Atlanta City Council - Regular Meeting

Whereas Charles E. Johnson assumed leadership of the festival in the mid-1980s and went on to found and produce Sweet Auburn Spring Fest in 1994, expanding the event into one of Atlanta's longest-running cultural celebrations dedicated to preserving the history of Auburn Avenue while creating opportunities for local businesses, artists, and the community. And whereas Mr. Johnson also produced and led the Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival. The historic fall celebration originally started by civil rights leader Hosea Williams, further strengthening cultural traditions and community engagement along Auburn Avenue and RAS. In later years, the Heritage Festival concluded as the Johnson family chose to focus their efforts and resources on continuing and strengthening the legacy of Sweet Auburn Spring Fest, ensuring the long-term sustainability and impact of the historic celebration and rest. Affectionately known as the Mayor of Sweet Auburn and the Spirit of Sweet Auburn, Charles E. Johnson was widely respected for his tireless commitment to the Auburn Avenue community and was recognized by city leaders as a true champion of Sweet Auburn, remaining active engaging in planning and advocacy, even during illness. And whereas, following Mr. Johnson's passing in 2010, former Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall stated that Sweet Auburn has lost a champion. recognizing the tremendous impact he had on the preservation and celebration of Auburn Avenue's history and culture. And Rez, following his passing, the leadership and stewardship of Sweet Auburn Spring Fest continued through his family, including his daughter and grandchildren, who remain committed to carrying forward his vision of honoring the history of Auburn Avenue through cultural celebration, education, and community empowerment. NRAS, the 40th anniversary of Sweet Auburn Springfest stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Charles E. Johnson and the continued importance of preserving and celebrating the history, culture, and community of historic Auburn Avenue. Now, therefore, it be proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of Atlanta, do hereby honor the legacy of Charles E. Johnson, known as the mayor of Sweet Auburn, and recognize his lasting contributions to the preservation, celebration, and advancement of the historic Auburn Avenue and Sweet Auburn Spring Fest. I will ask if any of my colleagues want to speak first.

Congratulations to the Johnson family. I worked with your father. I knew him, and you all have truly, truly done a wonderful job celebrating his life and legacy. He was such a hard worker. He poured his life into Auburn Avenue. So again, thank you all so much, and thank you to Councilmember Antonio Lewis for making today happen.

Thank you, Council Member, for making sure that this hero to our great city is celebrated appropriately and to his wonderful family, two of which I understand are dedicated servants of the city. Thank you for your service. Your loved one, Ms. Johnson, was... dedicated like I've never seen before to making sure that the lasting legacy of Sweet Auburn never died. I first learned about Sweet Auburn from Mayor Maynard Jackson. That's kind of the area he grew up in, the old Fourth Ward. And people like Mr. Johnson, they keep that legacy alive, and you all are keeping his legacy alive. So thank you very much. Congratulations.

And now we'll hear from the family.

Good afternoon, City Council and citizens of Atlanta. On behalf of the Johnson family, we would like to thank the city of Atlanta for recognizing our father, Charles Johnson. The Sweet Auburn District really meant much to him. The residents, the businesses, and his passion was to uplift the community and the citizens. of not only the Sweet Auburn District, but also Old Fourth Ward and beyond. And again, we would like to show our appreciation for the city of Atlanta for recognizing his dedication and contributions.

Thank you.

Before we take our photo, I want to say one thing. I've never had the opportunity of meeting Mr. Johnson myself. I've had the opportunity of feeling his love through his loved ones. Your love and your commitment to the city of Atlanta transferred to the South Side has been felt. I grew up in that area. We've always needed a family like yours to continue to add to the puzzle that we're building on the South Side. From making sure Browns Mill Road got done, to making sure that the gym actually opens up on time, making sure that the pools are opening, what you've been able to do in our area, even sometimes bringing some of the Sweet Auburn flavor, Sweet Auburn Spring Fest down to Jonesboro Road. Right in District 1, at Black Coffee and at Omar Event Space, making sure that we felt that same type of love when we had some shutdowns on the other side of the city. So truly honored to have your commitment to our community and honored to know Mr. Johnson through those who loved him. And as a man, when you meet a daughter who loves her father the way Mrs. Jordan loves her father, that's how you know the commitment they made. So thank you again.

All right, everyone look here.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three.

Well, you do a better job keeping it. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

And Council Member Lewis, you are actually presiding over the next one. Also, so you can just stay right there, in recognition of Timothy Barnett for 42 years of exemplary service for the city of Atlanta. All those here to stand with Timothy Barnett, please come forward.

Coach Tim.

Coach Tim, come on up. So well deserved.

And I've never brought these in here and done a proclamation myself that I brought to city council. So to do these two today let you know how important this was to not only me, but my community.

Yes.

Yes.

Unlucky us. Come on, we can spread out. Come on, we can spread out. Yes. Yes.

And now we get to honor another legend for the city of Atlanta, not just Southside, Two of them, not just the South Side, but another legend for the city of Atlanta. And with this proclamation, we'll be honoring Timothy Barnett for 42 years. 42 years of service to the city of Atlanta. Whereas, I'll read the proclamation first, then I'll talk about Brother Tim, because I learned how to swim in one of these pools that he'd been teaching in for a long time, right? So whereas the members of the Atlanta City Council proudly recognized Timothy Barnett for 42 years of service to the city of Atlanta, during which he devoted his career to advancing water safety, recreation, youth development, and public service. And whereas Timothy Barnett's passion for aquatics began at the age of 10 after learning to swim at Pittman Park Pool. where the professionalism and dedication of the city's lifeguards inspired him to pursue a career serving Atlanta's residents. And Rez, at just 15 years old, Timothy began working as a city of Atlanta lifeguard. And after nine years of seasonal employees, of a seasonal employee, joined the city full-time in 1985 as a water safety instructor under the leadership of Mr. Brashear, Guided by distinguished mentors, including the late Charles Kennedy and Tommy Jackson, he cultivated a lifelong commitment to excellence, leadership, and public service and rest. Throughout his remarkable career, Timothy advanced through nearly every level of the city's aquatics program, serving as the pool attendant, lifeguard, pool manager, assistant manager, and the supervisor.

