

Under Police Services, item 2026. 2026-1200, acceptance of state furniture property for lease services. Move for action. 2026-1201, grant acceptance, grant year 2024, urban area security initiative, program grant not to exceed $132,750. Move for action. 2026-1210, grant acceptance, FY26, high intensity drug trafficking area grant, $276,156. Move for action. 2026-1212, all commission districts, donation acceptance of the Quick Trip Corporation, not to exceed $300,000. Move for action. Item 2026-1213, all commission districts, canine retirement, the official retirement of canine fire to his handler.

Move for action.

I know. One more. Item 2026-1217, canine retirement, the official retirement of canine fury to his handler. move for action under public safety item 2026-1202 all commission districts grant acceptance grant year 2024 urban area security initiative grant in amounts not to exceed 435 827.59 move for action And that is the end of the consent items.

At this time, I move to approve items 2026, 1193, 1199, 0703, 1200, 1201, 1210, 1212, 1213, 1217, and 1202.

Could we pull 1, 2, 1, 2?

For discussion on that one?

Yeah, for discussion.

Yes. Quick trip. Right. Do we need to reread all of them, Attorney Phillips, if we're just pulling one of the consent items?

You can only read the one that's pulled. You don't have to read them all.

OK, thank you. So if the motion is to approve all the consent items minus 1, 2, 1, 2, motion was made by Commissioner Bolton to approve, seconded by Commissioner Longspear. Yes, ma'am. That's correct. All right, if we all commission for the vote. All right, the motion to approve those items carries. I will go back and read item 2026-1212, all commission districts, donation acceptance from Quick Trip Corporation not to exceed $300,000. And this is under police services. Is there anyone here to speak to this item? I see Chief making his way forward as well. You don't have to run. Yes, go ahead.

For a purpose of discussion, I'm going to go ahead and make the motion to approve, but for the purposes of discussion.

Thank you. If I can get a second for discussion, thank you. Chief, go ahead and explain.

good morning ma'am good morning commissioners uh this is a quick trip donation it is for the police department in our recruitment efforts they have agreed to donate this money uh in order to advance our recruitment efforts up to three hundred thousand dollars all right thank you so much commissioner davis johnson you have requested to speak here before uh yeah that was my question what was the donation for yes ma'am it is for the the recruitment to to hire and retain okay thank you thank you so much commissioner bolton

With the donation, is there an agreement that we would provide additional services? What's the reciprocity? No, ma'am. Okay. This is something that was open to any jurisdiction to apply for and we received it?

They reached out to us to offer the grant services. There was no agreement on the part of the police department to do anything for Quick Trip. It's just a community partner, as we do from time to time, get business grants from Walmart, from Kroger, but Quick Trip has agreed to offer this grant for us. We have to provide the reporting documents, and I believe the grant is good through July 1, 2027.

I yield back.

Thank you. I see no other requests to speak. We have lost our second on this item.

Oh, no, I'm sorry. I meant to withdraw my name this week. All right, thank you.

Thank you. We have had a break, so remembering our buttons. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to approve this item carries. Thank you, sir. We are now at the top of page six under preliminary items. Item 2026. Thank you. This is a substitute for this item, item 2026-1218, an ordinance to amend the code of DeKalb County, Georgia, Chapter 15, licenses, permits, and miscellaneous regulations, Article 15, non-discrimination. This was presented by District 2.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. Motion to defer this item for 30 days and with the IRPS chair's permission to appear in IRPS.

In IRPS.

Also, please forgive me. The motion is for a substitute that I am now passing out to everyone.

Motion to defer the substitute.

