City Council - Regular Meeting

Melissa,

yeah. You been busy? You been busy? Forgot the mic is on. That's why I forgot the mic is on. Thank you. Give us constitution. Except that the staff

Good evening. Welcome to the City of Hampton May and City Council regular session for April the 14th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. We're getting started at 6:39 in the council chamber at 17 East Main Street South, Hampton, Georgia 30228. At this time, I call the meeting to order. I'm going to ask that Pastor John Deubberry would come forth and give us our invocation. If we would please rise. Hallelujah. All right. Let's pray. Father, we love you so much and thank you for this day. Thank you for your faithfulness to us. Yes, sir.

And Father, we pray now as we go about the business of government, we pray and ask that you allow us to be sensitive. allow us to be able to have hearing ears but also caring hearts. Father, I praise you in advance for everything you're going to do. I thank you so much for all those that came out today. I pray you give each of them traveling grace and mercy as they leave this place but not your presence. In Jesus glorious name we do pray. Amen. Amen. Now we'll have our pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for allible.

Thank you guys so very much. I'm Mayor Anne Tarkley. To my far right is Council Member Brooks, Council Member Meeks, Council Member Mitchell. Um on Zoom with us is Mayor Pro Tim Kesha White Williams, Council Member Duchaine, and Council Member Cheney. At this time, I need a motion to approve the agenda as published for April the 14th. I make a member um motion to approve. I have a motion by council member Duchaine to approve the agenda for regular session on April the 14th. Do I have a second? Second by council member Meeks. Discussion from the council. Discussion from the public. All in favor?

I. I have a 6. Moving on to presentation and approval of city council minutes. 3A special call meeting minutes for January the 15, 2026. I need a motion to approve or to deny. I make a motion to approve January January 15, 2026 minutes. Do I have a second? I have a motion by council member Cheney and a second by council member Meeks to approve the January 15th uh council uh special call meeting minutes for January the 15th. And any discussion from the council? Any any discussion from the public? All in favor? Kesha

I. All right. It is 6. Agenda item 3B, regular session meeting minutes for February the 10, 2026. I need a motion to approve or to deny. I make a motion to approve. Second. I have a motion by council member Duchaine and a second by council member Meeks to approve the February 10th, 2026 regular session meeting minutes. Discussion from the council. Discussion from the public. All in favor? I have a 6. Agenda item 3C, public hearing meeting minutes from February the 10th. I need a motion to approve or to deny. I make a motion to approve.

I have a motion by council member Cheney. Do I have a second? Second. Second by council member Duchaine to approve the meeting minutes uh public hearing meeting minutes for February the 10th, 2026. Discussion from the council. Discussion from the public. All in favor? I. I have a 6. Agenda item 3D, the special call work session minutes for February the 19th. I need a motion to approve or to deny. I make a motion to approve. I have a motion by council member Dashaine to approve second. Second by council member Meeks. Any discussion from the council?

Yes. So I looked at the minutes and it shows where um we had gone into executive session. I think I know we cannot talk about what was discussed but I think it would be beneficial to have the minutes reflect the reason why we went into executive session. So for real estate, legal, cyber security or personnel, the minutes does reflect that. Okay, hold on. Let me go back to it. Number two,

February 19th. above going into executive session, it tells you real estate personnel, um, cyber security.

I know, but it should it should reflect one of those four. So, it's it's just broad. It should reflect whether it was a meeting for real estate or whether it was a meeting for personnel or whether it was a meeting for the other two. So, we just um in executive session, we go into it for all four of those reasons um because those are the specific reasons that we're able to enter into executive session. Uh as long as we list all four of them, we're covered. Is that right, um Mr. Denmark?

You're certainly covered. And Mayor Port was suggesting that um that the record reflect specifically which items we went into executive session to discuss. Did we discuss litigation? Did we discuss cyber security? And to say that specifically, I think that you're legally covered if you list all four. Uh but you could elect to be specific and identify which precise bases you went into executive session to discuss. And the only reason I am asking for this is because if a year from now I go back and look at the minutes, I don't know what we went into executive session for because those minutes are sealed. So if it reflects we went into executive session solely for the purpose of discussing real estate, that may jog my memory a little bit more than just these four broad topics. Also, I just wanted to say I think in January when we were going to uh appoint Mr. Baker, we didn't specify specifically. We had a broad and it we were told that we needed to have a specific Isn't that so Mr. Denmark?

So, executive session is covered under four things that we list every time we go into executive session. We tell the public that we're going in for real estate personnel, uh, cyber security or um what's the fourth one? It's like legal. Legal um so that we can have the discussion about any of those topics during executive session that is I'm trying to figure out what are you wanting this to reflect? Well, I guess for what to reflect.

What was the purpose of the executive session? Was it for real? Because in January, we had to be specific about what it was we were going in for executive session for.

Madame Mayor, um some cities will do it exactly. They will label all the reasons for going in to executive session, litigation, personnel, real estate. But when they come out they will come out and said we are reconvening after whatever discussion that was had. If it was real estate they will state that. If it was personnel they will state that. Okay. So is left up to the council in regards to changing the minutes. Do you want to do that moving forward or you want to go back on this?

I think we should start here. Um, like I said, a year from now, I may not remember why we went into executive session on February 19th, cuz when I looked at the minutes today, I literally had to think, okay, what do we have an executive session for? So, I think it would just be helpful for council to know when we're approving these uh minutes because there's there's nothing here. It only says we went into executive session, we adjourned. That's it. It doesn't tell me or jock my recollection on what we discussed. So for me, I would like to see it reflected here and going forward when we're meeting solely for whenever we go into executive session. I know we can't discuss we can't the clerk cannot put on the agenda exactly what was discussed but if it's a matter of if we going to executive session to discuss all four I think it needs to be outlined for for a little bit more transparency as to why we're going into these meetings. That's it. um by thinking over I I think she's um she got a point there that uh we should um make some adjustment in that going forward so I can um help myself too. So, um I need a motion to amend the or I need a motion to amend the motion um to approve special call work session minutes for February the 19th, 2026 because there's a motion on the floor. That amendment will be to add what we actually spoke about which category we actually spoke of during executive session. Do I have a motion to amend that?

Madam Mayor, um just for clarity, we don't had so many I'm not going to remember what the February 19th uh executive session was. So for me, it will be good to move from this day forward and include it because I'm not going to remember our 18 minutes. Okay. Yes, ma'am. All right. So let's moving forward le let's u make sure that we add that to our minutes coming back out of executive session. Whatever category it was, just the category, not what was discussed. And um so I don't need amendment to the motion. Is that what I'm hearing? Okay.

Well, I think what I think we should start here because I really had to figure out ask myself what did we what did we talk about in that meeting. So I think we should start here. So I'll go ahead. I make the motion that we um um amend the motion for the approval of the meeting minutes. I second. I have an amendment to the motion for February the 19th to add what we went into executive session about and a second by I mean a first by council member White Williams and a second by council member Duchine. All in favor

I Mario. So I have a 6 to amend the agenda. So we're going to go back to February the 19th and we're just going to add what we talked about the category. I I know um you may have to have conversations with us to see if we remember. Yes. Okay. So, everybody heard the statement of the clerk or um open up the may have to open up the seal documents. One of those two things may not possible because the documents are not supposed to be open just because we don't know what it is. Okay. That's not how it works. I'm sorry. Okay.

Okay. So, we're going to have a conversation with council and we can have a um talk with the attorney and we will move from from there. So, the amendment passed. Now, I need a motion to approve the special call work session meeting minutes with the necessary changes for per for um the executive session. All in favor? Do I have to? I already have a motion on the floor by council member Duchaine and council member Meeks for this. All in favor? I

I have a 6. Moving on to agenda item four, acknowledgement of guests proclamation plaques. Since we don't have any, we're going to have at this time our youth council is going to come forth and give us an update. Mr. Chakoran and Miss Savannah. Good evening. Hello. Speak up. Hello everybody. Hi.

Okay, so um good evening mayor and council. Um I recently had the opportunity to attend a youth council trip to Washington DC where I saw many important landmarks that represents our nation's histories and values. At the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, I learned about the strength and contribution of black Americans. Visiting visiting the Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial reminded me of the ongoing fight for freedom and equality. Even from a distance, I could see the White House and the US Capital, which made the experience even more powerful. What we what we learned is that most that while America was founded on strong ideas, real progress has come from people who had the courage to stand up for what is right. From John Lewis to Malcolm X in the story of Emtt Till, he they have changed. Their change has always required courage and sacrifice. This trip has taught us that America is imperfect, but it but it is strong because of the people that continue to work to make it better. And it has also helped us that we can also help to make this country better whether it is now or in the near future. Thank you. And these are all the pictures that we took.

Thank you so much. How many classes did you take? Uh was it four? Yeah. Yeah, it was four. Four classes. Yeah. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Moving on to the city manager's update. I'd call the police department up to the podium, please. Good evening, madame mayor and council. Good evening.

Um, police update. We have a couple things on it. If you can go to the first line, you good, Nick. Thank you. Um he's here, not able to be over here. We have a a minor incident going on. Um Mark Brown, we recently hired him. Um you'll read on there, he's a highly respected law enforcement professional who dedicated 33 years of service. A significant portion of Mark's career was devoted to advancing accreditation standards where he specialized in Kala. I know some of some of our council members are are familiar with Kalia. It is certainly on the horizon for the Hampton Police Department. Um, when Mr. Baker first got here, that was one of his first questions of me and I assured him and that we were we were getting ready to to to take on that that role. And Sergeant Brown retired as a lieutenant from Peach Tree City where he did 33 years um Peach Tree City. He's done over 80 on-site inspections for law enforcement agencies. Prior to him coming to work here, we had him as a consultant to help us through our state certification. His his abilities will will certainly make our Kala jump a lot less scary than than it was a few months ago. So, we're certainly happy happy to have him. Um, he'll be here at a lot of the council meetings. Um, so you guys will get to meet him. Next, um, citizen contacts for the month, 656. Again, that number right there is how many times we come in contact with people, whether that's through traffic stops, um, calls for service, or anything to where a report or paperwork

is initiated. We had zero complaints for the month. Our response time, our our self-imposed 5 minutes is where we try to stay under. We have tried to shift that down to four minutes and we stayed under it again this month. So, great job to all the patrol staff. Next, um do want to um call each of these officers up. Um, Officer Cal Dorsy, Officer Dwayne Jones, Officer Stephen Justice, Officer Scott Laria, Officer Quintario Williams, Officer Gage Johnson, Lieutenant Larry Arnold, and Detective Robertson. If y'all will come right up here. Don't be scared. We're not going to bite you. Y'all got the gun. You do.

Never mind. Mayor and council and members of our community, tonight I have the honor of recognizing outstanding service by members of the Hampton Police Department during a critical incident that occurred on March the 9th, 2020 2026 at 2:30 Kindle Drive. Officers responded to a domestic violence call involving an armed individual making threats to take the lives of his family members. The initial responding officers, Detective Robertson, Officer Justice, Officer Dorsy, Officer Johnson, Officer Laria, Officer Jones, and Officer Williams arrived without hesitation. They secured the scene and protected those in dangers. The suspect was armed, wearing a ballistic body armor, threatening law enforcement. Despite this, our officer showed discipline and restraint. Lieutenant Arnold arrived on scene and assumed command. His leadership brought control, coordination, and focus. Because of their action, this suspect was taken into custody without injury to anyone involved, including the suspect. This outcome reflects training, professionalism, and leadership under pressure. To every officer involved, thank you for your courage, and your service. Jones, Officer Justice, Officer Laria,

Officer Williams, Officer Johnson, Lieutenant Arnold is dealing with that incident we've spoke of, and Detective Robertson, again, thank you for the work you do every day, specifically on this incident, but you are appreciated by the city of Hampton. by both the mayor and the council, by the command staff, and certainly by the citizens of Hampton. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

So, I just want to say something about the incident that you guys are being honored for. I got um one of our citizens house is across the street and she came in my office right before we were getting ready. was a meeting day or something. Committee. Yeah. Committee or something. But she said, "Look at my ring camera. Look at what's going on." And I was like, "Yeah, I know. We we're we're going to make sure that we take care of everybody." And um she was up here because she couldn't get home, but she was very understanding about securing the environment. So, thank you guys so very much. Thank you, Chief, for your leadership.

And I I'll point out, Mr. Baker as well um was early on. He arrived on site that night as well and that's right and helped me stay calm. I I still get it from you know the heartbeat gets up. So he he certainly helped. Thank you. Thank you. I want to see Officer Johnson. Is he here? Officer Johnson. Yes. You can bring Gage. Bring him on up. Bring him up. A lot of these officers are off tonight and we ask them to come in to be to be counsel. I u I remember you when you first started when you when we sent it to school for training. I'm very appreciate you're still here. Look all this beard and I getting I know.

I'm I'm very happy that you're still here. I'm very happy to see you. Thank you. Thank you. And Officer Johnson is one of the one of the first ones that I sent through. He was the first one I sent through. He's been with us for about four years now, close to it. And he is a former Truit employee. And he was the first person that I've I took the leap of faith and the council along with with me. Mr. Mitchell remembers we sent him to police academy. He's done a fantastic job for us. So he has. Thank y'all. Thank you. Public works,

Mr. King. Good evening, Madame Mayor. Hi, Council Member and citizens of Hampton. All right, so uh uh back 21st of March, we had a spring cleanup. We didn't get the turnout we wanted, but we were able to get the job done. So, uh hopefully in the future, we'll get uh we'll be folks out there to help us. But it was a good day. Nice weather and we we actually picked up a lot of trash that day. So, next slide, please.

Go back the park. Go back one more. One more. All right. So, McBa Park is coming along. There's actually a condition outside. I don't know if you actually saw it. If you didn't get a chance to look at it, look at it on the way out. So, we're coming along on schedule right now. Uh, scheduled to be complete by mid to the end of June. Hopefully, the weather stays the way it has been. We have been receiving a lot much much rain for month of April and uh it's looking good. I think I think everybody will be pleased with the with the final outcome.

Next slide, please. As as always, we've been busy. Uh, we complete 132 work orders in the month of March. uh 712 miles of road swept and we had approximately 31 citizen contacts. That's it in a nutshell. We're moving right along. Any questions from anyone? Any questions? You say the park would be complete by the mid end of June. Yes, sir. Mid to the end of June. Everything. Yeah, that's the schedule. All right, let's get it. We got to get it done. Thank you. Thank you. Public work. I just had a question. Yes, ma'am.

That 712 miles is that with that new automobile that we have. Yes, ma'am. All right. He's on a schedule. Um, and any day you call me, I can tell you exactly where he's at. All right. Thank you. All right. Next, we're going to have our utilities director, Mr. West. Madame, mayor, council, good afternoon. How's everybody doing? Wonderful. Okay.

Um the next electric we had 69 work orders total, two power outages, six now seven pole replacements. Still got some more to do. Um go to the next one, please. Next slide. Uh yeah, that right there. Um thankfully we got to it in time. I know it doesn't look like much, but that is a sewer line. So, in the event that it would have fallen into the creek, that would have been not good for the city and probably not good for me. But, um, we got that taken care of. Had a total of 80 work orders for the wastewater treatment plant. Go to the next slide. Uh, 250 work orders. 251 work orders total. Um, 10 or more leaks repaired. I'd also like to add we were kind of very short staffed the last month, but um by the grace of God and the hard work and dedication of people on the staff, uh we were able to push things through and get things accomplished in spite of um and uh I think I think that's it. Is that that all sides? Ah, thank you. Anybody got any questions, comments, concern?

Are we still short on staff? We are. Um, and that's an ongoing battle. And uh, you know, you you make do with what you have, but we're in the process of uh um, trying to get some more help. How many? I'm going say what, how, Miss Andrew? Three. Three. Two or three at least. Just in water. Yeah, that's just in water. Yes, ma'am. Um, for Yeah. And you know, we had a couple out some issues, but um, I think we're gonna get there. I mean, we're doing a lot. We're in a lot better shape than we were when I got here. And that's all that matters. Looking forward, we we're in good shape. This wastewater treatment plant, this pipe.

Yes, ma'am. The one that was pictured. Yeah. Uh yeah, that was over in the creek off of uh Winford Ridge and subdivision. And this is the way we built it?

No, that's the way it was fixed. So, it was it was sagging over the creek. It was just a matter of time before it came apart and then you had sewage in the creek. So, um, someone found it, thank God, and let alerted us. So, it was just a matter of getting someone out there qualified to fix it. I just don't have the I don't have the staff. I don't have experienced staff to do it do so, but it's not an issue anymore. I mean, it it doesn't look the best, but it it will suffice. I mean, the the biggest thing is it's not going to fall anymore. Um, and you know, that's that's what we want to keep it in the pipe. Amen. All right. Uh, any questions from the council? All right. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Moving on to the community development update. Hi. Good evening, mayor and councel. Um, let's see if this is Michelle. I don't know if it's going to work.