Yes. Motion to defer the substitute for 30 days.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry. You seconded. And Commissioner Longspear, you've requested a speaker. The floor is yours.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. My office has been working in partnership with Rachel Handler, with Georgia Equality, and Steve Parker with the DeKalb Democrats on updating and amending our NDO. The NDO passed a few years ago, I believe with full support of this commission, but one of the areas that was left out was around housing. And so we have prepared an item which appears on the agenda. But more importantly, I did distribute to all of you the substitute, which is, while it's not in the color red, but the red line version of the item. I think... I think that it will certainly be a robust conversation in IRPS. And so, Madam IRPS Chair, are you comfortable hearing this item? And I'll tell you why it's going to IRPS. We weren't quite sure which committee to send it to, but the original NDO was heard in IRPS a few years ago. Because it was kind of a toss-up between IRPS or OPS, and we weren't sure what to do. Can I ask that question? Right, so that we just decided to continue the Committee of Jurisdiction. Certainly, if other committee chairs want to hear it, it's fine, but we look forward to a robust conversation in the IRPS committee if Madam Chair agrees.

Yes, we can hear this in IRPS.

Okay, fantastic. And I am certainly open to any commissioner that has any questions or concerns or just wants to discuss the NDO. I also want to elevate that the gentleman that's helped me with so many other of my policy items, Andy Schnegenberger is not present with us today, but he was certainly a driving force to help us update the NDO. He met several times with our representatives from Georgia Equality and the DeKalb Dems in order to get this right. So I really look forward to our continued conversation, and I yield back. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Commissioner Cherry?

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. Thank you, Commissioner Long-Speers, for bringing the ordinance updates forward. I'd love to cosponsor it. Sure. You accept cosponsors? Absolutely. Yes, sir. Great. Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Davis-Johnson.

Yeah, I would like to just get a red line version.

Yes, ma'am. So this right here, did you pass it down? Yeah, I did. Okay, so the red line version, while it's not red, it's purple. But this is actually the red line version. We can email it as well.

Is this purple?

It looks kind of purple to me. Blue, purple, I don't know.

Maybe I'm color blind. It is, I don't think it's black.

It's not red. That's definitely true.

Maybe a color that's more evident.

Okay. All right. Ms. Ganga, she will work on that for us. And if you could just email a version with red so it's a little easier to see, that would be helpful.

Okay.

Thank you. Will do.

UUO Commissioner Davis-Johnson. Yes. All right. Commissioner Long-Spears, are you requesting to speak again?

Oh.

No, ma'am, I am not. Thank you so much. The motion to defer for 30 days is on the floor. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer the substitute carries. Thank you. Now under District 3 items, item 2026-1216, budget amendment to increase the general fund for recreation parks and cultural affairs, Sugar Creek Tennis and Golf to address the lighting and retention wall for the third tennis court, an amount not to exceed $800,000.

Move for action.

Yes, ma'am. Item 2026-1219, budget amendment to increase the general fund for recreation parks and cultural affairs, Porter Sanford Performing Arts and Community Center to address required equipment improvements amount not to exceed $79,000.

Move for action.

And that action is?

Well, actually, the action is to, we could probably, we could take the next one as well, if you don't mind. So, I'm sorry, 12-16 and 12-19. All right, there you go. So, the motion is to defer agenda items ending in 12-16 and 12-19 to the August 25th BOC meeting with the stop impacts today, August 11th.

Second. Thank you so much for our motion and a second. Commissioner Terry has requested a speak. Go ahead, sir.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. And I think just a follow-up. So after the PECS committee meeting, it'll be referred to the FAB meeting.

Because it's a budget amendment.

But we'll be happy to take it in order. So whenever it's out of PECS, we can take it in FAB.

Thank you. Commissioner Masaya.

Thank you so much. I support that. We just know the use that both of these great landmarks in District 3 are utilized, and even more so seeing the utilization of Sugar Creek and Port of Sanford growing areas. exponentially um and being used by almost all of my colleagues but they're still operating um with the same essential resources so just want to make sure that they have what they need to continue to be well maintained and to be able to serve the public so thank you so much and i go back to you man p.o thank you commissioner messiah commissioner patrick uh just uh thank you madam po uh just clarification it's going to fab and pecs today is that correct

I don't know if it's going to FAB.

That would be great. Yes. Okay.

All right. Thank you.

But question on that, Mr. FAB Chair, FAB meets first before PECS. So we're good with that? Okay. Just one?

Thank you.

Open to it, but just want to make sure we're clear. All right. Seeing no other questions, please open machine for the vote. Motion carries for the deferral. Thank you. Now, under District 6 items, item 2026-1215, Super District 6 and District 2, a resolution of the DeKalb County Board of Commission to name the Collinwall Fine Arts Center Amphitheater in honor of Andrew Keenan.

Motion. I'll let you do it. You want to pick the date?

Yes, that's fine. September 15, stop impacts in August 25th.

Motion to defer?

Yes.

Seconded by Commissioner Terry. Thank you. Commissioner Longspear is requested to speak.

Thank you so much, Madam Presiding Officer. I am absolutely delighted that we are proposing to rename the Callenwald Amphitheater in honor of Andrew Keenan. Andrew Keenan has been a leader in our arts community now for decades. He has poured his soul and his heart and his blood, sweat, and tears into Kallenwald. And I am so going to miss him terribly when he retires at the end of the year. But his spirit will certainly remain at Kallenwald. And I believe that renaming the amphitheater after Andrew is... more than appropriate in a way that we can really honor his contributions to the arts community, to our youth, to our seniors, to our veterans, and so on here in DeKalb County. A second point I must make is I serve on the Kallenwald Board of Directors. Therefore, per the ethics officer's opinion, I must abstain from this vote. However, my office was excited to work on it, and I'm proud to say that both Madam CEO and Commissioner Ted Terry are also involved and sponsoring this item as well. And thank you, Commissioner Terry, for sponsoring it when I was unable to do so as a result of being a member of their board. Thank you so much, and I yield back.

Thank you so much. I see no further requests to speak. Please open the machine for the vote. Oh, Commissioner Davis-Johnson. I'm sorry. Is your mic on?

Yeah. I don't have any problem with it because it's the amphitheater. I don't have any problem with it. But I would assume if you have a conflict of voting, you have a conflict of promoting. Is that a promoting?

Promoting?

Yeah. Promoting this election. And I may be wrong, but I abstain from pensions. Sure, sure. And I don't advocate for pensions. So can I do that?

The opinion that I received from- That's what I just wanted to ask. Okay, ask the lawyers.

Yeah, I'm saying if I'm abstaining for a conflict, can I promote what I have the conflict for? That's a good question. Even if I don't, vote for it.

Attorney Phillips.

Because I always have to abstain from pension. And it was my understanding that I should not comment or give my personal opinion if I have a conflict. And I say I'm abstaining because of a conflict. And I don't have a problem, but I would like to comment on some things that I have not been able to comment on.

May I, Madam? Yes, please. Presiding Officer? Commissioner if you feel a need to abstain because of a conflict, then it is probably best practice to abstain from the deliberation as well.

Okay. Okay. Thank you. I just wanted to know. Thank you. Nothing about what you had to say, but I wanted to know if I could comment on pension if I'm abstaining based on a conflict. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you so much. As you know, there were no other requests to speak. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Bottom of page six, under the CEO's office, item 2026-1214, all commissioned districts, a supplemental resolution approving the issuance of the housing authority of the County of DeKalb, Georgia taxable revenue bonds Housing Investment Bond Program Series 2026 in the aggregate principal amount to be determined for the purpose of funding the Housing Investment Bond Program and authorizing the execution and delivery of an intergovernmental housing cooperation agreement between the county and the housing authority of the County of DeKalb, Georgia.

Motion to defer to the August 25th BOC meeting with a stop in FAB this afternoon.