Okay. Thank you. So, community development. This is March update. It's not a cumulative. It's just for March. So, we've done 10 business license, 20 building permits. Um, no new zoning applications. 14 development projects are underway. Um, we haven't applied u for any grants this past month and the current grants that we have um are still um chugging along and in in good um standings. Uh, I hope that you all have noticed on our website that we had announcement from Oscar's office for the um storm water um grant that we were awarded from the congressional direct spending which was close to a million dollars. So, we're super excited about that um publicity for the city and to be honored by the congressman. Next slide. These are the projects. There have been no um changes since last month. Next slide.

And I guess that's it. Any questions for Miss W Council member Mitchell? Um last month we we put a stop in there on on the gas station to defined what is called grocery store and have you have any um action on that yet?

So that will be before you guys in May. Um okay when the moratorum was in place and the attorney got direction from councel there wasn't time afforded to make the legal ad and notice for it to be on this tonight's agenda but uh it has been advertised and you guys will see that in May. Okay. Okay.

Any further council comments from the public. All right. Moving on to City manager. Oh, it I'm sorry. Come on. Look, I was going to let you be the city manager tonight. Sorry, Michelle. I see department. Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Good evening. Um, as usual, I'm trying to make this short and brief. Um, uh, did you put in a ticket? That's my favorite line still. Um, there were 50 tickets open last month. U, 50 tickets closed last month and none is outstanding currently. Well, maybe not currently, but in March 15. Um, before I get into that, I do want to note um a little bit of changes that we have had um from the IT department. Um, we did I don't know if anyone noticed the signage coming in to the building. We did add some signage to try to get some information to the public. Um, we also at the end of March uh rolled our new uh website out. Um, we're asking that you guys please uh still give us some patience with that as new changes come. Sometimes there are mistakes that are there. Um, but we are actively uh correcting those. Um, another IT aha moment. Um, as usual, I like to make sure that I'm helping the public as I help with the staff uh with different things with it. So, today we're going to talk about people's favorite thing, which is passwords um and password safety. Um, I know it's a little cumbersome sometimes to have to put in your password every time for things, but it is important because you don't want people into things like your bank account. Um, unless you do and you give your password to me, I'll take it. Um, what you want to do though is you want to make sure though when you have passwords is to use a mix of characters, to use symbols, numbers, capitalization. Uh, sometimes they may ask you for two factor and I do know that can also be a little annoying sometimes, but it's also a second form of security to keep people out of your things. Um, avoid common passwords, um, like I love you 1 2 3, password 1 2 3, secret 321. Those are all things that are easily guessed. I can probably guess about 10 people's passwords right now from the staff. I

won't say them, but I know what they are. Um, you want to employ paraphrases or passphrases. Um, whenever I put my password in, people are always kind of amazed because my password has about 32 characters. Um, it's just a phrase. So, I use anything like I love my daughter a lot. She goes to this school. Blah blah blah 1 2 3 4. That is a very long password, but it's easy to remember because it's a phrase that I know and I do love my daughter. That's not what my password is, by the way. Um, use unique password for different accounts. Sometimes it is uh it is common for people to use the same password for every single thing that you have. If I can get into your bank account, I can also get into your social security and anything else that you have because I know that you use the same password. We want to try to not do that. U one of the tools that we use to stop from using that pattern is to use a password manager. Not to write things down on a notebook and keep it in a locked drawer. Um we want to use a password manager. It is like a software or app for your phone. All you have to do is remember one password and it'll give you access to all of your passwords just by going to the website and it'll input it for you. Um that's just the easiest way. That's all I got. or use your face.

Biometrics is another thing, but we're not going to talk about that today. I can talk about this all day, but we're not going to do that. I have a question, Council Member Mitchell. Um, thank you very much um for this for the sign and so forth. Question to you. Um, they read the board. I'm kind of as we continue to to revitalize downtown and put signage and stuff up and when I drove by I I can't see I see a blank. He already rectangle. You mean by the depot? Yes.

Um I I explained that in the last council meeting. The transformer is blown. So what we're doing with the city manager, I spoke to him about it. We're trying to get some new signage. That sign has probably been there a very long time. And trying to replace a transformer. You might as well replace the entire sign. So that's what we're looking into right now. And that's about um $10,000. I can't quote any numbers because the numbers haven't been quoted to me as of yet, but we are researching it. But when I have those numbers, guess where I'm coming? Back to you. Any other questions? Council citizens. Thank you, Michelle. Thank you, city manager. Yes, ma'am. HR is next.

HR. Sorry. Good evening, mayor and council. Mine is short.

Next one, please. Okay, this is going to cover head counts, vacancy counts, and claims counts. Okay, current head count, well, head count from March 2026 was 83 with nine vacancies and two claims. And these are the vacancies by department as of March again 2026. Some of those have been filled. Next slide please. Okay. Um again for more information on how to apply for a job. We are still hiring. You can visit our website, email um your resume and cover letter to careers at hamptonga.gov or stop by city hall to retrieve a paper application. Can you guys email this to the council your section because I don't have it and I need to put it in my packet.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Yes, council members. What are the two claims? Um, I would be glad to release those to the city manager if you'd like to know in executive session. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions from the public?

All right. Thank you, Miss Atwater. Now, city manager, try to get out of here. Thank you. Um we we're currently working with the real estate acquisitions to for some housing, not only for the city proper, but also for the um for the uh development authorities. Um we do have some bids out for the completion of the um the demolition rather of the two properties down on Main Street for the DDA. We have um a strong focus on trying to get theus completed that we need to have done. Um, mixed into that is moving that project along through the Henry County Water Authority, trying to make sure we get the master meters in place and we have an agreement on that. I think we're very close to doing that. Um, and also with the staffing issues that you've heard. Um, we're looking at some alternative ways to come in with some staffing. So, that is on our radar and we we've have had some discussions around that so we can get some qualified personnel particularly in those specialy situations.

All right. Thank you. Yes, ma'am.

All right. Moving on to agenda item seven, unfinished business. Second read and adoption. Consideration and action to approve second read of ordinance 20261 to annex certain properties bearing address of 1019 highway 1941 partial ID number 008-019,000 and bring being 2.01 01 plus or minus acres into the city pursuance of the 100% method of OCG 363621 to amend the maps or maps of the city and adjacent territories to show the present and proposed boundaries of the city. I believe we have an attorney.

Yes. U Good evening, Madame Mayor and council members. Uh we appreciate the opportunity uh to come before you for the second reading. I'm Paul Jacowski with the law firm of Hec Walker Jordan. on behalf of the applicant and the owner of the property, Sycore Financial. Um much of the information regarding staff uh recommendations u was heard uh at the at the first reading. Uh and at that time I know that uh uh the council had questions about what the potential end use was. Uh and between that meeting and tonight, we do have uh a potential buyer for the property. It is a uh trucking company that wants to purchase the property for a service and maintenance facility for its own fleet. Um it's uh fairly early in the process uh with the buyer, so they didn't want to divulge the name other than it's a large trucking company. This is not going to be a retail facility. It's simply going to be servicing their own trucks. Uh and that use is allowed under the uh requested zoning in in this case. Um, but I wanted to reiterate u that there are some natural features to this property that make it u unsuitable for any type of retail or public-f facing business because there's no visibility and very limited frontage along the highway. They essentially have a 40 foot drive that um that extends back about 100 feet uh to the usable portion of the property. Then on the back of the property, you've got Bear Creek, which

has a undisturbed buffer by state law, and then a 100-year flood plane that will extend approximately the rear 72 ft of the property. So what that does is it significantly u buffers this use from the adjacent residential to the rear because that undisturbed buffer of course goes on the other side of the creek as well. So when you look at the overhead, uh you can see that there is there's a thickly wooded approximately 150 ft of of uh tree line uh separating the residences uh from where uh the service facility would be. Uh and we had a a paper copy distributed because we actually received that conceptual plan only yesterday. Uh but you can see where they oriented uh the service facility which will be approximately 6,000 square ft. Uh it's could be characterized in what is the northwest quadrant of the usable portion of the property. Uh so it's it's oriented so that it is away from the residential uses and um the service bays will not face the residences which is one of the uh proposed conditions uh for reszoning if if uh that use uh was ultimately approved. We believe that water uh and sewer would be available uh through the county. That will be a matter for the buyer's due diligence. Uh you know, and they would

need to confirm availability of water and sewer uh before any development uh uh could be approved. And then of course uh one of the issues uh with any development on that property is going to be access to the highway. Right now uh they have a shared drive with the southern stage facility immediately to the south. Uh right now they're able to use that drive, but ultimately they would want something more concrete either through an easement with southern states or with a separate uh curb cut approved by G DOT. Again, that would be something um that would be approved at the development stage.

I'm happy to answer any questions that y'all may have. Council, do you have any questions? So, what happens if this this deal doesn't go through and we're approving and you're asking for us to annex and I guess reszone, but this type of business or doesn't buy it or doesn't the deal doesn't go. It's my understanding from talking to the broker that if the property is reszoneed, they will purchase it that they're committed to purchase and for this use if the property is reszoned. Madame May, Mr. uh Council Member White Williams, give us one moment. I'll Mr. Mitchell.

Um can you define to me trucking company? Is it six wheeler, four-wheeler? What are you talking about? The these would be large trucks. U you know, tractor trailers if that's the question. Um eightwheeler, 10 wheeler, five wheelers, 18

18 wheeler 18 wheelers. But uh keep in mind that it is it is a service and fa maintenance facility. So if it's engine maintenance, you only need the cab on site. Uh trailers wouldn't be needed on site unless they're checking brakes or doing service to those trailers. The the usable portion of of this property is is quite limited because of the setbacks. So there won't there won't be room to to store trucks. They'll be brought in and serviced and then put back out on the road where they're making money for the company.

Council member White Williams.

So I my concern is the use for this property. Um there is no turn, no light um between lower lower Wily, upper Wily and um Oak Street. So if if traffic if these 18 wheelers are coming in from Lovejoy to Hampton, how are they going to be able to turn to make that turn to go in the opposite direction? cuz if my my if my memory serves me correctly, there is no um there is no you can't just make a left and go directly in the southern states. You have to go down and turn around. So, if we're talking about having 18 wheelers with a trailer that may need to be inspected for brake work, um the I don't think the highway is wide enough for an 18-wheeler to make a Uturn. Um which means they would have to go all the way down past the Wendy's, past lower WY, come back up, and then head back north on 1941. That is my concern um with flow of traffic. Um I I just don't see how that would that particular use if it was, you know, maybe a 26 ft truck like a box truck or smaller um that they were going to be using it for. It it could make sense. But now you're talking 18 wheelers, possible trailers from time to time. I just don't see how that would be. Um, I just see it being a problem and I don't know if G DOT is willing to add a light there to accommodate these 18

wheelers being able to make a left turn if they're headed south. I just in my head I'm just seeing it being um not a wise wise use for that particular type of business. if it was something else possibly. So, I I have a question in regards to the shared driveway. Do you guys currently have a um letter or an agreement in place with southern states or are you just saying that you got they let you use that their property to turn into their into this property?

No. Uh no, ma'am. We there is no uh easement or a formal agreement but that is the only access from the roadway to the property. We were not involved in that aspect of it. There was that discussion between uh our client and southern states u and ultimately southern states decided to let them use it for the time being. uh when there's an enduser for the property, uh it will be up to that buyer to either negotiate an easement if they can or to go to G DOT, you know, to to get a curb cut or to have it widened so that they can get in. And if I could address uh Councilwoman White Williams uh comments, traffic control at that entrance uh was raised as a concern or an observation by the staff. Uh that's something else that in conjunction with trying to get um a curb cut approved by G DOT, they could explore some traffic control at that uh entrance. And this is not going to be a shipping facility. So the trucks in and out, uh, it's not going to be as frequent as a delivery facility where they're bringing in empty trucks, filling them, and constantly bringing them in and out. You know, these will be vehicles brought in, serviced on site, uh, and then taking back out on the road, and they won't be stored there. Um, but there are ways to address, you know, uh, safe entry, ing, ingress and egress, uh, by maybe requiring them to to make a right and if

they have to go down a mile or two before they can turn around. Uh, trucks do that all the time. So, uh, those things as a matter of safety both for the drivers and and for the public, those can be discussed when they get to the point of developing. Thank you so very much. Thank you. Yeah, Council Member Meeks.

I'm fortunate enough to be located transfer station where they do their maintenance. Uh quite often I get to hear the rat tat of the air air gun and changing tires and all the maintenance they do. And you're going to be right beside a church and you're going to be right beside a residential area and I'm wondering about the hours of operation also. Why annex? Will the county not allow these things? Why what is the impetus behind wanting to annex? I'll answer your second question first. Henry County uh has this as currently agricultural residential and on their future land use map low density residential uh which really isn't even in keeping with the existing uses in the area. Uh, city of Hampton does uh have plans of having a commercial and an industrial corridor going up the highway, which we believe this is consistent with. I I thought about the uh proximity to the church. Uh, you know, facilities like this uh normally wouldn't operate early on a Sunday morning. Uh but if there was a condition, you know, I think they would happily uh not operate even if they were going to be open on Sundays. Uh not during hours of worship.

That that's quite reasonable.

I'm not familiar with which days uh this particular group meets, but uh still you're next door to a residential area also. And I I realize that the the tree will provide a barrier, but that sound is going to carry uh and the access the I mean I just don't understand uh I understand that the county has it zoned RA and have you approached the county to see about zoning having it reszoned in the county? the county was not receptive u because of their future land use plan. It would have required uh an amendment uh to that future land use map. And if the property was annexed into the city as RA, it would immediately be non-conforming because there's a 200 foot road frontage requirement for that zone. And uh currently they have 40 ft which is essentially that extended drive and the 40 ft is not enough for access road frontage for the road. There would have to be a shared driveway. Well, they a portion of that is is is on on the U southern states property, but you know, there are prescriptive easements and easements by necessity and and this could arguably fall into either of those categories.

Council member White Williams, did you have another comment?

No. Thank you. So, I'll just say um we we already are kind of facing issues with uh we have southern states right here in town. We get stuck on the railroad track, big trucks coming through, tearing up the roads and with the point that council member White Williams made coming down coming from the north side. Um the first access turn uh to be able to get to the southern state a you know the road or the entrance to this is going to be at the Liberty Square Park community um where the bell tower has been hit multiple times. They tear up the curb and of course uh we have been we don't know what G dot is going to do if they're going to do a R cut or whatever on there. I I would suggest to the council that we leave this alone that it stays in the county that we don't annex in it. let them figure out what they want to do with this piece and and because if you annex it into the city then it becomes our problem then we take on the liability and I believe our future land use map does allow for M1 in that area next to um southern states and therefore they would then have a case of saying well it's it's right next to your M1 zoning and I just think it would be best for us if we don't want to take on those issues and those problems to just leave it in the county where it is without um any further.

I agree. Madame Mayor, I agree um with your position on that. Yeah. All right. I have uh consideration and action on the second read of ordinance 20261 to annex the certain property bearing address 1019 highway 1941 partial ID 008 01019,000. I needed a motion to deny. I make a motion to deny. So moved. I have a motion to deny by council member Duchaine. Do I have the second by Mayor Pro Tim White Williams? Yes. Any further discussion from council? Discussion from the public. All in favor? I I have a 6. All right. Thank you.

Thank you. Moving on to consideration and recommendations by the mayor and council for the second reading of ordinance of 2026. I believe it becomes obsolete at this point in time because we did not annex that item into the agenda. Is that correct, Mr. Demar? All right. So, um, do we need a motion to remove it from the agenda or? Madam May, you you can just determine that the matter has been rendered moot.

Okay. So, this item, uh, a second read for ordinance 2026 is no longer um, is a moot point for us to take action on. So we will move on to agenda item 7 C consideration and action by the mayor and council on the second read of ordinance 2026-3 ordinance number 20264 and ordinance number 20265. They are variance requests which is variance 26001 variance 260002 and variance 2020 variance 26003 and variance 26004 for 32 East Main Street South partial number H0701 009000 aka the Circle Case gas station. The purpose of the variance request is to seek relief of specific regulations in the downtown mixeduse zoning district section 3-20A and B ordinance 202603 appendix A article 3 section 3-19 F.8 and ordinance 2026-04 and section 7-1H.2 ordinance number 20265. Is the applicant here? the applicant is not here. Um I will say that uh our staff did reach out to them and start the discussion that we uh talked about on last month to give them opportunity to be able to go with the um feasible design that staff presented to them that would not require a variance. They have uh sent something back which was totally different and off. And so uh we want to um make a decision on RA and and the reason I believe and Mr. Demar you attorney Demar you can tell me on a

variance request um I know with annexation and things of that nature is a year before they can come back before us. Is it the same with the variance request? I can't remember I get confused. It might be six months. I I can't remember what the rule is for that. Miss Wanda, can you can you um do you have anything other than that to add?