Second. Motion and a second to defer. Please open the motion for the vote. Motion to defer carries. We are now top of page seven under finance, item 2026-1224, the renewal of a contract with Urban League of Greater Atlanta for the operation of the DeKalb County Water and Sewer Customer Assistance Programs.

Motion to defer to the August 25th meeting with a stop and fab this afternoon.

Second. We have a motion and a second. Commissioner Patrick, you have requested to speak. You have a floor, sir.

Yeah, I would enjoy an opportunity to have this at PWI as well. So I'd like to ask the mover if he could accommodate PWI before it goes forward. Yes, so moved.

All right, thank you.

And staff can work out the date for PWI so it coordinates with FAB as well. Perfect. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Patrick. Seeing no further requests to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Under planning and sustainability, item 2026-1190, application of the Director of Planning and Sustainability to request that the Board of Commissioners approve a resolution for renewal of the service delivery strategy for DeKalb County, Georgia.

I have a motion to defer to the August 25th BOC with the stop impacts today. Second.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Please open the machine for the vote. That motion to defer carries. We are now under purchasing and contracting. We have one item for the FAB committee. Item 2026-1144, change order number two to contract number 2000521, upfitting of government-owned emergency response vehicles. Multiple award schedule, general service administration, cooperative agreement for use by the marshal's office to outfit 10 new vehicles seeking increase in contract funds awarded to Dana Safety Supply, Inc., amount not to exceed $302,400.34. It's a FAB item.

Motion to defer to the August 25th meeting with a stop and FAB today.

second thank you so much please open machine for vote that motion to defer carries we are now under purchasing and contracting for the ops committee item first two together thank you ma'am item 2026-1121 change order number one to contract number one three 67915, light bulbs, fixtures, lamps, and ballasts for use by the Department of Facilities Management to obtain light bulbs, fixtures, lamps, and ballasts for upgrades under Health Center's project. Seeking increase in contract funds awarded to Summit Lighting Solutions amount not to exceed $1,111,163. Move for action. Thank you. On top of page 8, item 2026-1125, change order number 15 to contract number 1147259, elevator, escalator, and walkway maintenance and modernization services and related solutions for use by the Department of Facilities Management to obtain monthly preventative maintenance inspections, testing, and modernization of the county's elevators and associated equipment at Richardson Health Center and West DeKalb Mental Health Center. Seeking increase in contract funds awarded to Cone Inc amount not to exceed $1,248,462.64. Move for action. I make a motion that 26, 11, 21, and 26, 11, 25 be deferred to the 8th, 25th Board of Commission meeting with the stop and

818.

Second.

26.

Thank you. If you'll hit your buttons for me, please. Motion to defer by Commissioner Davis-Johnson, second by Commissioner Bolton. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Under Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Affairs, item 2026-1175, a resolution to commit to the implementation of park improvement projects for the purpose of and to authorize submission of applications for grant funds to Georgia Department of Natural Resources of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and for the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program Lake and Dam renovation projects at Exchange Park, located at 2775 Columbia Drive, Decatur, Georgia, 30034, parcel 1510301001. Chapel Hill Park, located at 4002 Lehigh Boulevard, Decatur, Georgia, 30034, parcel 1503508005. And Davidson Arabia Nature Preserve, located at 7162 South Goddard Road, Stonecrest, Georgia, 30038, parcel 1614301004. And Pleasantdale Park Improvement Project, located at 3650 Pleasantdale Road, Doraville, Georgia, 30340, parcel 1614301013. Move for action. Thank you, ma'am. Item 2026-1179, a resolution to commit to the implementation of an outdoor recreation project for the purpose of and to authorize the submission of an application for an outdoor recreation legacy partnership grant through the Land and Water Conservation Fund For improvements to Toby Grant Park located at 593 Parkdale Drive, Scottsdale, Georgia 30079, parcel 1804601049. Move for action. Madam PO, I have a motion to defer items ending in 1175 and 1179 to the August 25th BOC with a stop in PEX today.

Second.

Thank you so much. Commissioner Bolton, you've requested to speak. You have the floor.

Just a question about whether there was a park left off of item 1175 that's in District 6, Super 6.

Because all the ones listed were in Super District 7?

Yes.

Good morning. Good morning. Let me verify that really quick. I do know there are several parks specific, and I do believe there is one in District 6, so let me verify that.

And the item 1179, that one is in District 6, but I think the question is if there's any in 1175 that's missing. You can verify that. All right. Thank you so much. All right. So you yield, ma'am?

I yield back.

Thank you. So you know of our request to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Bottom of page 8, under solicitor for the state court, item 2026-1211, all commissioned districts will be impacted. The solicitor general's office request to assume the lease for the vacant office space at 160 Claremont from the district attorney's office as of September 1, 2026. The cost will be approximately $106,000 for the remainder of 2026.

Motion to defer to the August 25th BOC meeting with a stop and fab today.

Thank you. Second. Thank you, ma'am, for your second. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Top of page 9, under Watershed Management, item 2026-1180, agreement for the construction and financing of sewer upgrades with PPFAMLI 750 Commerce Drive LLC with a contribution of $168,500. Yes. Motion to defer to the 825 BOC meeting with a prior stop at PWI. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Commissioner Terry for your second. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Under Work Source to CAB, item 2026-1134, Acceptance of Multiple Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Grants, Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth for Program Year 2026 from the Technical College System of Georgia, not to exceed $2,863,013.

Is this packed? It is packed. So motion to approve.

Motion to approve. All right. Seconded by Commissioner Long-Spears. Please open the machine for the vote. That motion to approve is carried. We are now middle of page nine under items for decision by the board. First is a district two item. Not that I'm aware of. All right. We are just handed a substitute for this item. Item 2024-0842, a resolution to amend the Board of Commissioners Standing Procedural Rules. And I do believe this takes two readings. So this would be the first reading. Is there a motion?

Yes. This takes two readings.

Yes, ma'am. Is your mic on?

This will be the first. And this is the first reading. Okay. Okay, then I need to make a motion to defer.

Attorney Phillips, is the recommendation to make a motion to defer?

Can I?

To approve or defer? Okay.

The recommendation is to approve and defer for the second reading. Okay.

Yeah. I make a motion to approve and defer for the second reading.

Second.

And then I have a comment.

All right. And that deferral would be to the 825 meeting, Commissioner Davis-Johnson? And it is for the substitute.

Yeah, for the substitute. Okay.

Thank you. All right, Commissioner Long-Spears, you hit the button first. You have the floor, ma'am.

Thank you very much, Madam Presiding Officer. I sponsored this item two years ago, and I do want to thank the Ops Chair and the Ops Committee for continuing to focus on it, hear it in committee, go through it line by line, making sure that we get it right. So thank you very much. I look forward to going through and just reviewing the final version of this. So my question to you, Madam Chair, if there's anything in the final version that gives us pause or we wanted to discuss further, would you like us just to send you an email?

Yeah, that would be fine.

Okay, I'll certainly do that before the next reading.

Okay.

Okay, fantastic. All right, thank you so much, and I yield back.

Thank you very much, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you. I think it might be premature to do the first approval because this is the first time that we're receiving it packaged like this.

I'm sorry, could you speak a little bit louder? Speak into your mic.