I I would like to add after uh the last meeting, staff relayed the wishes of the council that the entrance to the parking be reoriented. So, we did a quick analysis and showed them how the parking could be interior to their drives that they were showing. And then they sent back something else that basically was the same thing. And so they had reached out uh while I was on I believe while I was on vacation. And then when I got back um we didn't have opportunity to have a coordinated meeting um with just different schedules, but they hadn't come down on any of the um requested criteria that was presented um by you guys. Okay.

So, uh denial of this will um require them to wait an additional 6 to 12 months if they want to come back before us in regards to this variance. Okay. All right. Madame Mayor, can we can we table this? We I believe we can instead of denying second read. Yes. Council member Mitchell. Um

mayor and council I want to know what is the purpose of postponing it. The council is um my position is no variance. That's my position is so um I don't see if the council's wish is for no barance where the vote is first. There's no wish to extend it. Maybe I'm wrong. No. May I May I speak? Yes.

So, the applicant came to the city staff with a desire to relocate the canopy. We met with historic preservation and um they came to a consensus that they could do that and not um impact the district and still be in line with the guidelines. what they're proposing helps the current situation as far as we have that weird cutth through access on the corner where you have people just coming at all different angles through the Circle K parking lot. And so the proposed parking would restrict that movement, add more landscaping, add a sidewalk that we currently do not have, add crosswalks. The issue is working out that parking that's right in front of the store whether the downtown mixeduse does not have parking requirements. So, we're not telling that development or that site that you got to have eight spaces per square foot. In downtown mixuse, the parking is is a non-issue. So they could legitimately work with us and move the parking that's directly in front of the store and just take all that out and leave the parking on the side and then you wouldn't be able to cut through and then have parking as you go into it to get gas right there at the front of the store. there would only be three spaces versus five spaces, but I would imagine it would be worth postponing just to at least have them come back and say that they would be willing to work with us on that since it

would improve the facility so much. If it's the intent for the mayor and council to do away with the use because they may consider not being able to move the gas pumps and fix the parking uh a a certain issue to their business that I haven't had that discussion with them. If they didn't get approval, would they just be interested in closing shop? And then what does that mean in y'all's minus? Can I say something? Uh, council member Mitchell, what I'm focusing focusing is is the variance, not the design.

Yeah. If they require variances, similar to what we denied, I am not in favor. Sure. But if Mhm. what you mentioned that's required doesn't bother me at all. So if they would address the site design with staff recommendations and their engineer got engaged and made sure that it would work, they wouldn't need any variances at all.

And but to your point, whether or not they feel like they still need one variance or want to throw something else before you, but if you deny it and it's a non-issue, then their issue is, well, they can either do it like staff recommended or not do anything at all. Lena. Um I I will um repotion myself. I I agree with um Kisher, Councilman Kisher. Give extend. Council member Desine. I was going to say that they had the opportunity tonight. Tonight to come back. I mean Yes ma'am.

And last month you had presented to them a workaround and they were seeming amicable to it and then you're saying that they sent back basically the same thing. And so although you were on vacation and they reached out, um I mean if it's important, I would think they would reach back out again. So I don't see why we we would need to I would agree. I I don't think they have all of their things in a row. six months is six months to a year to get all of those things worked out. Uh or to actually um go with a plan that would not require a variance from us. Madam Mayor,

would be Yes. Uh there's two renderings in our packet. Yes, sir. And one has the red arrows and one does not. Are both of those from staff from our staff? So the um rendering that has the three parking spaces that are on the interior. Yes. That was the latest suggestion and I believe the second one may have been from them. The latest suggestion. May I see? I'm sorry. The latest suggestion from us or from them? Is this ours? That's ours. And that's ours too.

Um yes. that that was the um um last last uh agenda meetings. Yes. Which of which y'all and this has this has changed to this? Yes, sir. Okay. But either one of these would be able to be built without variances. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you. Yes, sir. Madame Mayor.

Yes. Um for the second rendering that um Miss Wanda referred to with the parking spaces in the front. Um I think at the last meeting I recall having some concern about those parking spaces being so close to our main street that if a customer pulled in, the only way they could get out was to back into traffic right there at the intersection um uh on Main Street. So, um, and Miss Wanda, and I know this is not, you guys did this out of the goodness and kindness of your heart to draw up, um, this sketch is a concept for something that they could do. But I I even this right, this concept, I still have some concerns about safety and coming in and out of that gas station if they were to go with this design. I know they've had plenty of time. um to get this right. And you know, if I am fine with us denying the variance um because it does sound as if they need a lot more uh they need to think a lot more on exactly what they want to do with this space.

Sure. I will note as you guys um understand our new parking lot on Elm Street is head-on parking also. The difference obviously it's still at an intersection and uh we have a lot going on there but there's not a commercial use where people are coming in that level of frequency. I think um councilman Mitchell asked about possibly doing some type of traffic count or traffic analysis on the intersection to to you know evaluate whether that head-on parking was really acceptable. It does meet the the zoning code and and wouldn't require variances, but we certainly would defer if somebody brought a plan in like that the traffic and the consideration on the use um to defer more so to the interior parking. the the downtown mixed use has very specific criteria on loop around roads like a drive in. We don't allow that. Um so they can't do interior circulation around Circle K. It would have to be head-on street parking or somehow, you know, put it on the interior.

All right. Okay. Thank you, Miss Warren. Thank you. I need a motion to approve or to deny the second read of ordinance 20263. Let's do them one at a time. I make a motion to deny. Second. I have a motion to deny by council member Duchaine and a second by council member White Williams for 26 20263. Any further discussion from the council? Any discussion from the public? All in favor? I have a 6. Ordinance number 202604. I need a motion to approve or to deny. I make a motion to deny.

I have a motion by council member Cheney to deny. Do I have a second? Second by council member Dashaine. Any further discussion from the council? Discussion from the public. All in favor? I. I have a 6. Ordinance number 20265. I need a motion to approve or deny. I make a motion to deny. I have a motion by council member Duchaine to deny. Second the motion. Second by council member Cheney. Any discussion from the council? Discussion from the public. All in favor? I. 6. Did I get all of them? Yeah.

Three, four, five. Got it. All right. didn't have four. No, three. Three. Four. That's it. That's a variance. Yep, that's right. All right. Moving on to agenda item 7D. Consideration and and recommendation by mayor and council on the second read of ordinance 202606 on amending the Hampton code of ordinance appendix A, article 2, article 3, article 6, and article 7 to address data center use requirements in respective don zoning districts. I need a motion to approve or to deny. Madame Mayor, I move we approve the second read of ordinance 2026-06. Second.

I have a motion by Council Member Meeks and a second by Council Member Duchaine to approve ordinance 202606. Discussion from the council. Discussion from the public. All in favor? I.

I have a 6. Moving on to agenda item eight, consent agenda. Seeing there is none, we will move on to new business. uh 9A consideration and action on the adoption of resolution 2026-23 authorizing acceptance of conveyance of private land from Tam Tamarak Land Glenn May LLC to the city of Hampton for phase 1 public rightway as described in quick claim deed and right away dedication survey for the dedication rightaway of 50 foot wide from partial numbers 022 01002000 and 022 0100 01000 consisting of 30.533 acres in Hampton, Georgia 30228. I need a motion to approve or to deny resolution 202623.

I make a motion to approve. And for the purpose of discussion, I'll second. I have a motion by council member Cheney and a second by council member Meeks to approve resolution 2026 23. Discussion from council. Madame Mayor and Miss Wanda, this is just for the right of way. We are not accepting the streets at this time. There is still a bond for the maintenance of the streets held by the devel the the developer and that's we're just accepting the right of way for our uses and needs and so forth. Yes. Um yes sir. Any further comments?

Any comments from the public? All in favor? Hi, I have a 6. Moving on to item 9B, consideration and action on the adoption of resolution 2026 24 approving concept plan CP26-00004 pursuant to ordinance 2025-00001 conditional condition number one for Henderson Farm Data Center located on partial ID 039015000 consisting of approximately 141.69 acres. property is zone mixed use with an approved CU with 14 conditions. I need a motion to approve or to deny. Madame Mayor, I move we approve resolution 2026-24.

Second. I have a motion by council member Meeks and a second by council member Mitchell to approve resolution 2026-04. Discussion from the council. So, what's changing from the last time when we approved this? So, this is the concept plan that we have to approve for the um for for the data center site. Okay. Because it seemed like as if how it was worded, it seemed like there was a change or something to it. So, the the concept plan has been updated. Miss Wner, I'm sorry.

Oh, you're you're fine. Um um just to let you know also, the applicant is here today to um be able to answer any questions and um they brought several of their team members. Um the part of this approval is not a zoning um decision per se, but it's in response to condition I think number nine of the CU that was approved for the property. Uh it or it may have been condition number one, sorry. Um that mayor and council would have to approve the site plan. Um, after staff has reviewed the site plan and found it consistent with our ordinance requirements as well as the requirements that were um assigned to the property by the conditional use that was approved in 2025. This is the um kind of down and dirty um image that we get in Govwell to review. Um Tiffany took the lead on this. She did a fabulous job to to review it. She's not here. She's headed to Gick. But if you go to the next slide, I do just want to show that um part of the concept plan was or part of the zoning condition of the approved conditional use was to do a sound assessment of what is the noise level currently at the site versus what the site noise might be just at a regular day um operations. This shows in the blue the specifics and you see how many um spots that were evaluated. They came out did testing on this side. If you go to the next slide and on the right the language kind of goes with the next slide or the previous

slide. But in all of those areas the range you'll see it it was from 48 to 66 dBA. that's existing right now with no development. And that includes noise coming from State Route 20. And um on that former slide, you could see what comparison of those levels would mean. Like it would mean similar to pushing a a lawnmower. The um I can't read it. I'm I'm blind. I can't see. 45 gas more car long car horn on the outdoor

um outdoor rock band inside subway train food blenders garage disposal uh at 3 ft shouting at 3 ft vacuum cleaner at 10 ft normal speech large business office dishwasher next room small theater large conference room library bedroom at night concert hall broadcasting and recording studio and threshing uh threshold of hearing So most of that level it said like from 45 to 65 and I believe on that color code that was more in the um um the orange um and yellow kind of greenish with just with the data center the proposed data center just running. Um, you can see on the little site plan it says that the DBA at the property line is would be less than what it is currently right now. That so it's not adding any ambient noise whatsoever. And um if you go to the next slide and just to share these are just the graphic images along State Route 20 and Mcdana Street and um we have a animation and I would like to have the guys come up now that y'all can talk to and then we can play the animation if that works for y'all. I will say that the buffer that was put on as a zoning condition was 100 feet. Um their site plan is 262 feet I believe it is. So they've gone way above than what was actually required by zoning condition. They also their site plan meets much of our um new

data center ordinance even though it was adopted after um the zoning actions. Thank you, Miss Wonder. I'm going to ask if Matt and Scott if you guys come well Scott. Okay, whichever one it is. They have the entire team here with them.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Scott Green. I work with Thompson Hutton Engineering Company, uh 553 Peach Tree Road, Atlanta, Georgia. I'm here representing uh representing our client uh who's the applicant on uh this concept plan. Uh again, we work very closely with Miss Wanda, Mr. Baker, and staff, Tiffany included, although she's not here tonight, did a a great job reviewing and coordinating with us throughout this process. So, if you guys remember in I believe February 2025, this property had a special use approved by mayor and council. And in that special you or conditional use

special use sorry um there were 14 conditions of that um uh advanced the ball uh year or so in January thinking around January 15th. Uh we submitted our initial concept plan of this layout very very similar to what you guys see here today. Uh two uh city staff Wanda and Tiffany work very closely with us uh provided comments. Um, we do have uh an approval in Govwell in the city system um from Wanda and staff of all our work we have done together uh to meet those conditions uh to the best of our ability in coordinating with Wanda, Tiffany and staff here today. Um I do want to go back on the acoustical slide. I just wanted to point something out. So um from a color standpoint, the orange is going to be the louder uh decibel limits where the blue would be the the quieter. And you can see the way we've orientated these buildings is to have the um to have the sound from a daily operation standpoint be be condensed interior to the site. Um that specific um design that we chose for this campus uh for the building orientation specifically to keep the noise internal to the facility. Um and these noise models were done by other consultants uh on the project team. I just want to kind of point that out from a a color standpoint. Uh if there's any questions associated with that,

Yes, ma'am. Okay. Uh we're going to have a we created a fly over so you guys could see what this will look like um after completion. As part of that, I will I will show um I will stop and kind of point that out on this specific slide, but because you're in the Talaga watershed district, there's a 25% imperous coverage. Uh that is the limit for uh this type of use, um being this is mixed use, if this was a multifamily type use, that impervious ratio would not uh apply. So let's say this was a housing development instead of this proposed uh you know data center technology campus. There could be in fact more impervious um on the site which um you know would provide more uh water impervious wershed to to the Tallaladega wershed. So there are some environmental um uh environmental qu you know good qualities for this being the development it is. So because we are limited that 25% impervious coverage. Thanks for mentioning that, Wanda. Um, I did I did also want to add that the the 100 foot buffer on the western property line was the minimum at the time we applied, but we did increase that. Um, our our buffer to the fence line is 200 ft, but from any mechanical equipment, it is around 260 ft was the number uh number one I mentioned earlier. And that's all I have for kind of my presentation part of it. Yes ma'am.

So the use of what this data center will be for the end user. Yes ma'am. Is it more retail or commercial like in the sense with the noise is there going to be a lot of testing done for the equipment? Um the general use you're saying I guess is coming to the 60 65 range but when they when they have to you test their their

no matter the uh the tenant of the data center the equipment is tested um really at the same uh at the same time period. Um, we did do uh testing when the generators would be tested and um that is evident of the the sound that's on the on the exhibit you see here. Any more questions from council? All right, let's see the file. Okay, so Wanda, when we do this video, would I be able to stop it in certain points to add some commentary? Talk faster. Okay, I'll talk faster. I'll talk Hey, look. No. Um,

pause Michelle. So as a as an overall what you'll see is this fly will start from an overhead view so you can see what the campus will look like in its totality very I mean it's the exact same that you'll see as a concept plan with some three dimensions to it and then what we did we dropped down to highway 20 so right when we enter you know we're coming um we're coming west right when we cross the bridge in um this will be what you see from eye level at your car. So we took the existing topography, we took the proposed topography, we took the building elevations from the architect um and through AutoCAD and some of our modeling software, we were able to put the the actual building and its actual height in this program. So we could um we could display what it would look like from anybody that was driving down Highway 20 and then uh you know taking a right uh coming in the city. Also, you guys will see that um we took a lot of effort in creating visual buffers that are also going to help with the sound. But um we've got a good bit of burming that the video will highlight. Um at the towards the end of the video, it will come to an overall site plan where certain site elements will be added. Um, one of the uh criteria of one of the conditions we worked on with with staff so closely was a multi-use trail and then also some points of interest whether that's parks, benches. Uh we talked about um you know possible areas for local sculptures, local artists to be able to display their work uh along this walking path. And this this would kind of be a maybe a first phase or first leg of this path that would ultimately be in the in the city's kind of long-term plan of uh kind of multimmodal, you know, uh connectivity, you know, for pedestrian uh bike access throughout the city. So, that's kind of the broad overview and then I'll try to say some of the highlights as well. So,

So again, we're kind of focusing in where is the property right here on Highway 20 just east of the city. And this is that aerial view of the finished facility. Again, you can see the building heights. You can see the the burming. Um you can see where we are on Highway 20 here. This is a full uh view of what the facility will look like. We've got two buildings. We've got a substation that will be owned and operated by Central Georgia EMC, a main access on Highway 20, and then a secondary emergency access off Mcdana. So, this would be the view we just crossed over the bridge. Uh that field that's there on the right is existing today. Uh there's an existing curb cut on Highway 20. This will be the main entrance to the facility. Uh there'll be a a security guard shack uh right there at the entrance. So, again, we're driving down Highway 20. the facilities on our right. Um, one thing that uh we work closely with staff on is this glass office facility. We kind of left a view in the Birming open there so that uh that part of the building could be accentuated and seen from the road. Uh these is you can see the this will be a view of the substation. So after the burning in the landscaping we place on at a high level given the contours of the site really does do a good job of hiding the substation. Those are the power lines that are over the road right now uh that we all drive under every

day. Um so this would be us taking a ride on Mcdana Street from a from a human feeling perspective. We have the landscaping uh at scale. So it's a little closer. It's a little more denser off Mcdana where it's a little bit further in setback off of Highway 20. Uh again, sorry, that was another entrance into the site where you could see the glass uh glass facade, office facade of the building. Uh again, this is this overview uh highlighting the impervious requirements that uh we mentioned earlier. Uh we also quantified and highlighted the landscape burming that we're putting on the site to provide visual buffer. We've got some green infrastructure with infiltration practices we're going to be doing on site. Uh we've got that field. We could possibly have a tree nursery uh to let some of the landscaping get acclimated before planting. And again, we've got some areas of interest along the trails uh for different potential uses that we'd love to coordinate with the city on. Again, I've kind of hit on some of these points, but these are a lot of good, uh, kind of bullet points and highlights. And I think this is last slide. If you would stop there, well, potentially. So, uh, well, I I can't remember all those bullet points exactly, but um, we took a lot of the, um, a lot of the staff's uh, recommendations into, uh, you know, into heart when we put the site plan together. Again, that that view that you just saw would be kind of the the kind of the peekaboo into the Birming where you're you're birming a lot of the site, but right there at the office, you're giving that that great shot of a nice looking building uh that, you know, I hope hope we can all be proud of and can I answer any questions?

Any questions from the council? Great presentation. Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you so very much. Comments from the public. Kendra.

Yeah. I just wanted to bring up the um the purpose for the mixeduse uh designation which claims to be these districts are intended to promote vibrant a vibrant b downtown downtown implement a vision the vision of Hampton's 2011 livable centers um initiative and 2022 plan update um King George Daniel Streets encourage walking and bicycling support small businesses create a sustainable mixeduse area with downtown at its core or combine a wide variety of compatible commercial and residential uses in in close proximity. I'm just concerned because of the mixed use space we have designated, we've pretty much allocated like there's like two massive ones on each side of the city. Both are being used by data centers or a target distribution center. Both which of which are conditional use permits for that type of zoning. And I just want to presence that um you know that that's what we're we're giving up to these data centers right now. And I appreciate all the efforts, but you have to understand like, you know, if this was in your back, oh, sorry. And you have to understand, you know, if this was in your backyard and and what you're, you know, looking for for your city, you know. Um, and I I just think, you know, that's great stuff and I I would call it a bare minimum and I appreciate it for sure, but I also feel like we have to recognize just how much we're giving up of this supposedly, you know, to promote vibrant downtowns and everything to basically we have two of them and they're both going to data centers and target distribution centers, which was not the intended use. So, Thank you, Kendra. Any further comments from the public? Mr. Bill, I just got a quick question.

Come to the podium. Will the data center have the rights to drill water on the property? I'll come and answer the question. Yes, Mr. Green. Pardon? I'm I'm we haven't had a discussion about drilling water on the property as of of yet. So, I'm trying trying to figure out that's not something that we've even thought about, I don't think, as a council.

Well, the reason I ask it is because they use a lot of water and there's water below them. So, are they going to use it? So, I will say that this data center is actually one of the low use users of water for data centers. Um, and the county has already agreed or we're going to use we're going to do a master meter and purchase the water from the county.

Okay. If they going to furnish that water, I'm I'm good with that. Okay. I'm just I'm just asking that question because the Tleggy watershed starts right here on the east side of Hampton. That's where it starts. That's facts. And I just think a lot of drilling might have an effect on that system. You really your your your reservoir is only 2 miles downstream from the creeks. So and I don't say it is okay. I'm just asking a question. Thank you. Thank y'all. Any further comments from the public?

All right. S there is none. And I have a motion on the floor by I'm Did somebody say something? Okay. I have a motion on the floor by Council Member Meeks and a second by Council Member Mitchell to approve resolution 2026 24. All in favor? All oppose.

Council member White Williams. I didn't hear you. Favor. I'm sorry. I'm in favor. Miss Melissa, did I see your hand? All right. All right, I have a 6. Moving on to agenda item 9 C. Consideration and action to approve first read ordinance 202607 to amend the code of ethics ordinance. So um the ethics board has submitted some things. Go ahead.

Yes, ma'am. Um after our ethics uh committee meeting, we noticed that there were several things that were of concern. So these are some this is an ordinance just to correct some of those concerns and address those and to clarify some of the points of the ethics committee. Um if you will flip over to page five of 8, one of the main things of the was the time constraints. Um so on line 93 and line 97 you see a change from 60 days from the receipt of the complaint and that's moving all actions must be taken by the ethics committee shall be completed within 90 days on line 97. So that's one of the changes. Um as well as if you will continue to flip over to page seven of eight, there are several highlighted changes in there. Um the main changes being uh on line 153 where uh hearing by the complainant and the respondent not less than 7 days um prior to the scheduled hearing date and that revolves around um when the hearing shall be conducted. Skipping down to line 161 and 162. Um the ethic the ethics committee, city clerk, and city staff shall not be responsible for contacting or securing witnesses on behalf of any party. Um that wasn't clear on the last one. Uh line 164 talks about the submission of witness um by to the city clerk and the kind of the time frame on that. And that line on 164 talks about three calendar days prior to the hearing. Um, on line 170, uh, there was some confusion and some questions as to whether or not either of the, uh, defendant or the accuser could appear in person or via video. This clarifies that that both parties um, involved in presentation of evidence or testimony shall be conducted in person. Um line 172 uh addresses witnesses and they while they should appear in person um when

practicable, the ethics committee may allow video testimony on that and that's on line 173 or remote testimony. And then 175 addresses um the committee the committee's ability to grant a continuence of a scheduled hearing only upon the approval of the committee um to be determined whether or not to grant that continuence if requested. Um so essentially and then on page the the next page there page 8 of 8 on line 178 and 179 it talks about um these are done essentially on subset three there for the fairness to both parties and is a requirement that the ethics committee complete its activity within a time prescribed that they give out their ruling.

Thank you. Um yes ma'am city manager. So, um, council, any council discussion regarding this matter? We have to do a motion. Oh, I'm sorry. I need a motion to approve or to deny. I make a motion to approve. Second.

I have a motion to approve by council member Duchaine and a second by council member White Williams to approve the first read of ordinance 20267. Council, does council have any discussion? I do have a question. Um, and Mr. Baker, you can clarify for me if this is in there. The period of time. Um, do we talk about the time the complaint is filed? Um, is there a deadline once the complaint is filed, the clerk or the bo the board has x amount of days to go ahead and bring this before um we'll start to start working on the complaint. Um it such f it talks about the on page five of 8 on line 97 all actions taken by the ethics committee shall be completed within 90 days. So within that time frame they have to set up have a ruling and a final conclusion of fact. So they would therefore once they receive the um complaint would be um required to do that within 90 days. So they would have to schedule that out and of course with the committees um that there's a scheduling consideration for all of those members as well.

Okay. Thank you.

Yes, ma'am. So, I would like to have this item actually sent over to a committee uh forming the administration and finance commit committee for this because um the ethics board the rules regulations I I know they did an update a while back in regards to the 60 days which is item number uh six on the current um ordinance for the ethic board. But the changes being made added J through N on this um we need to see what the impact is actually going to be. I don't think that we should leave people's names out there for more than 2 months. I don't think that we should uh give opportunity for individuals not to show up as it's is saying. Um I think that the ethic committee should not have the authority to grant continuous if they don't show up or if it's you you it's done with we're we're through with it. Um so I think that more research needs to be done on it. So I know we have a motion on the floor to approve resolution. Um I mean ordinance number 202607. We can vote on that. If not, we can move it over to a committee of finance and administration. Any further discussion from the council?

I have a motion on the floor to approve resolution. I ordinance 2026-07. Madam ma'am, sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. Okay. So, we do have a finance commission and uh committee. We don't. Oh, you're going to appoint one? I am. Okay. Yes. uh what would this have to do with finance? So the board usually comes with administration and finance together. So they will oversee those two together. That's how the board is usually structured and this falls up under administration. Who's part of that delegation for?

So, so I would appoint two council members to sit on the administration and finance board and it's usually two members of the council. I have a motion on the floor floor to approve the first read of ordinance 2026-077. Any further discussion from the council? Discussion from the public? Yes. Yes, Miss Oliver. I have just one question. Is there anything in that book concerning uh conflicts of interest in the uh ethics codes?

All right. Whoever knows can ask. Um, I'm not exactly sure. I don't believe in in reading the conflict of interest. It is. All right. Marty said that there is some some that may need to be looked at as well.

Miss Miss Don Greer, come to the podium, please. Hi, Don Greer, 20 Mcdana Street. I am a member of the ethics committee and I I do have a concern about having it go to council members who may at some point have a complaint lodged to get them against them. So, that might be something y'all want to consider uh on this that I'm not sure how that would be appropriate, but it may be. I don't know. But just for consideration. Thank you. It's before council members now. Say again. It's before council members now.

Yes. But when you're you're going from six to two six members to two members on the committee. So all for recommendations all committee recommendations have to come back for that six. Okay. Thank you. Any further comments from the public? I didn't understand what she said. So, was that a yes or a no about the conflict of interest? So, there is some language in there about conflict of interest. We will add that if it goes to committee, we will add that for them to take a look at as well. Very well.

Yes. I have a motion on the floor to approve the first read of ordinance 20267 to amend the code of ethics by council member Duchaine and a second by council member White. All in favor of approving ordinance 2026-07. Could I just ask a question? So I'm conf Are we going to Is it Are we approving it with a committee attached like or is we just approving it? Approving it. Okay. All right. All in favor to approve.

I all oppose. I have a 6. Consideration and action to approve resolution 202625 on who is to be a sign of I need a motion to go into executive session. I make a motion to go into executive session. I second a motion. I have a motion by council member Duchaine and a second by council member Cheney to go into executive session for the p for the purposes of personnel litigation. All in favor? All oppose.

6. We're moving into executive session. Thank you guys. I want to talk to you. Well, you know, I ain't always take care of stuff. I ain't being paid to deal with it. This this ain't my city. I don't run it. I don't have no interest in it. I don't know how it contains

certainly a conflict of interest in this shop concerning council member and Yeah. Okay. These people so anxious to come to Hampton and put up the shabby buildings, uh, houses and stuff. It's going to be shabby in a little while cuz it's poor materials. These subdivisions that we got coming up all over Hampton. Well, first of all, uh, happy about

I don't know who who's doing it. I'm just looking at the quality of those that are already put up and I go through Love Joy. They got the same kinds and and that's No, I I take offense because Okay. Well, it it's all right. That's what discussion is about. You I'm offended that they are there. I'm not offended in the sense that I don't understand which substation you're talking about. We have oak chase on oak. Okay, you got that one.

You got uh some more the ground being cleared for. Oh, y'all clearing some land over there, too? Oh, you talking about going back there by West? No, Hampton. Uh, South Hampton.

There's some subdivisions that are on that. No, you're talking about you got you got um Yeah, the oak chase that's been there, but I'm talking about new stuff coming in. It is done by the uh the library and the senior citiz that Southampton that street that runs. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Now

Oh, it is. Okay. the reason why I mean listen to that's what I was trying to get at that's why I tried to quantify yes I'm just saying that it looks the ones that have been put up uh Yeah, don't

the material they look kind of flimsy and my concern is that in a few years when they have been turned over maybe to to rural properties or something that it's going to be a blight on the community. You know that that that's my comment. Okay. and concerned about how this building was coming into on into housing and do we have a long range plan for what this city going to look like? We do. We had a comprehensive plan.

Yeah, comprehensive. That's what I'm trying to say. like showed up and participated. We did survey after survey and meetings after meeting but we adopted Mayor. Now a new one's coming up next year.

And of course whatever y'all going to add has to complement whatever is all you've already approved. And The great thing is public participation in what mayor council I enforce the adoptive code. Don't I understand that? I I know you work for them, but I'm talking Well, nobody works for me. I mean, me as a citizen, no, I I don't get that feeling that they working for me. what I consider is just noise to people and and it's not a a lot of extensive

Please remember to silence all mobile phones.

Hey,

I'll leave mine in the car. Come on camera some water.

I need a motion to come out of executive session. I make a motion to come out of executive session. Second. I have a motion by council member Duchaine and a second by council member Meeks to come out of the executive session. All in favor? I I have a 6. I need a motion to terminate the contract for the current city manager. So move. I have a motion by council member Meeks. Do I have a second? Second.

Have a second by council member Cheney. Discussion from the council. All in favor. All oppose. I.

I have a 42. Motion fails. Consideration and action to approve resolution 2026 25 on who is to be a signer on all bank accounts? City manager, mayor, and city clerk. So this is um a resolution in regards to processes here in the city of Hampton. These are the three signers that will go onto the bank account. Of course, it is in align with our charter as the the clerk is over the administration. Of course, myself, the mayor, and the city manager. Uh it was suggested that we move to allowing the financial director to actually um sign off on the checks. However, it has been the practice of the city of Hampton to keep our u finances um department away from being able to sign off on checks for security purposes. And so, I don't think it is a good idea that we go back to the finance directors or go to the director um actually being able to sign off on it as it was recommended. These are the people that I recommend that sign off on the check on the checks here in the city of Hampton. Can I get a motion? Madame Mayor.

Yes. Is it okay to ask questions now or wait till later? Let's make a motion. Okay. I need a motion to approve or to deny resolution 2026-25. I move that we approve resolution 202625. I have a motion to approve by council member Meeks. Do I have a second? I second the motion. I have a second by council member Cheney to approve resolution 2026 25. Council member uh Brooks. Uh okay. Who are the current signers currently? Current signers is the city manager, myself and the uh HR director.

Okay. Why is this being brought to us at this time? Why change? Why the change at this moment? Is is there a problem with having the HR director as a ser?

No, there there is not a a problem with having the HR director as a ser. The reason uh this even came up was what I just said. It was brought to me that I would have to resign documents as a signer on the account. I said, "Why would I have to resign? We just signed paperwork." Then I was told that uh the finance director would be added to the account and we're going to remove uh the HR director. So the finance director was going to take the place of the HR director. I explained to the financial director. I didn't think that was a good idea based on our auditor saying to us that we need to have separation of powers and how our practices have been over the past since I've been here. Let me just say since I've been here, I don't know before, but since I've been here and so I said no. I said if the city manager does not want the HR director, it won't be the finance director, it can go to the administrative, which the clerk, our charter supports. So that is why.

Okay. Yes. Um may I have something? Yes. The only reason I look towards um in the past it was the city manager and the clerk. It was changed by um a previous not this city manager before um council city manager um con was introducing to be changed and for that purpose was changed at time there it was always the clerk right the clerk has always been on account this this is not new this is just going back to what the original But

I know it's been four years, but I don't recall signing. Did I sign? I don't recall. I I did for City of College Park. Well, you got hired during Cony's term. That's what he told me. I Okay. So, during the term of your previous city manager, I don't recall being a ser. Okay. But he he um he um was con he um asked a counselor. After Con left, it was passed away. I still don't recall being assigned.

You would not be on it at that time. It' be changed over. At the time, it was it was changed over. So, they removed the clerk from it at a time. Mhm. Just from a historical perspective, when I was elected in 20 uh 2006, Kim Drinkhall and uh let me see before her was uh Ela Haynes, Miss Haynes, Miss Elaine were the signers along with the mayor and the city manager and they were city clerk. Marty, what what was their title? City clerk with the city. Okay.

Any further discussion from the council? Yes. I have a question. Yes. Is it possible to um add the clerk as an additional signatory in addition to HR? Because if the clerk is not there one day and the mayor's not there one day, then what do we do? So that's the reason we have three signers. I mean that scenario can happen and Miss Diana and and and um who is that's who usually does it in finance with the checks um she is aware when we are not here or able to come so then those checks would have to wait but it's usually just three signers.

Okay. So, I have a motion on the floor in regards to resolution 2026-25 by council member Meeks and a second by council member Cheney. All in favor of resolution 202625. All oppose. I can't see everyone. Michelle, I can see. Uh, Council Member White Williams, are you opposed? I don't know how everyone else voted. So, it it doesn't matter about how they voted. How are you voting? I don't oppose. You don't oppose, Miss Melissa. I'm okay with the having the clerk.