So I do think it's a little premature to recommend approval for the first read because we just received the packet in totalities for review. So I think it would be difficult for me to vote for approval because I've just received the actual red lines. It does look like in the memo that it is referring to, well, it says, Pages, yeah, so the very end of the memo, it says pages one, two, three, six, seven, eight, 11, 13, and 14 are capitalization changes. Yeah, I'm not seeing the, okay, here it is, page seven. So legislative resolution review and sponsorship process, new section added based on committee consensus. And I think that, I mean, I know we have to get five votes to change the rules, but The section on page seven, which is agenda and preliminary items, agenda publication. So the substantive change here is actually quite substantive because it is requiring one commissioner to submit a proposal for review. The originating commissioner shall obtain two additional commissioner sponsors to support consideration for the proposed legislation. So I do think there's a couple issues with this language. Number one, if all three of those commissioners are on a committee, it basically is sort of circumventing the committee process in sort of a very clear, obvious way. And so it sort of calls into question whether the committee, as I guess defined by the county attorney, is a meeting at the Board of Commissioners and meets certain quorum requirements and public notices. So I think that has to be addressed. So, and there's probably ways that, you know, can be sort of, you know, it can be done, you know, worked around operationally, but I think you know, in the spirit of the committee process, it would to me make sense that if any of the three commissioners are all on the same committee, that that legislation, that the legislation wouldn't be required to have three commissioners. It could just simply have two commissioners. So that's kind of a nuance. I do think, though, however, generally speaking, the requirement for three commissioners is, you know, I might call it a super minority, if you will. You only need one more vote once you get three sponsors. And I understand the, what I've heard from my colleagues on the committee, that basically they're concerned we're just spending too much time discussing legislation that one commissioner introduces. And so my suggestion in the committee, which was not recommended ultimately was just simply have a sponsor and co-sponsor. If you look at Robert's Rules of Order, that basically is how you discuss things on the body. And so to me, it would make most practical sense to simply say a commissioner and a co-sponsor before the item is added to the agenda and then placed through the process. I think if you make it three commissioners, you're creating an artificial barrier that is meant potentially to suppress certain ideas or policies that might not have three commissioners, but still have merit. For instance, if there was something happening in District 3 and 6 that was really important to us, but it wasn't important to any of the other five commissioners, 3 and 6 wouldn't be able to advance legislation that would benefit or support the issues in their district. simply because of that super minority rule. So I would suggest first that we defer the item before we approve it simply for the purposes so we could actually read it. I don't think it's fair for us to go ahead and approve an item if we haven't read it. And then I do think that there isn't consensus, at least in my opinion on the board, the Section 3 as it relates to the legislative sponsorship section.

Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Terry. Commissioner Davis-Johnson.

Thank you. First of all, I would like to thank Commissioner Spears for bringing initiating this step to amend the rules. I also appreciate, because it was a very narrow, I think, first step as to how we would amend the rules, but then all commissioners gave input and suggestions as to their recommended which made it so much broader and so much inclusive. So I would like to, well, I appreciate all of the effort that every commissioner put into this item to get it where we are today. Secondly, I appreciate your comments, Commissioner Terry. I think that you was probably the only commissioner that was not on the committee that have attended either in person or on conference call every meeting. that we had discussing these procedures. So I'm sure that you're quite aware of the discussions, the input that we had from everyone in bringing this item to the point where we are now. And in fact, the last meeting that you were at, I think you raised some of the same concerns which were addressed in the meeting by the county attorney and members on the committee as how you navigate the effort in bringing forth a resolution where two or three committee members sat on that same committee. With that intense discussion, it was unanimously approved in the Ops Committee. Any concerns as I think that Commissioner Long Spears just brought up, if you have any concerns that you want to bring to the address in the next meeting, please feel free to do so. But your concerns, as you addressed today, have been addressed in the committee meetings. It was unanimously approved. So with that, my approval stand and with the deferral. So thank you.

Thank you. Commissioner Terry, your second opportunity.

Yes, thank you. I do remember the discussion in the Ops Committee, I think over a month ago, regarding the committee quorum issues related to this proposed rule change. And so County Attorney Phillips, has the law department provided a memo to the board on any of the concerns or implications or the approval of this change as it relates to the quorum of the committee?

Commissioner, what I'm comfortable telling you is we participated in the discussions at the committee level and we have reviewed what's been presented to you as a substitute. I trust from central staff it is what we have looked at with them and we can certainly approve that as to form each of the items that are there.

Okay. So I think one of the discussions was that if two commissioners are on a committee, they're not allowed to meet outside a public meeting to discuss, well, y'all say anything. I think it's just the committee. But I think you should send back around that memo, number one, because it does seem to indicate that two commissioners on a committee can never meet individually about anything that might be business of the county. Two, I think it was suggested that the way to work around that is just have staff talk to staff. And so I guess that's the technical way to get around an open meetings requirement. Commissioners aren't meeting, but staff are meeting. But the spirit, I think, and the purpose here is creating artificial barriers that would otherwise suppress the ability of any one commissioner to fully represent their districts. I think what we're doing here is actually suppressing any dissenting opinions and views. And I will point out, Madam Chair, that a lot of this actually began because I raised the issue of needing to change just one section of the rule book related to the working groups. And I am a little disappointed because when I look at the section under working groups, there's been no changes. And you know for a fact that, because we were on ops together at one point, that I have raised this issue of deleting the word in lieu of a committee meeting from this section. And for whatever reason, it seems like everyone didn't have a problem with that, but it didn't make it into this draft. So I'm curious if you could explain why that particular change, very minor change, was excluded from your final recommendations.

Are you asking Commissioner Davis-Johnson directly?

Yes, she's the chair. Thank you. Okay. Go ahead, ma'am. Yeah, you know, I don't particularly remember exactly what you're saying, but I will say this. Everything, you were at every.

I will allow her to finish answering your question.

Yeah, you were at every meeting, every discussion. So I can look back and refresh my memory as to what may have happened. But evidently, it was not accepted. by the committee. But I don't know why right now I'd have to refresh my memory. But I mean, that's the only thing I could say. I mean, this process has been taking place over a year and a half. And so I would have to refresh my memory on that. But generally, I can say, it was not adopted by the committee.

Thank you, ma'am.

Commissioner Masaya.

Thank you so much, Madam Pio. And I respect all of the work that everybody has put in. And I'm not certain, I haven't been to every single one of the meetings. Not sure why the in lieu of committee didn't make it in, but to the extent chair is amenable and the rest of my colleagues just want to air my support of making that adjustment as well since I had not shared that in the past. I'll say particularly when we were dealing with the housing a lot of housing agenda items particularly around the creation of a trust and reduction of square footage and a number of other things just realizing it was necessary to bring in not just the board of commissioners but other folks that would have an opportunity to speak in other departments including decide the cab our Housing Authority and others just to make sure that we got a better context of some of the agenda at Dr. Ferguson, a better context of some of the numerous agenda items related to affordable housing and housing that's affordable. and those efforts that the county is making. In asking legal and trying to be clear as to not only as the Chair of PECS, if we can have a work group opposed to just a committee meeting, and those words in lieu of, so it's not a replacement of, it is saying that in addition to, and there was a huge holdup on that verbiage specifically. And so what I would think that would be great is when we have some of these massive issues that we are dealing with that necessitates more than just the time that we have to be able to allow to it in committee, if we can ensure that it is clear that we can have a work group, discuss it as colleagues, bring in other individuals, including experts and folks from the community to have a round table discussion when it comes to these agenda items, I think would be great. And if that verbiage is what's holding it up, then to the extent the chair is amenable and the rest of the folks on the committee, then maybe we can consider if not Just removing it, maybe some other language that may be helpful to attain that goal. With that, I yield back to you, Madam PO. Thank you.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Long-Spears. Your second opportunity.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. I concur with my colleagues on the in lieu of. As Commissioner Messiah stated, it does create conflicts and issues with trying to do a different format or to really focus on a single issue. As she elevated housing, I experienced that issue in 2024 when we were trying to host a town hall related to housing. We were able to pull it off. But it took considerable time and planning and coordination with the law department facilities, planning, and then our external speakers as well. So I certainly support that change to the blue book. Thank you so much. You're back.