All right, we have a 51. Moving on to discussion item uh council item 9E, council discussion on the returning of $481,72064 to Henry County for splotch overpayment. So, I had this item put on the agenda because we continue to have a reoccurring um practice here. And um it is important for everybody to understand that the council is the only one that can send $481,000 out of the door. Uh we have since found out not only did we owe um we did not owe the county this $481,000, they may owe us some additional funds. Um it was a decision by the new city manager to sign off on a check on day three to send this money back over to the county and um along with the finance director uh telling him that he believed but he wasn't sure that we owed the money. But when you say you ain't sure I think that's put a pause on everything. And because a pause did not go on it, we sent money that really belongs to us and should be sitting on our coffers over here in the city of Hampton. $481,000 $481,720.64. And I wanted to address this with the with the council in regards to this payment going out and the practice of management not doing their due diligence when managing our city. That is the reason the vote was just taken in regards to I called for the vote because I'm I'm talking I'm talking you're you're you're not recognized because the $481,0007 $72064 here uh as an overpayment that was not an overpayment to our city is just unacceptable to be out the door. I'm I'm just I'm totally uh bothered. I'm

surprised that our council thinks that it is okay that we keep uh an individual that would practice such things and not actually do their due diligence. But that that is that's how I feel about it. So I wanted to have a discussion in the public in regards to this has happened in our city. We have gotten some disturbing information coming out of uh the city of Marorrow and this right here, these type of acts right here and without council approval or knowledge is taking place and I want to make sure that we let you guys know that that's what we this is what this council this body has elected to do. So, any comments? Council member White Williams.

Yes. Yes. Mr. Denmark, I have a point. Did we take a a motion on this? Like, we're discussing it, but did we do a motion on this? This is a discuss discussion. Okay. All right. Cuz I'm miss Can you guys hear me? Yes. Yes. Mr. Denmark. Yes, ma'am. Um, so the information madame mayor just talked about, we just spoke about this in executive session and it is my understanding you cannot speak of matters that you discuss in executive session in public unless they are on my agenda for discussion.

Is that correct? See, I put it on the agenda to discuss. It is in the public. Yes, ma'am. The the item is on the agenda. So, the item is on the agenda. Um, and the mayor I thought you wanted to be transparent. Council member White Williams. I am trying to be transparent, but if it's something that we discussed in executive session, then we are tied to that. So, it's not about not wanting to be, it's are we breaking the law doing it. So I know that I'm not breaking the law because I put it on the agenda so that we can have an open discussion here in the meeting.

My question has been answered. Thank you. Any other questions from the council? Any comments from the public? Yes. Now come to the podium, please. Good evening, madame mayor and council. Um, state your name for

My name is Angelo Shipman, 225 in Kim. Um, you know, since this change of this board, it's just been a lot of fingerpointing, backbiting, uh, disturbance. It is is it's very alarming to see that after a good prayer to start this council meeting, it just all collapsed and fall apart and it's it's heartbre it's heartbreaking to see what's happening in this city, man. And uh hopefully we can get it together. Thank you, Mr. Shipman. Y

did I see someone else's hand that wanted to say I have a comment? Miss Oliver. Yes, ma'am.

My name is Esma Oliver, 20 College Street. I want to make a comment about this $481 $72064. If it's an overpayment, would you wouldn't you still keep the money until you straighten it out with the county as to why they sending us too much money if that's the case? But it just seems a little strange to me that that amount of money is being sent by the back to the county. They sent it. So wouldn't you think that they know what they are doing at the county? They sent the money to Hampton. Is that right? I'm trying to get the the the steps straight here because seems like something in the water ain't clean.

Thank you, M. in this particular situation. Can I say something please? Yes. So the the county had also sent us a demand letter from what the finance where did he where did he go? Right. The finance department said that we had a demand letter from the county to pay this money. A 10day demand letter. So I guess that's probably part of why it also got paid. What' you say the county demanded that they send it? We got a demand letter. Yeah. Okay. So, they admitted that they were in error. Well, well, of the over with the overpayment that they sent us an overpayment. They were looking for us to pay back whatever the overpayment was.

Okay. But we don't owe them that money at all. Plus, they owe us additional money according to our figures. we had to get um according to the figures they owe us an additional almost $200,000. Mayor,

may I say something? I just want to reiterate uh the conversation about the $481,000. Um to Mayor Torley's point is it wasn't authorized by the council. This is almost a half a million dollars. We may get it back and we may not get it back, but we could be drawing interest on this money. So for our city manager on the third day, they say not to question signing a $481,000 check and get the council approval. That raises raises some concerns for me. I mean, it's just you have policies in place. So we have we need to follow policies. We can't ignore policies. Thank you.

Any further comments from the council? Comment from Miss Greg Greer 20d Street. Uh would it be possible for a council member to ask the attorney uh what the repercussions for not um complying with the demand letter are? I I don't know. So I'm asking if a council member wouldn't mind when I step away clearing that up for the public and um if that actually is a requirement for it to come before the council if you have to answer a legal um request. So thank you.

Mr. to Denmark. Can you clarify what the legal repercussions are of ignoring a demand letter? Madame Mayor and Council, I don't think it would be prudent for me to comment on this matter at this time. We are in a contentious litigation posture with Henry County. Uh this involves a complex personnel matter, a litigation matter. I think that if I'm going to render advice to the city council, I should do that privately uh quote in the protections of the attorney client privilege as opposed to in a public meeting. Thank you.

No further comments for uh I have a question and I just want to just to go on record and to be clear. So our city manager procurement that authority that he has is $50,000. Is that correct? That's right. And the question was, you know, were you aware that you had or you had not the authority to sign this $481,000 check? That that's my concern because we hired him to know the procurement. He should know the procurement policy. That that's just one of my concerns. Thank you.

Any further comment from council? Moving on to agenda item 9F, council discussion on any updated contract from Global for the credit card processing fee. Back in December, the council approved moving to Cardinal. Moving to Cardinal um to process our credit card payments. We had a contract. They were going to be about $150,000 less than what we were paying global. Um, I have been I have since been told that global uh that we did not change over to Cardinal as instructed by the council, but we are still with Global, but they're going to be cheaper than Cardinal. So, I would like the contract that tells me cuz I had one from Cardinal that they're going to be cheaper cheaper than Cardinal. Do we have that global contract?

Not on me, but I can provide that to you. Okay. And I don't understand why when a c when the council votes on something and approves something is not acted on. Does do do we have the why behind? I'm not aware. Could we ask when you did vote on it? Can we ask Chief because this is something I had asked about in January about and I was told that there were still issues happening

and and they were testing. I didn't realize we had actually signed a contract cuz in December this is what we were talking about and it was supposed to be testing. I don't think this ever came back for us to say that we approved the contract in December. Pam, I thought it was testing we were doing. It wasn't testing. It was a contract.

Contract was approved in December. Um, it was not ready to go live when you guys voted on it. It was to a test environment to get the folks in finance. Um, I guess to work out all the bugs for it to integrate with our software and testing started and soon in January the testing stopped. And I'm not sure when when we if we're with I'm assuming we're still with Global. Do we if we have a new contract or what, but that contract is still out there. It was it was never we never went live with them because the testing I think they did maybe 3 days of testing and that would be a question for the finance folks. I know there was about 3 days of testing and there was some calls in the beginning and then when Mr. Baker started. I let him know and he said and let's just get our heads around it and the testing never completed. So, it was never ready to go live.

Is Mr. Foresight still in the room or the building? He is. We're getting him. Hey, Mr. Foresight. Hello. So, um, you and I had a conversation in regards to this global, uh, credit card, um, contract situation process.

Um, we had approved to go with Cardinal. You guys were in the middle of testing the system and getting all the bugs out. We approved it back in December. We you told me that we were not going to Cardinal even though they were saving us 150. You said that Global had uh agreed to come down on their prices and that they would be cheaper than Cardinal. Right. Right. And I got all all that right. So where is the contract with Global saying that they're cheaper than Carter? Cardinal I turn it over to there's a spreadsheet that you can You turned what over to him?

Contract manager and this is the support. So we do have a contract example of the contract at the top. It's a very short contract satisfy they send us this as a quote and they said if we sign this it it becomes you know they they accept this as part of as a contract I guess it's an offer a quote can you can can Can you tell me what is the quote?

It's a It's about um 12 12.5 roughly 12K 12.5K a month roughly because it varies according to the volume. What about all of the excess fees that we were trying to negate? Whole reason we started this process. Oh. Oh. What what has do you really you guys really want to know the truth? Yeah. Please tell the truth, Mr. Can we handle? Okay. Let me let me tell you the truth about this whole mic. Come to the mic situation

when and I spoke to Tyler cuz I I suspected something was wrong. I noticed the bill jumped from like 145 to 30,000 a month. There was one line item that they were fudging. It's called like a security. It went from like 400 to 7,000. Now, speaking to Tyler, Tyler said, "Hey, these guys do this every two years to get folks um you know, all scared and try to negotiate." So, I spoke to them and I said that um matter of fact, Mr. Curry did not want me to speak to them. Uh uh finance, you make no decision, you know, that's that's it. you you're out of it. Anyway, I'm stubborn. I was thinking the city, so I I hung in there and um I got quotes from from from Tyler from and from um Global. Now remember, I don't know if you guys are aware the prior administration use a invoice as a quote. I think an invoice, a quote is totally different. Anyway, I got three quotes that were pretty competitive, 14, 12. And and so, um, the young man at Tyler said he was abused by our administration. They called him and just abused him because the company that was being pushed, is it K

Cardinal? Cardinal, they didn't have the facilities. And so we would have to pay $9,000 a year to pay for the link between our our program and um Cardinal. Anyway, I hung in there and everyone kept their quotes low for me for almost a whole year because Mr. Kus would not would not budge. And so we were paying $30,000 a month instead of 12 for a whole year.

So as soon as Mr. Killis left, I turned to Mr. Bacon and I explained the situation said that the global if you sign this offer, they will use that as the contract. And they did because we got we signed it in February. We had to wait till February ended and we got the March bill and it's 12,3 something. So, it was all truth. You know what I'm saying? There was no bluff with what they were dealing with me cuz I caught them with their game, you know? Um, but Mr. Curry got all excited and angry and, you know, so that's the the real story about that.

How much are we paying global for the credit card right a month right now? 12,500 roughly. And how can it move? Is it based on the amount of transactions? How is it? It's based on the transaction.

What's the percentage? I mean, that's the reason we need the contract because Cardinal gave me a contract that said it's going to be this amount is if it moves and you got this many transactions, it's going to cost you this amount to move. So, that's what I'm saying. Where is the contract that you guys have signed? Well, as I said, they they use this offer sheet as the contract, but I I'm sure we can get a contract because there's rates on the on the offse sheet. And um so we've agreed with global

and we got a bill. We got a March bill that shows the low rates and that adds up to, you know, the 12 12.5 and it's an average bill because our volume don't go, you know, it average maybe half a million dollars. Okay, I'm gonna let the council ask you some question if they have something to ask. Council Yes, Mr. At the Marty

information we were provided in the agenda in the December meeting. The monthly cost comparison global payments was 31,000 pay cardinal was 14,09 heel yeah invest advisors was 193 and peninsula payments did they did not give a number it was unknown that's not what I'm hearing I I'm I'm hear I'm seeing Global payments was 2.78%. Effective rate 5.79

because because

monthly fee $7,400 pay cardinal was 2.75 plus 5 cents per transaction. Global payments was 8.6 cents per transaction. Global pay cardinal was 277% with no monthly fees, no setup fees. 12-month term. Heel. Yeah. Was 2.95 with uh 40 cents on the 15 cents transaction. 3.51% $49. Gateway $99. I mean, these are pay cardinal was according to the information we were given was by far the lowest.

But that that wasn't a quote from from Global. Well, when did the clo quote from Global come in? Did we get the figures from Cardinal first and then lower them? Get car uh global to lower theirs to match carbon card. Here's the client satisfaction offer. So that's exactly what we did.

Well, my understanding from what Mr. foresight said was that um or and chief Turner that Cardinal couldn't provide s certain aspects of of the contract and they there the testing failed so we remained with global that's what you said right the testing was never complete complete well it wasn't after 3 days but

yeah it was a I think it was understood it was going to be like a three-week process because what the way they were testing was um Mr. Foresight staff would would do testing and then say okay we want this perfected and so that that's the process we were in. So to say it failed I don't think is all the way accurate. It was never completed I think is the fairer thing to say that they were Mr. Foresight.

Yes. Yes ma'am. During testing, did they did any aspect of the testing fail? Was there anything in pay cardinal system that would not work properly with the way we our the customer service is used to processing payments. I did give Mr. to make a list of um my staff has cons and pros and um there's there's a page that says, you know, cons.

I think my biggest issue with this is that I just we sent out for bid for quotes for a credit card company. That's what we did. That's what the council did. We got those quotes, came and made a decision based on those quotes, and with the expectation that we were going to a new company. I I don't I don't

I don't care which company it is. I I'm I'm still talking. I don't care which company it is because the whole reason we were gonna go to Cardinal was because you said we were gonna save $150,000 a year. So what I'm having a problem with is that when we make a decision is not followed and then when it's changed we are not even afforded the courtesy of coming back saying to us I would not have even known this had I not come into your office and said how is it going where where we you know where have we moved on to the next proc you people

because I'm thinking we're with one person and I'm finding out we're still in place and so and then nobody has given me a contract that's that's saying I'm cheaper. I I like cheaper. I don't have a problem with cheaper, but I need to know that I'm actually getting cheaper. the the the the current the March bill states that the when you look at the March bill. No, no, no, no. The bill doesn't because if it's based on transactions

that that doesn't mean that is it was it would be cheaper than Cardinal. That's not what it means because the rates is what determines and the fees that they have which is laid out in a contract somewhere that you guys have

agreed to. I guess my whole point is listen the council cannot make decisions. Um, and I would even say, you know, it's not fair to companies for you to put out their information of what their quote is, give them the job, and then um allow somebody else to come back behind them. We did give them the job because council voted on it. We we we did that do that. Um, we did we um we never told we never told u global anything about anyone's pricing. We did not. Okay.

Matter of fact, matter of fact, it was a simple adjustment they made. As I said, there was a oneliner especially, it it has to do with um security. They use that as a a line to excite people. Um and if you don't notice it, you know, but we did we caught it after I caught it after a month. They did get by me in a month, but the second month I I caught it. And um they they said that um they were willing to drop. Matter of fact, they were willing to share the the like 3 months had passed and they said they were kind of willing to share that additional expense and so well of course Mr. Ces was not interested in any of that. So, you know, I had to drop it off the table, but they they um they had given me they had given me the contract a year ago and it just I put it in front of Mr. Curtis for him to sign and he he just he didn't sign it.

I mean, it's the same kind of offer. I think I think they use the offers that contract, but I know they could provide a full-blown contract. I'm sure all I want to know is what I'm paying. I I don't I don't think it's that difficult. Like all I need to know is am I getting the best deal for the best bang for my buck? And that's in black and white. Yes, it is. That's simple for me. It's black and white. We are whatever whatever their rate is, they ought to be able to produce me a contract. We can get an agreement. I'm sure we can get that in stone that next week they're not going to change that it's going to be something different. No, that that offer that offer is good for two years. that offer there and um

that we signed off on. Yeah. I mean, it's but we can get a full growth contract. I'm sure we can cuz um the the volume if you look year um I have two years as a summary. The volume doesn't change much. Okay. You know. Okay. So, should we table this item and come back um contract? I think city manager Baker said that he was going to get a contract. So, I'm going to assume it. It's no action on it. I just wanted to find out where we're at because I know we hired or we gave the contract to Cardinal, but now I'm talking about global. Yes, s Mitchell.

We can't get um global was already existed, right? And we make a changes. So we continue with go. Mhm. So um actually it's not really a contract already established already. Um was established already. So it must not be because it went up on our rights. Oh them it went up on our right. It went up as contour. I'm hearing right now what I read right here. I'm getting two two different information. The rate went up and they went down. Maybe because they someone found out something that we're getting a better rate. I don't know. However, is um we're still under the contract on global. They just reduced the rate.

Where is the contract? It was already established already. Global global never exist. See, global never never um would already existed before. So, it's a continuous continuing doing the same service. They never change. So, um they they reduce their rate like anyone can make a negotiation reduce their rate. However, the first cut they voted for didn't didn't take place. Are you telling me you can renegotiate your rates without me without without the council? No, I'm I'm taking what's up.

But but but you're you're saying that because Global was in place the moment Global sent us a 30,000 be $30,000 bill. They were in what if we do have a contract which I have not which I have not seen but if we do have or maybe I have but um they were out of what we agreed to do we cancel it from them did we did we cancel madam mayor in in the packet that was supplied to us in December

page 149 which is available I'm looking on the city website attachment five savings calculations annual cost current which is global $375,14328 annual cost pay cardinal $179,3412 estimated annual savings 195,8 $8916. This I just This is the information we're given and we have to go by that information in the decisions we make. That's I just wanted to put that out there.