Commissioner Long-Spears, Commissioner Bolton.

Thank you, Madam Peel. Yes, ma'am. I just want to make sure we're clear with whether this is the exhaustive list. From what I recall in the last meeting, there may have been one or two items that we did not get consensus on and that would be brought back later. So if we could get someone from central staff just to confirm that to be true. And if you recall what those one or two items are so that the full board knows this is not everything. These are just the things we receive consensus on.

Good morning, sir.

Good morning, commissioners. Welcome back. I'm glad to be back. No, commissioner is correct. There is not just one or two, but there are more things that need to be reviewed further. We have a separate list for the law department. Staff will be continuing to review those things internally and then bring it back to the board for your review. And in lieu of is part of that list as well.

Right, and that's what I wanted to make sure so that we didn't get a bunch of additions today. There will be another round of approvals. So just like Commissioner Longspear has communicated, if there's something that you guys see that you want to bring to the chair's attention, then there is more time to do that. I yield back.

Thank you so much. I see no further requests to speak. You're up there again. Okay, go ahead, ma'am, your second opportunity.

and um yeah that was one thing i had jotted down that i didn't say but um uh commissioner bowden you have my back on that and i appreciate it yeah this was not the entire regulations these are the regulations that we have all come to consensus on because what we're trying to do is to excuse me we're trying to pass get to the point where we can pass the rules as well as the charter review before the end of the year. Definitely want to make sure that we focus our attention after this on the charter review so that we can send our recommendations to the state. prior to them convening for the next legislative session. So thank you, Commissioner Bowden.

Thank you, Commissioner Davis-Johnson. Commissioner Masai, your second opportunity.

Thank you so much. And again, trying to just make sure I'm staying within the spirit of the meeting and the work group, because I don't want to, and I appreciate that there's more of an opportunity we can follow up. But in the spirit just related to the work group and just wanting to make sure that we can all move through our committees and the agenda and that there are conversations that are able to be had when they're ethically to do so. Just wanting to have a confirmation from legal at this point. So two commissioners cannot meet if they're on the same committee or even outside of the committee. Just want to make sure things are clear there.

That is correct. Okay.

All right, fantastic. I just wanted to make sure I was clear there. I thought that was the case. Thank you so much. I yield back to you, Madam PO.

Thank you so much. Seeing no further requests to speak on this item, please open the machine for the vote. And this is to approve and then defer for the second read. Approval carries. Thank you. We are now moving to that eliminates two pages out of the agenda. We got one more item. Yay. Top of page 12. I thought I was the only one that was going to get really excited. Under Commission District Super District 6, item 2026-0982, a resolution urging the administration implement the specific recommendations, excuse me, excuse me, outlined in the DeKalb County Racial Equity Study as adopted in 2025. Looks like this is a PECS item.

Thank you so much, Madam PO. Motion to defer to the August 25th BOC meeting with the staff impacts today.

Thank you. Second. Seconded by Commissioner Long-Spears. Did you request? I did.

And so, again, thankful to the administration who has updated us on some of the efforts that they've made related to the implementation of the racial equity study as a sponsor bringing the forward. the recommendations that were brought up in the study. I could appreciate my colleague wanting to ensure that things are moving along. Thankful that we got the communication from the administration to show the things that have been moving along. And I'm hoping that we can consider in discussion impacts whether the urgency agenda item is specifically needed or if we expect this to continue to move in lockstep of what's needed here in the district related to racial equity and that study. I yield back to you, Madam PL. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Messiah. The machine is open for the vote.

This is a motion to defer.

Motion to defer to the August 25th with a stop in PEX. That motion to defer carries. Attorney Phillips, do we have executive session today?

I thought we did. No, we do not.

Well played, sir. Motion to adjourn. Second.

Well played.

Now, that was dry humor.

That motion to adjourn carries. Thank you, everybody.

Thank you.