And the $300,000 that Global was charging is what they charge. This was before the rate hike. This was before we got to $30,000 a month, right? Yeah. That's the amount we had spent with them prior. No, no, no. Prior prior to them going up. We we we we used to spend about 12 to 13 and they went back to 12 to 13. I mean, they because I told them that that line's got to go down. It's it's not fair. And they agree. Oh, okay. So to my understanding that the line that you know they were charging for

and um you know so my understanding you make the negotiation you make the decision to um to make a negotiation with with global to continue service. I'm I'm I'm I'm thinking this continue. Yeah. you make that decision um by yourself basically to continue and I'm in my opinion that well I'm listening to you right now like you didn't like you didn't want to go with the um the previous one you want to continue he doesn't want to make a changes that that kind of fair my staff was not impressed with the other party and and they found a lot of weaknesses in um in their system and so um see do the team

that's why Global was able to hang around. You know what I'm saying? When you make decision like that, okay, and you don't let whosoever know about it, it it doesn't, you know what I'm saying? The authority cannot shift away. you you even even though you even though I am um you have a department to run okay but if you don't feel comfortable with a a certain a certain system you you you um notify the um particular we who do you report to to let them know that I'm not feel comfortable with this so that they can go back to the council whatever it is to make happen

but to me to my understanding right now that you have made the decision I based on based on what you just said before that um the employee did not like the system. That's right. So he did bring it back before to Mr. Cohelis or the not wanting to make the change.

He did fight for his staff when they were saying that they weren't they didn't want to make this the change because it's a big change. It's a lot of work. It's a lot of learning. It's a new learning curve. is they they I mean you got to learn something new. So they don't want to go through all that to to do all that. That did not supersede $150,000 savings. You a council not liking or wanting I mean uh staff not wanting to do it because they were not uh they didn't want to learn the new system or and as Mr. before I said there was some things that may have been different or didn't work like they, you know, they thought they would or something.

Yeah. No, I mean, no, my staff definitely I would I wouldn't say that about my staff. I I find my staff um tries to um be be proactive, efficient, change, you know, saying try to absorb the most the most productive ways. Okay, that's what I find. Okay. So they they try I think they fairly tried to evaluate you know because I told them hey look if these folks are better you know we got to go with them. I mean and and that's the way I I approached it. But when you got when global came you just you decided they came back down.

They came right back down and um well we ran we ran a sample of their rates. You know what I'm saying? And then we came to 12. And then when we got March, it was 12. So, you know, the same. Didn't make any sense to change because it's pretty much the the same. All I'm I'm I need is black and white. Mr. Foresight. Yeah, I need I need the rates cuz I need to be able to tell council, citizens, everybody that

the reason we stayed with Global, we are going to save we we're we're not going to spend that extra $150,000 because um I have I have uh some um seniors right now calling me about that credit card fee right now. They call me today. Are you gonna wave the credit card fee for seniors? So, if we get to a place where we have a reduction, we might be able to take it down, you know. That's right. So, but we need to know these things to make good decisions and not

could be drop from a 3.5 drop to 1.5 or something. You know, I'm that's that's my biggest thing. May I the council would not be upset if you notify the current channel and advice who said it be and it show that um some saving we wouldn't be here right now just you know we might even voted on it but we we would think of it to reverse it we need to get reversed

but however when make a decision and and council make authorization make a make a vote that need to be carried out unless unless they notify the council because somebody might say, "Okay, you know, they let's delay it for a while and let's let's see what happen."

Well, I mean, I think I think um council should be aware of of what I've been through as a professional. I'm a certified public accountant and um I had my own firm, but I haven't dealt dealt with an administration that um finance don't make any decisions here. um you know making me feel I don't know what the hell I'm doing and I've had my own business for 25 years as a CPA and so what do I do you know you know you know do I back off do I you know fight I'm not I'm not the fighter I'm too old Mr. Those days are done.

Mr. First, you are you doing a a good job. I know you're concerned about the city the the citizen and the cit the city finance aspect. You do a good job, you know, and you make some decision that um benefit the cit benefit the city the city then but when you when you when you when come across the elected official in that in that aspect is a gray area. You know what I'm saying? So, it's best to it best to communicate. I'm just saying. But, you know, going forward, if we saving money right now, I'm not mad. If you're losing money, I'd be real upset. But, we're saving money.

Well, that's I think that's kind of the only the thing about it is that I think council was thinking we were going in one direction and to find and to be approved it and then to find out we're not going in that direction without somebody coming back and saying, "Hey, this is what's going on. We feel like uh this would be a better place to stay. I was in an environment where I was stupid out now. Yeah. You know, you know, sometimes it's a it's a lot. It's a lot. It's a lot. And there's a lot of pressure coming on you. A lot of books. I saw you every day working really hard. You know, and you know, sometime I think sometime I'm thinking I do something I forgot. I should go to this person.

Let me let me make you guys aware of one thing. I have lost no one in what three years. Okay, that's right. I have built the department for life to me.

People can step up. Okay, I encourage them. We have almost total coverage in accounting. If someone is out sick, it's covered. You don't get that other people. It's a special situation because number one, you say, "Hey, you're not paying me to cover AP and payroll, etc." But and what's going to be sad is to see what I have built, you know, people stepping up. That's that's going to be ignored. And um I promise you people will probably leave anyway. But I'm just hoping you keep that the the system I set up because it's it's benefits the city. You know, turnover is is is a lot of work on the leader. You know what I'm saying? the top guy. I want you feel I don't want you to feel that um

I'm attacking you or we're attacking you. I know you might felt that way. You get on the comment. I feel that. But remember when this was created in 20 2017, financial department was created. Mhm. You're the second financial advisor been here the longest and and we have done I see a lot of award being done. You're doing a good job. So um just BTS is your your leader is your supervisor and I'm and anything changes and he will come to us about it. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Mr. F.

Moving on to agenda item G 9G consideration and action to approve ordinance 202608 on city manager authority section 2-120D powers and duties of the city manager. Item number 16. We would like all items under 16 to come back to the council for approval. So, um I did have um the attorney remove where it says without first seeking the approval. It simply says that prior approval of the council, city council will um it will need to come back before the city council. I need a motion to approve or to deny. What is 16? I don't get it in my book.

16. I don't have it in my book. It's 9G. It's 9G. I don't have it here. Yes, you do. 9G is the what you asked about in regards to But I don't see the one that um the city manager change in the back council change. It's go all the way to the back. I understand the part they said um the the um

it simply says currently it says act as a hiring discip disciplinary evaluator and removing authority for all city employees. The city manager have the authority to hire, fire, discipline, promote, task, assign and reassign duties, evaluate and adjust employees pay within the position cap classification and play pay plan. This is what it currently says without first seeking the approval of the city council or mayor from all for all city employees. What we wanted to change it to was provided however that any such action shall require the prior approval of city council.

Okay. Yes, I see that this was May I say something? This was changed by um Coalis um was changed by Coalis to um to empower himself. Well, we have a a motion on the floor. We discuss it. Any discussion? Do with a motion. No motion. We don't have a motion. You ask for a motion. I did ask for a motion. I need a motion to approve ordinance 20268. Are we going to attack it or not?

He's dying. Okay. So, moving on to agenda item 9H, consideration and action to approve resolution 2026 26, the procurement policy authority. The council would like to reduce the city manager's authority to be limited to $10,000 when making procurement decisions before it will need to come back before the council. We also do not want to have a loophole that allows for ongoing uh agreements or contracts under $10,000 mark. I need a motion to approve or to deny resolution 202626. I I I'll make a motion to approve that one. Second.

I have a motion by council member Mitchell and a second by council member Meeks to approve resolution 2026 26. Discussion from the council. Yes. Um, is this resolution on the agenda? Um, as a part of the reason why we're trying to um limit the city manager's powers and authority and is this in retaliation to the conversation around the $481,000? I know we have a $50,000 procurement um uh policy in place now, but is this in retaliation to that as well as the uh as well as retaliation towards the information you disclosed about Mr. Baker earlier in the meeting?

So, these are all safeguards that council is considering in regards to making sure that at least we can have some type of controls. Um, it's not going to be a guarantee by anything by any measure. However, this is just a way for us to have a little bit more information before spending get out of hand. Miss something. I have a question.

The reason why I support this, this was um changed by con at a time and I vote against increase it from from 2500 to $50,000. I I lost a vote and this why I I I I do believe that we should have um um a set guard right there. It's nothing it's nothing to do with um city manager. I um that's just my belief, you know. Um council council member Mitchell, can you speak in the mic because I'm having a very hard time hearing.

Okay. in 2017 2017 um this was this was changed by a past two past silicon city manager was from 202500 to $50,000 I did vote against that I lost a vote because the $50,000 at the time and I did disagree with that much money um but however um it's nothing against the city manager that's why I feel that I should I should maintain that Council member Desine, I think you had something you wanted to

council member White Williams. Um, once again, I just find that all of these these items that's on the agenda since we came back from executive session is to limit the power of the city manager. I I I understand Mr. Mitchell's uh Council Member Mitchell's concerns, but my concern is that none of these things were changed when Mr. Cohilis was in in office in as a city manager. Sorry. This never came up. Um, and so now all of a sudden items E, F, G, H, and I are now on the agenda to limit the power and authority of the city manager.

I do have a question.

I just think I just think the timing of this is very strategic. I think it is a setup and while I do believe that the city manager should have the power and authority to do day-to-day operations, I don't think it looks good that we are now trying to change it because the former city manager is no longer here. We gave him the power years ago. Now that he's not here, we want to take it back. I don't think we need to keep flip-flopping. If it's $50,000 now, it needs to I think it should remain at 50,000. So, I I I will be voting against this.

So, thank you so very much. I'm going to I'm going to just um piggy back off uh what council member White Williams just said. So, I don't know anybody that makes a definitive uh decision um that gets new information introduced to them and don't consider that new information. This council has been informed. They've been able to see um videos from other cities. They've been able to do a lot of things to find out more information and so to put safeguards in place for our city based on some of that information that would be remiss of us not to put safeguards in it. I mean the at the end of the day what council member White Williams premise is is that because the last city manager had that authority the new city manager should have that authority not with new information that's been introduced to this council. This council has been made fully aware of the new information. So that is the reason that um and this was put on of course without knowing about how anybody was going to vote on anything. But for me as the mayor, I put this on here as a safeguard to try to make sure that there was a safeguard in our city because at the end of the day, every citizen in this city is it's going to be rare that they call a a city manager's name or a city council name. They're going to say the mayor the mayor knew the what the mayor do there. I I I have gotten 15,000 text messages about what the mayor is going to do, you know, and so uh yes, I I do I did put this on here as a safeguard and I would like for

it to be the case. Council member Duchine, I believe you had a comment. Yes. So, um, understanding what you're saying about the safeguards, going back to the previous city manager, um, I think I recalled him purchasing three vehicles before even coming to the council that we had to ratify after the fact. So, the safeguards just didn't seem to to be there before or they weren't important then, but they're important now because of videos on the internet. I don't know. That just seems

Council Member Mitchell. Um the um the the video doesn't doesn't affect me personally. Um but um I I only can go I'm kind of conservative way. I'm you know I'm very frugal person and um it is not to do with city manager. I I dare disc a lot and it's all about the policy that I I I I feel like I want to set. It's nothing to do with attack. The mayor may have her own opinion what she want to do but I am have my own opinion based on what I want to do and I respect all respect everyone opinion. So I am not attack anyone and if anyone feels related to what I said is nothing to do with the city manager. is about a person I feel I want to set.

Thank you so very much. Council member White Williams,

can I get some clarification on the last sentence? We also do not want to have a loophole that allows for ongoing agreements or contracts under the $10,000 mark. So, can you explain since this is what you put on the agenda, can you explain what you mean by that statement? So, what I mean by that statement is um whenever someone comes in with an agreement of $9,000 just to stay up underneath the $10,000 mark, but you going to charge me again next month $9,000 more. And the next time you going to charge me the next month $9,000 more, that is an ongoing to me a contract that should be brought back before the counselor. if I'm going to be paying you $9,000 a month for whatever I'm paying you $9,000 for. It's the same thing when you're talking about with um bidding out something, you know, you piece mill it together so that it stays up under the threshold where you don't have to bid the project out. That's not what we we're not going to do that. We're going to put a project together. We're going to get a whole price and it's going to be given to whoever it's given to with the whole price. That way we don't have to worry about the peace milling. And that's what this um $10,000 mark or making sure that just you coming up underneath $10,000 for for each month does not uh allow you to continue to get $10,000 or a little under $10,000 from me for the next 12 months.

Okay. So, I'm glad you mentioned um a bid because contractors do it all the time and we are in the business for the most part of getting the cheapest bid. The lowest bid is what we typically go for in government. That does not stop the contractor from later to slap us with the change order that's now going to take us over the bid. So I if I feel it as if we're going to do it for the procurement policy, then we need to figure out how can we stop contractors that's performing work for us from doing the same thing because they're doing it just to get the job only to slap us over the head or in the face with a change order that's now going to make them more than the highest bid we received. So, I think we really before we take consideration and action on this item, we really need to look at it overall because you can't just say we're only going to do it for this, but we're not going to do it for a contractor. Prime example, McBrea Park, they were the lowest bid, but then we ended up getting change orders because the contractor didn't know what they were doing. So I think we need to probably find a way to close the loophole not just in this area of our procurement policy but in all the other areas because we know it's happening.

Um may may I Yes. Um mayor persona are you recommended for us to postpone this for to fix all the loopholes? Yes that is what I'm recommending. Okay, you have a motion on the floor. You and Marty,

this can be the beginning and then you can tackle um let's postpone so we can fix the um fix the loopholes all the loopholes that require a massive fixing. So um believe you me um You're going to be I I I can go with it, but you're going to infringe also deeper as someone may suggest that um so how long you talking about taking is

I would go with going forward with this and also if you want if if the council wish to do this fix rest a loophole I'm fine with it as well. Public comment. Oh, okay. All right. Mr. Mitchell, will you where you can Miss Greer?

Hi, Don Greer. 20 Macdonald Street. I was in the meetings whenever it was changed from 10 to 50. And I'm almost certain that the reason that it was given was just because a $10,000 limit restricted the ability of whoever is city manager, not a specific city manager, just for the position of city manager to do their job effectively and quickly.

So that was the purpose of the increase. I remember that from a when it happened in the council meeting. So, and I've saw I've seen the video, so doesn't doesn't concern me either right now. Um, excuse me. So, I would just ask y'all to consider what the original reason for that was and take the person out of it. It's for the position, not the person. The position of city manager. And are you really trying to restrict the the day-to-day timely operations of the city? So, thank you very much.

Thank you. I have a motion on the floor by Council Member Mitchell and a second by Council Member Meeks to approve resolution 2026 226. All in favor? All oppose. I oppose. Did I have you oppose?

So I have a 33. I break the tie that we approve. Right area. I I approve. We approve resolution 202626. Item nine. I cons uh council discussion on all prof professional services agreement. Professional service agreements cannot be entered into without first approval from the mayor and council. I believe this would need to go under procurement as an amendment to ordinance. Um

I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm not supposed to read that one. So um actually this I did speak with Al and she said that all professional service agreements agreements contract whatever it should come before the council anyway. So that's that's what the attorney that's um Mr. Denmark. So um we don't have to even talk about this because all professional services should come back before the council should not go into a profession professional service agreement contract or anything like that. And you know I made the distinction between agreement and contract. She said they both the same and so they should come back before the council regardless of what they are. Okay.

Excuse me. Yes, Miss Wanda. Yes. I just want clarification. So in the community development budget, we have a line item for professional services and for contracting services. The professional services includes the engineers that were approved by mayor and council by resolution. And then the contract services as well as safe built um is part of that. And so I just wanted clarification. Do I need to bring those contracts back in May to you guys or um since they've been adopted by mayor and council, they're good? They've already been adopted by mayor council. Okay. Yes.

Um let me give you an outline. Um in the past um any um professional service me here on the on the bench. um in the past when any professional service that not not approved by the council but also sent to us by email and so forth we don't have to um acknowledge what's going on it sent to us in when I was here I don't know what happened after that things have been changed you know it might have gone away with but that's what I know of and and um the lawyer pretty much concur what I just said

yeah well the professional services that we hire come back before the council whether they come back as the engineering firms that we have four or five that's on retainer or what however they call it. Um but those professional services come back before the council before we actually pay them any money and most of most of it doesn't even we don't even have um it was just an email and and a private vote basically that's what most of it happened. Thank you. Miss Council Member Dash, did you have a question? No, I was about I was going to ask about what um and why they wouldn't, but I guess what you're saying is any what new ones being approved,

right? But they all was approved by the council. So just coming back before the council, which is what they should do, may madame mayor. Yes. May I clarify for myself that once a professional service is approved in the budget That's right. That is council approval. That's right. Pass it. Okay. Thank you. Moving on to agenda item 9 J. Consideration and action on resolution 202628 street improvement pavement sign post thermoplastic center stop and fog lines. May I have to make a um a motion for this but with um um

stipulation stipulation that um we pull the funds that needed from a particular line items with also with the a quote from what needed to be done. Okay. I'm sorry. Council member Mitchell, can you repeat that? I I can't hear what you're saying.

I made a motion to approve this um this line items with a condition that the the funds that needed to be to be selected from a a particular fund that the council approved with included um a quote from three vendors. I believe Mr. Baker referenced that already that there it was out for bid or it would go out for bid. Is that right, Mr. Baker? Is that what I heard you say earlier? That is correct, ma'am. Yes, absolutely. The reason why I mentioned it because it's on the agenda

in the splash board. So, I need to clarify that part as well. only. So what you're saying, Mayor Tarley, um, so what you're saying is not to pull the money from Splash, pull it from somewhere else, someplace else. Yeah, Madame Mayor. Yes, Cameron Me.

According to the printout we got in our packet, we have $158,000 and splast five espressi for this purpose. uh the gateway signage and the $108,000 uh let's see gateway signage and then there was 50 for the landscape arch and gateway signage. Could we amend the motion that the those funds be expended and the remainder of the funds be taken from fund balance instead of intermingling splashed five funds that were allocated for city hall? Oh, you make an amendment that motion.

Uh well, we don't have a motion yet cuz nobody second. So that's the motion. Martin, could we make Are you okay make a motion? Okay. Um, Madame Mayor, I move that we approve resolution 2026 28 with the stipulation that uh $158,534 already earmarked for this purpose in splast 5 be first expended and the remainder be taken from fund balance. I second I second it.

All right. I I just want to make sure I have clarity on this item because I thought we were going to get a plan together and make sure that everything was on point because now what we're doing is giving access to fund balance. Yes, ma'am. Um we need to put to not to exceed Yes, ma'am. uh not to exceed $443,714. We can add that to the end of the motion.

Not to exceed. Okay. All right. So, we we have a um staff is going to get a plan together on um the signage. We did talk about not having um or what was discussed earlier. Make sure I was in the right place. Discussed earlier. This was about fabrication and it was discussed that we would need um more than just fabrication to be done that we were going to need um hardcapes, landscape, all everything as a part of 20 and as well as downtown. So they were supposed to bring us back a plan

that said what steps they were going to do first. each one of those steps with what time and how much money each one of them we we were talking about having to do. That's what and that's what we did in in just this meeting at 5:30. M. Yes. Bear in mind this is this this process is to revitalize downtown. That's right.

Is to um enhance the um the business community and also a lot more. So um some of it may cost a lot but we investing in our community so that we so that our community can can um hold up for next 40 years or 20 you know 60 years and the next person take over and do better and do a better job that we have and um that's the goal is yeah I I I totally agree with you Mr. Uh, Council Member Mitchell, I don't have a problem with the uh not to exceed the 443. Um, does that that includes the 158? Yeah. No, that's Yes, ma'am. The 158 that is already in SPLOS 5 and then the rest. Okay.

Is that clear? I I don't I don't have a problem with expending that. I do think that we need to go ahead and get our gateway signage uh done, but the the steps that we laid out in the first meeting is going to be intrical. needs to come. We need to know this this these processes that we're going to be going through and what we can expect to see and how long it's going to take and where we're at in the process. Miss Wanda,

did you have a question uh comment? Um, I just wanted to um share as far as time goes because we have approved engineers and landscape architects as part of the approved design professionals. That part doesn't go out to bid. That takes, you know, 3 months to get that vetted. We send those out as task orders and get those companies to bid against each other to get the best deal so that it can move forward and have the design and get a a bid summary sheet so that when it we can have an estimate for you guys to just know before it goes out on the streets. We can talk about it, but then when it goes out, we have, you know, line item numbers and and the bids are solid. I have a question after.

So, so can I can I say something here? Council member White Williams. So, Miss Wanda, thank you for that. I I do understand that we already have um uh people in place and they could bid against each other. However, I think to make it more competitive, it should be able to go out for an RFP. um because there may be someone that's even cheaper than the three especially if we have a not to exceed number um and that in includes the entire project um I think we should put this out put an RFP out to allow other companies to bid on it.

We we certainly will um do whatever is the pleasure of the mayor and council. the bid when you go out for not to exceed that's an RFQ as far as you're looking at more qualification if you're going to set a number out to not exceed um the bid itself when we go out just so everybody's aware timeline

is um um it will be advertised for 6 weeks consistently then we get the bids back in we vet those out we have a official bid opening and we work through that and like I said usually the whole process takes probably about 2 and 1 half to 3 months when you put a procurement um um project out like that for bid. But we certainly can do that. And whether they are um you find somebody that you like better that may or may not have the lowest bid, you may want to just consider that as well cuz sometimes you don't always get what you

get when you get low bid. So we're happy you want

and I'm not saying they may be the lowest bid, but they may actually be cheaper. So I think if if we're going to change um our procurement policy and we're going to change you know our professional services agreement however whatever contracts or agreements we enter into I think it needs to be a fair even playing field for anyone that wants to come and do business with the city. Um, I think not doing that contradicts everything we just did and um to a certain extent. So, I think we should put it all out there for an RFP, RFQ, whatever it is, and see if there's a company out there that can maybe not be as cheap, but maybe the quality of work, maybe they have everything in place. So, that's that's just my opinion. So, I will say I I I do want to say that um I don't have a problem with RFP or any of that. What I will say is though um when we got architectural firms and engineering firms that went out for bid. So, that's how we got them. It went out for bid. Those companies had an opportunity to bid to be one of those vendors in our city that we sent task orders to. So, it's not that uh it didn't go out to be. Everybody, every company, every engineering firm, everybody had the opportunity to bid it to be one of those vendors. So, I don't want anybody to think that they did not have an opportunity. If you are a small company, a large company, uh any kind of company, we put it out for bid. if you bided on it, you had the same opportunities as the companies that we currently have. So,

Madame Mayor, yes, I do have a question. Those engineers that were selected, when were they selected, is it years ago, four years ago, or I mean, maybe it's time to reselect another group. That might be what we need to do. Select another group. So, um I'm not exactly sure. three years ago, four years ago. I'm not exactly sure. No, I I think it was longer. I think we had when we when mayor and council at the time um um

I remember when it was about four years. There were seven there were seven engineering firms and just so you know the seven engineering firms um staff recommended top three based on criteria and I myself recused myself because one of the firms that um went after the bid I used to work for and so

um Griffin's Dr. Keller at the time played a a big role on, you know, um looking through those documents because he was he's a guru. He was a guru. Um rest his soul. But anyway, so but mayor council's decision at the time was to approve all seven, not just take all three, but they wanted all seven, which included GMC, which was a former um consultant that the city used for a long time, but they weren't ranked by multiple. It wasn't just Dr. Keller, but there was a committee to review these um proposals. So, we had those seven and we would consistently send out task order to the seven and then it ca became clearly every task order that we sent out. It was a particular firm that was the low bid or it would go back and forth between Pond and Falcon and sometimes um precision planning. And then it got to be where some of them just stopped responding whatsoever because they never I have all the documents. We'd send it out. You show the bids. Everybody's aware of what everybody bid and we're notified in you know um procurement process. And so sometimes like GMC was always not just a little high but like three times as higher than anybody else. And so they dropped out. They stopped responding. And anyway, we got to the point where I just say all that to say we could do the same thing again and have people that have, you know, the excitement on the initial, but then they just they never kind of hit their groove and win a contract and and they go away. So, but I do think it's worth looking because we have new public works staff. they've

worked with other engineering firms that they have good relationships with. Um, not that they would um be considered in a a biased way, but that's just the fact of the nature. Sometimes, you know, of different firms that if you're at a place, maybe that firm will bid on it where they might not if you're not. Doesn't mean you'll win it, but they just it's just people do business with the other day, not people.

Mhm. All right. So, um let me make sure. I have a motion on the floor by Council Member Meeks and a second by Council Member Mitchell to approve resolution 202628 to not exceed the $443,714 which includes making sure that the council gets the stepbystep approach to this uh signage and um how we're going to be moving forward. All in favor?

All opposed? I have a six though. Moving on to resolution 9K, consideration and action to approve resolution 202629 replacement vehicle for public works. We have a quote for Chevrolet quote for Ford and the city manager recommends uh is to proceed with the purchase of a Ford F-150. Madame Mayor, I move that we approve resolution 2026-29 and follow the city manager's recommendation. Seconded.

I have a motion by council member Mes and a second by council member Mitchell to approve resolution 2026 29. Discussion from the council. Discussion from the public. All in favor? I have a 6. Agenda item 9L. Consideration and action to approve resolution 2026 27 on changes to software systems. All software changes included but not limited to software companies, software system and software packages. I need a motion to approve or to deny resolution 2026 27. Seeing there is no motion. What? Wait, what is the motion to

I don't understand the motion the uh resolution. Yeah. So prior to software changes in who is to approve consideration action. It's consideration and action to approve changes to software systems. Who approve? Who who approves? Oh. Oh, it that is supposed to come back before the council or it's supposed to come to the council. Then are you going to make a changes to Madame Mayor?

Yes, the item is not very clear. I I don't see how we can take action on this particular item. Okay. I agree. It needs to be tabled till next month or another time. Next, um, we'll remove it from the agenda. Resolution 2026 27. Postpone. Postpone it. Postpone it. Postpone it to our May meeting. Yeah. I need a motion to postpone resolution 2026 27. I need a motion to postpone. Second. Second. I have a motion to postpone by council member Mitchell and a second by council member Meeks. Any further discussion from the council? Is to be clarified. Yes.

All uh discussion from the public. All in favor? I. All oppose. Melissa. Miss Melissa, did you vote? I Yes. No. Which one? We postpone it to Yes. Absolutely. 6. 9 m. Consideration and action to approve resolution 202630, the Hampton Downtown Development Authority appointments resolution um to appoint each person will need an up and down vote. So, uh, the first person on the agenda is Mr. Alfred Williams. Um, I need a motion to approve Mr. Williams. I make a motion to approve Mr. Williams. Second.

I have a second by Council. I have a first by Council Member Cheney and a second by Council Member Meeks to approve Mr. Alfred Williams to the Hampton Development Authority. Discussion from the council. Discussion from the public. All in favor? I. I have a 6. I have a um I need a motion to approve Mr. Charlie Hearn for the Hampton Development Author Authority. Um need to make some changes on it. I'm sorry. Some changes. You need to make a change. Yes. Okay.

It would be um he he wants to make a change to his appointment here. Uh do we need to amend the agenda to do that? No, no, madam mayor. I mean, I think that there's an item on the agenda already for an appointment. So, the name is just the name. His name is just the name. Okay. Um, the reason is is for Daniellea Shipman. Mr. Mr. Ern decided he got some personal problem. Mr. Donnie Shipman. No, Danielle. Danielle Shipman. Oh, Miss Danielle Shipman. Due to the fact that Mr. Ern have some personal personal problem.

Okay. Mr. Danielle Shipman. I need a motion to Oh, that's um Mr. Mitchell. You making a motion to appoint Miss Danielle Shipman? Yeah, definitely. Do I have a second? I second. Second by Council Member Dashane. All in favor? I I have a 6. Mr. Migs, do you have someone at this time? No, ma'am. my uh uh former appointee, Miss Sonia Rushing, has uh resigned, resigned, and I am currently looking for someone. Okay. I need a motion to approve Mr. Regginal Walton to the Hampton Development Authority.

I make a motion to approve Regginal Walton. Second. I have a motion by Council Member Cheney and a second by Council Member Meeks to approve Mr. Regginal Walton to the Hampton Development Authority. Discussion from the council. Discussion from the public. All in favor? I I have a 6. Miss Brooks, do you have somebody right now? Madame Mayor, not at this time. Okay. Council member White Williams, do you have someone you would like to recommend? Yes. Okay.

Madame Mayor, I'd like to nominate Miss Otima Anzong to the uh Hampton Development Authority. I have a motion on the floor by council member White Williams to appoint Miss uh Otima Anson. Do I have a second? Second. I have a second by council member Duchine. Discussion from the council. Discussion from the public. All in favor? I. All oppose. I have a 6. Moving on to Mr. Dwight Harris. I need a motion to approve Mr. Dwight Harris to go to the Hampton Development Authority. I make a motion to approve Mr. Dwight Harris. Second.

I have a motion by Council Member Duchaine and a second by Council Member Mitchell to approve Mr. Dwight Harris to go to the development authority. Discussion from the council. Discussion from the public. All in favor? I. I have a 6. Moving on to I need a motion to approve Mr. Donny B brain to go to the Hampton Development Authority. I move. I have council member Meeks for a motion first. And do did you Mr. Mitchell? Oh, we have discussion. Mr. Mitchell, did you second? Yeah. Second. Second by Mr. Mitchell.

Discussion. Discussion. Um can we clarify how this spot work here? Um we know that um each one is tied to a council members. is not tied to a council member according to a it's not the term right the term the term terms right so you know pretty much council person sense the term so however um how we place how are we going to place if we select Daniel Brian would it be for um for Marty terms end or our terms end which one it is

so we're we're I would suggest suggest that we do Mr. Donny Bryant at uh 2027 to expire in two years. Okay. And and then uh if I'm approved, I would go through the 20 20 29 or whatever it is, four years. Okay. Madame Mayor, I do have a question. Um, I I think I have an old copy of the bylaws for the HDA because I I don't see in there where appointment of at large members. Is that something new that they've done?

So, they put it on the agenda as at large, but that doesn't really mean at large. They're not at large. They're just members of the seven to nine body council or HDA. Well, who decided to select Mr. Donnie Bryant or I mean how was that? Oh, his his name just came in as as someone that wanted to be on it that wanted to serve.

Yes. So people can apply for the HDA board. They can, you know, ask about it. So it wasn't anybody, you know, it's not our one of our, you know, suggestion. Mr. Danny Bryant just wanted to be able to serve on the board. Well, how would others know that there's an available place to serve? I mean, was it is it something? Pardon? I was going to say, so those things are on our all of our websites and stuff like that. And um I know I I informed a lot of people just trying to get somebody to serve, you know. Can I say something?

Yes. So when this the agenda first came out or not first um Miss Hood had sent out an email, it wasn't kind of said to us that it was even going to be for appointments until after the agenda came out and I saw it said appointments and I called her and she said that on the Wednesday you had said it was going to be appointments and I was like well then how is anybody how is anybody supposed to know that it was going to be an appointment because that's not what was said to us. So the the the item that we have been kicking down the curve,

I understand that. But I'm saying when when it came out and we we questioned it, it was said it was just going to be for discussion. It wasn't until after the J like until after Wednesday that when I called Miss uh Hood about the to ask a question about the discussion and she said no it's for an appointment and we first of all had passed the time because this was Thursday I'm calling. So if I didn't call how were we we would have to wait till Friday when it posted to know that this was an appointment cuz that's not what we were initially told that it was an appointment. It was just supposed to be for discussion. Can I speak madam ma'am? Yeah.

So again, Miss Duchain, she did call me and ask me about it. Um, so originally when it came out, your item wasn't on there yet when me and Miss I think me and Miss Kesha White William was talking about it. She said that she wanted to be for discussion because she wanted to go through an application proc process or whatever. And then, you know, you br your items or sent your items um to be on the agenda and Miss Pam called and as about that and it's what she said. So that's why in the beginning it wasn't said because it wasn't what it was.

I I apologize if it wasn't better clarity and in conversation in regards to um appointments. Um I know we've been talking about appointments for the last three months for the HDA and so I thought that was clear but I'm sorry that it if it wasn't. Uh but you know anybody that you know wanted wants to apply definitely has the opportunity to apply or anybody that you would like uh to serve you can always submit their name as well you know so and everyone that's the reason that goes through a up or down vote you know the people that's on this list is not guaranteed to be on the board we could have had 50 applicants and we would have went through nine of them when we got to nine we don't we stop at nine you know So, yeah. So, I have a motion on the floor for Mr. Dunny Bryant. Miss Mitchell, did you have something else? I'm sorry.

No. Okay. Uh, I have a motion on the floor for Mr. Dunny Bryant um by Council Member Meeks and a second by Council Member Mitchell. All in favor? All oppose? I have a three. Three. I'll break the tie. And yes, appoint Mr. Donnie Bryant for three. Next appointment for the Hampton Development Authority is myself um for council representation until the 2020 29. I need a motion to appoint an mayor to the Hampton Development Authority.

Madame Mayor, I move that we Madame Mayor I move we appoint uh Anne Tarpley as the council representative for the Hampton Development Authority. I have a motion on the floor by council member Meeks. Do I have a second? I second the motion. Have a second by council member Cheney. Discussion from the council. So I just had a question because you're also sitting on the youth council. So are you going to come off of one like you're going to be sitting on two well the the youth council as well as the the HDA? Like I'm not on the youth council. You're not on youth council. No,

you're not. You're not the I always thought you were the We don't We don't have a No, but I thought I always thought that you were the I oversee the youth council. Oh, oversee the youth council. You know what I'm saying? Right. So, but in the sense of you're you're now going to also be on the like the UR. Yeah, I have a motion on the floor by Council Member Meeks and a second by Council Member Cheney to appoint Anne Tarpley to the city uh to the Hampton Development Authority. All in favor?

Madame Mayor, can we have

discussion, please? Okay. I don't have a problem with you serving, but uh you you are the mayor. You have quite a few hats that you wear. I would like to see this position being filled by someone in the community that might bring a different set of eyes to the HDA. Uh that's my discussion. Um just give someone else in the community an opportunity to serve the city. Thank you. I have a motion on the floor by Council Member Meeks, a second by Council Member Cheney. All in favor? All oppose. Council member White Williams.

I oppose. I have a 33. I'll break the tile with a yes. Public Oh, did we move public comment? Yes, we already did. Yes, we did. I'm so sorry about that. How did that happen? ask you when it came up. I didn't pay attention to that. Let's open the floor for any public comments at this time. Anyone with public comment? See, Mr. Bill? Oh, Mr. Bill.

Uh, yeah. I got some information I just want to share on splash. Uh but first going back 1974 I was in I went to a Henry County Board of Commissioners meeting and the reason I went is something going on over there and what happened was they that night at that meeting they created the Henry County Parks and Rex and I was interested in that. Okay. Actually the chairman of the board or chairman of commissioners that year was actually a Hampton resident was you me. So, moving on in time, I mean, since then, there's probably been a minimum of $300 million spent on improvements around the county by the county, okay? And improvements. Before then, it was just a youth clubs, you know, around the county. And that was a big deal. So, and you know, since then, it's been all right. But about 5 years ago, the county and the cities got together and they come up with a service delivery agreement. Now, I don't know what all this service I've seen it, but I don't know what all it says, what it means, but my understanding was that it like in Kohley Park here that that the city agreed to do the maintenance on the park, okay? And the county was relieved of that thing. Well, I don't disagree. I mean, I disagree with that because look, when the county parks when it was created, it was created to serve all the youth from around the county. So now you going to come over here and you're going to say, "Well, we're just going to serve these over here in this city and over here in this city, and we're not going to do it." And as I follow social media in the last few years, I witnessed millions of dollars being appropriated by Henry County to Locus Grove, Macdonald, and Stockbridge.

But not one of them come to Hampton that I know of or I missed it unless they wrote y'all a check. For example, there's a project going on now in Oak Lola baseball million dollars. They redoing the parks. So why should I pay my taxes to the county for recreation that's going all around the county but don't come back to Hampton and it don't make no sense to me and I don't think nobody really has a issue with it. I don't know if you're aware of it, but I think you should be aware of it. And I think you should point it out to somebody. I mean, one reason I come up here, I said, we we owe them $431,000. What about what they owe us? Because they're not they're not servicing Hampton like like they used to and like they should. Not even fairly in my opinion. So, that's about it.

Thank you, Mr. Bill. All right, Madame Mayor. Yes, we were handed ordinance 202609 concerning open containers. Were we going to take action on that tonight seeing as we have the yellow pollen festival coming up or I know it's going to take two reads and we can probably do the second read at the retreat before. Sorry. Are you going to have are you going to have quorum at the retreat to do it? Can we do it tomorrow? We're doing you right now. Can it tomorrow? The second read. I think there has to be a certain period of time between the two read.

I think it's Yeah. 48 hours. I don't think we can do it tomorrow at that meeting because it was advertised as special meeting and it has specific items on the agenda. Now, um Mr. Denmark, you can tell us how we can do. It's an agenda. You did? No, not in 24 hours. No, we we didn't amend the agenda. Well, we we'd have to amend the agenda. Yes. Can Winston We want We were going to amend the agenda to add ordinance number 202609. Is that okay? Not the special meeting? No, not today. I'm talking about today. This ain't no special call meeting. I'm talking about now. This meeting now? Yeah. If you want to do that, you can do it now. I thought you were going to try to do it.

No, no, we're going to do it now. Uh, I need a motion to amend the agenda to add ordinance number 202609 to agenda item 11. I have so move. I mean 10 A, I'm sorry. 10 A. I have a motion by Council Member Mitchell to um amend the agenda for ordinance number 202609 and a second by Council Member Duchaine. All in favor? All opposed? Okay, I have 6 to amend the agenda to add this item. Now, I need a motion to approve or to deny. Ordinance number 202609. I make a motion to approve.

Second. I have a motion to approve by council member Duchaine and a second by council member White Williams, ordinance number 202609. Discussion from the council. I want to know um who brought it to the floor. Uh, this came out of Main Street if I'm not mistaken. Is that correct? Okay, that's what I was thought. Yes, Main Street because of events and there has to be two readings before it takes place. So, we have another we have opportunity to study it. I read it.

Okay. In reading the um in reading it, I'm just bringing in the sense of um I think it could be expanded a little bit because it kind of stifles I think our small business. So, and it talks about um single serve have a 20 person limit but for small businesses like the candle shop I think she's put on some create create come and create you know what I mean like my business doing a you could we could do like a sip and design type of thing but you we don't have I mean I don't know about the candle but we don't have capacity or I don't have capacity for like a money person, you know what I'm saying? And what other business is coming when they could do something in their business to add a another feature like this? This ordinance doesn't necessarily help that. So, um that is uh absolutely right. This ordinance does not help that uh because this is uh this ordinance is about, you know, being able to have open containers pretty much on Main Street. And what you're talking about those businesses would still have to have a liquor license and

No, you would still have to get a liquor license. But I sense liquor license open container in a sense of it's cuz it said I think in buildings and you know what I'm saying? So even if you had to have a liquor license, we didn't you didn't meet the 20. You know what I'm saying? Okay. For an open container. Okay. So um send that to me and I'll see um because this is just the first read of it. We can go ahead and see if we it's something that can be integrated into this when we get it over to Winston. Mr. Mitchell, you know, since it's a first read, I I start put more depth reading to it.

First read. Okay. I have a motion on the floor to approve ordinance number 202609 by council member Desaine and a second by council member White Williams. All in fa uh any discussion from the public? Yes. Um, Ken Bowwin are more uniquely me and the awakening drip. I want to kind of get a clear understanding of the open container. If y'all can go back and elaborate on what you was just talking about because I came from a community that did the open container. So, can you kind of go back if you don't mind to so I can get a clear understanding of what you guys are talking about?

All right. Um, so, uh, Miss, uh, Council Member Desane was just discussing about the open container and people coming being able to go into the shops and, uh, actually have access in in the shops as well. Um, but it has a what she was saying is this doesn't go far far enough to be able for them to actually have that access. make sure I'm saying it right. Everybody

for for for for the businesses but as not just that but if you wanted to say have a fashion show in your in your business where you're do or do something that you're trying to add to your business but you wanted to do it like how you know a sip and paint or you know what I'm saying? This container um ordinance doesn't cover you being able to cuz you it has a limit of 20 people. You may not be able to fit 20 people sitting or doing something in one of your stores. We need to adjust it so that it could accommodate whether it's five pe you know what I'm saying to allow all the other businesses to be able to do something.

So the max is 20 people. You said limit. So what are you saying? Yeah. Um, yeah, I'm kind of lost on that because I thought the open container is for to come out of who's selling the alcohol and being able to go from business to business um without being bothered, right? I'm saying is as a business as a small business myself if I wanted to do a a sip and design and I'm selling or having the alcohol in my store on a separate not just as a festival

I am not able to even if I got a liquor license to do it because of that 20 person's limit. If you obtain a nuclear license, that would give you that that gives you up under the I didn't read that as being that way in this and that that avoids it. We'll make sure that the license would um not apply. This is pretty much about festivals and being able to Right. But there's nothing that you know what I mean? I got you. I got you. Um

so we will make the necessary adjustments. So if you have a liquor license, you're able to sell liquor. is what it is, you know, it doesn't have a limitation on it. However, when you're doing the festivals, the ability to be able to go in and out of the stores and carry that alcohol with you on Main Street, that is what um this is primarily trying to cover from what I understand. And it's only get covering 20 people. So, the the exhibit says um let me get to that section. I think inside at one time as well.

Um, you guys see where it says about the 20 was it towards the body? Maybe the exception. I have to get back with you.

Yeah, I think that on that it's really just giving permission to come out on the sidewalks and engage and be able to um go from location to location without being um binded or anything like that. I I was in the city of Woodstock, which is the outlet shops of Atlanta, and there is no limit on how many people can come in and out when you talking about um the events and things like that, you still have to be licensed up under your business, which would fall up under the open container. So if you're doing an event like she was mentioning my location or um the maker of maine if she was if if we're in partaking in that then it's just that we carry a license to be able to now work up under the open container and y'all just coming out just like the eats and bees. They can go sit at the table, drink their alcohol and not be bothered. That's it. Yeah.

Thank council member one second council member Mitchell even though I go with I have some concern you know I am really have some concern. Well we'll have some opportunity to because um I'm not really fond of open container and on Main Street. I'm not fond of it. But I I'll take a more deeper dive into it and see what's all about. Um where's my case there? Okay, Council Member White Williams.

Um, so is there a way that we can approve this open container um policy for all events and festivals we have on our main street? Do we have to come back every time there is an event and have two reads? Cuz Yellow Pollen is next weekend. um well the 25th. So, is there a way we can, you know, just automatically give a blanket approval for all events we have on our main street such as Eats and Beach, Yellow Pollen, Summer Concert Series, or or any other events because if we're trying to activate our downtown um that's going to be big and you know, h having to have another meeting um another read um to approve the open container are kind of at the in the 11th hour cuz the festival is the 25th. I I think you know if we can eliminate this going forward, I think we should look at possibly doing that.

Chief,

Miss White Williams, um the the way it's always been done in the past is as long as the event is named, generally they will come before you guys and in a block. um I believe with a with some turnover in Main Street may have caused the issue on this one of why it's coming in at the last minute, but generally they were coming in in blocks. And the reason you the reason they haven't done a wholesale with it for the whole year is because the different venues require a little bit different like she actually Main Street will put in, you know, from this area to this area and the requirements like to Mr. Mitchell's point, like on this one right here, we they put, I believe, in yellow cups. That way, they're identifiable. We have start and end points to where we're able to make sure that we're we're following the ordinance even with the approval and it's just not a a blanket. They can walk on down Oak Street and be drinking in the middle of the road. So,

if I may touch and as I understand Miss White Williams comment, the reason we're having two readings for this is we're amending section 612. Once we have the two readings to amend the section,

then it will allow for each event to be approved. And some events are going to be in different places. So each one will come before the council. But after we if we pass the ordinance, the ordinance requires the two readings. Once the ordinance is passed, then each event application will take care of the permit for open potato. Okay.

Thank you. I have a motion on the floor by council member Desaine and a second by council member White Williams to approve uh ordinance number 202609. Any further discussion from the council? Discussion from the public? All in favor? I. All opposed. You have five of 51. All right. Um positive happening. Do you have more public comment? more public comment. Oh, public comment. It's done. Okay. Oh, it didn't stop. I'm sorry. Sorry. I didn't I didn't take it personally.

Okay. Sorry. That's all right. Now, um this was just a kind of a something I did not plan until I heard the work session comments. So, I wanted to thank Miss Sutherland for her comments that she made regarding the logo. Uh her research into city logos sounded more thorough than what was explained when it was first presented, I don't know, months ago. Uh, I did not agree at all with a complete lack of public input for the recent iteration of the city logo. Uh, when the person who created and presented the logo at a city council meeting not too long ago made his presentation, his explanations, in my opinion, were not reflective of the qualities of Hampton. Uh, in Mrs. Sutherland's presentation, a comparison was shown between more classical city logos and commercial logos. The brightly colored logo does look more like the commercial ones. To me, it has more of a tropical appearance that does not align with the qualities that highlight the positive aspects, historic nature, and the small town charm of the city of Hampton. So, I appreciate y'all reconsidering with that. Thank you.

Thank you. Moving on to positive happenings. We're going to start with council. Oh, we got somebody else. No, I want to go first. I council changing to you first. Uh my positive happenings is the Mcaria Park is moving forward. Mhm. Yes, it is. It's looking good, too. That all you wanted to say? Yeah. All right. Council member Duchine.

Um, I wanted to say that we finished up the um citizens academy. It was very good. I recommend it to everyone to go out and take it. It's It's well worth learning um what the our police officers have to go through. It was it was very good. as well as um I know we m Mr. Baker had sent out an email a few weeks ago in regards to one of our longtime residents, Katie Queen and her mother um who suffered her well Katie Queen suffered a massive stroke and um had to be airlifted to the hospital. Um, and so I know Miss Daniels and and and Dawn and the community has been rallying around to kind of um do stuff for her and help her out. Um, I don't know the latest update other than the last couple days that she was moved back. She was sent to rehab and had to be moved back to ICU for um her lungs, infection in her lungs. But we should need to keep praying for for them.

Amen. That's right. For her I'm the mom cuz her mom also is in rehab in another in Jackson. Mhm. Okay. Council member Mitch. Um I want to say kudos to the public's works and I I went there yesterday and I visit them and they was wonderful. um Lewis King and Coffer. They showed me around the place and and see their new uniform. It was awesome. It was a pleasure to meet them. Council member Meek,

I am ex I am ecstatic to hear that the McBrer Park will be complete by the end of June hopefully and that Georgia uh Atlantic Gas and the other uh providers have walked at least are making progress for the roundabout to be open. Uh when those two things get done, I don't know what I'm going to do with them. Council member Mix

in additional to the council members we here for focus driven for the redevelopment of downtown and the awesome city council here and pushing forward. Council member Brooks. Okay, I'm going to see if I can hold us here until midnight. the last midnight.

Okay. Um really happy to see uh the public participating hearing comments from everyone. Hearing the comments from Miss Kendra Sutherland. I wish we had more people to come up and speak and let us know um how they would like us to do things in the city. Really happy. Um, I I won't believe that we're going to get gateway signs until I see them because it's been a work in progress for four years and it's it's almost like watching a soap opera. You can miss it for five years and tune back in pick right back up where you left off. So, that is really good. I'm happy uh to see that and also really proud of our police department and the way that they handled the situation recently. Um, also, um, May is mental health awareness month, and I don't know if we've ever done anything here in the city of Hampton to acknowledge it, but I would like to do something. I have um going to request a proclamation um to acknowledge it because I think it's much needed. And also I would ask the council, mayor and council to support me in an effort of actually maybe having a mental health walk to bring awareness to mental health and uh the importance of it and how it does affect someone that we know.

That's all. City Manager Baker just very pleased with the excellent supportive staff that we have here. Great opportunity for them and um I think they're going to serve they serve the city very well and there's some opportunities for some growth in that as well.

So ditto to everything everybody said. Uh it has been um a wonderful wonderful um year coming into as Mr. Meek said uh McBreer Park is looking good. I ride by there every single day. Um I know that a lot of people get their exercise in the new East Hampton Community Park. So creating these gathering spaces is definitely been a benefit to our community and want us to continue to to do so. Um I'm Oh, I'm I'm sorry, Council Member um White Williams. Yes.

I'm sorry. Um, it's okay. Um, my positive happenings is I'm here at the Main Street Now America um, conference and I just survived a tornado warning was going off the whole time I was in the meeting. So, I am getting off. So, you guys have a good night and thank everyone at the city for your hard work. Thank you to the citizens and thank you to council members and all staff. Good night everyone. Good night.

Uh, council member uh Desaine talked about Miss Pal and Miss Queen and in prayer. So, let's pray. Father God, in the name of Jesus, we come before your presence thanking you for an opportunity to serve. Oh God, we pray and ask that you would send down your healing power, oh God, on Miss Pal and Miss Queen as they're going through this time of turmoil in their bodies. God, we know you to be a healer. We know that you are a mind regulator, Lord. We pray and ask that you would touch their bodies that you would bring it back to the state in which you would have it to be in. Oh God, Lord, we give you all of the honor, all of the praise, and we magnify your holy name. In Jesus name we do pray. Let everybody say, "Amen."

Amen. Do we need an executive session? I need a motion to adjurnn. I got a motion by council member Mitchell, second by council member Dashane. All in favor? I have a six. I have a 5. Yeah, lady.