Certification.

His professional certifications as a water safety instructor, CPR instructor, first aid instructor, training instructor, certified pool operator, and certified USA swim coach reflect his unwavering dedication to protecting and educating the public. For two more decades, Timothy served as the coach and assistant coach of the City of Atlanta's Dolphin Swim Team, mentoring generations of young athletes and inspiring confidence, discipline, and achievement. His distinguished service earned numerous customer service awards, recognition for his excellence in swim instruction and coaching, and the opportunity to visit the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. further strengthening his commitment to developing future champions. Now, therefore, it be proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of Atlanta, do hereby honor Timothy Barnett for his 42 years of faithful service and extended our sincere appreciation for his enduring contributions to the city of Atlanta. We congratulate him on his well-earned retirement and wish him a continued health, happiness, and success in all of his future things. We got Tim to smile. So before I pass it to Brother Tim and the commissioner, I first want to ask if any of my colleagues would like to come up on either side to speak. You have the honorable, honorable councilperson from the Southwest Atlanta, Councilperson Andrea Bone.

Thank you, Coach, for all you have done for the city of Atlanta, making sure that our young and the elderly know how to swim. I met you over 32 years ago, and you were a wonderful, vibrant spirit. but you were about business, making sure that our young people, and making sure that they knew the importance of swimming. So again, thank you for your achievements, and we hope that you won't be gone too long. We're going to maybe loan him over to CT Martin Recreation Center so the kids in Adamsville and the kids in Allen Temple and Trussell Tree and Shamrock Gardens, making sure that Everybody knows how to swim. And I see Miss Katie here. Thank you, Miss Katie, for being here. She still works at the pool. But again, thank you. Swimming is so very vital. Thank you.

Again, thank you, Councilmember Lewis, for making sure these kinds of heroes get their praises sung from the lofty tower known as City Hall. We want to make sure that everyone understands that there's nothing more important than celebrating our young people and their accomplishments. But the only thing that's almost as important is celebrating those that helped them get there. And it's people like you, Coach Tim. I know Coach Tim Wynn. You probably know him, too. With all these legendary Tims in Atlanta that are helping our young people. So I'm going to call you Tim B. today. We just want to tell you thank you. Your acts of service, your acts of generosity, and most important, the compassion you have, making sure that our young people are ready to excel in life. If they fall into a body of water, they can at least get themselves out of it. That is important. It's a critical skill set. And President Overstreet has done a great job making sure our kids at the Y learn how to swim in southwest Atlanta. But you're taking care of the kids on the southeastern side of the city. And we appreciate you. We thank you so much. Don't be gone too long because we need you. All right. Congratulations, Coach Tim. Thank you.

I just want to say a few. All of my colleagues, any other of my colleagues want to speak? So I want to say that I, too, my first job was city of Atlanta across the street from where you are now at the golf course. And so I, too, understand how getting a employment within the city of Atlanta will open up some different doors. I want to tell you, when I was about six years old at that same pool that you're at right now, I learned how to swim. Councilmember Boone tells me all the time about how recreation centers were built in the city of Atlanta. She tells me that they were built to teach our kids how to swim next door to the recreation centers. Before they put the basketball gym into Roselle Fan, Mrs. Roselle Fan at the time it was called Southeast, before they put the basketball gym in there, it was already committed to put a pool in there. So for me to go into that center and to learn how to swim and my brother learn how to swim, my sisters learn how to swim. And now we meet people from beach towns, especially when it comes to black and brown folk. Right. I meet people from beach towns who don't know how to swim. And part of the reason we learn how to swim was because the city council in America time period chose to invest. Chose to invest in teaching young black and brown folks how to swim. You come to Mayor Andy Young and Mayor Maynard Jackson investing initially in that. So super thankful for your service. Let's go to the video.

I apologize.

Let's go to the video. We have an honorable video for you.

First of all, I want to thank God for handing me the wonderful job. I wanted to be a good lifeguard. I didn't know what impact I had on the community. I had no idea.

When we started, there was no Roselle fan. It was only MLK. And I think it was named Southeast when he first came over here. So he was new to this facility. So it's almost like he opened it up or helped open it up. When you work in aquatics, you come together. We're like a family. You train. You enjoy being together.

I met Tim when I was nine years old at Perry Hall. And one of the things that Tim asked me, like, how long you been swimming? And I said, what does old man want? This is my first swim meet. And he stated that swimming is going to teach you things about life. It's not matter how you start, it's how you finish.

Just something about a man who's willing to get up every day, no matter how they feel, no matter what's going on with them, don't make no excuses. They get up and they get the job done. And that's one thing, even like from a child, I admire that about my Uncle Tim.

Oh, the muscles, they are there. I have to respect the muscles. Because his muscles are humble just like he's humble. The impact that he has made on countless lives and the lives of youth and even adults. I know it's a job that was well done and the service was well done and it's showing today. It's like they appreciate the service that was given through him. And like I say, being selfless because he did give of himself to everybody.

I spent my years I did never ever dream of 42 years in one department. It's a privilege. It's a privilege.

And now Commissioner Doug Voss.

I'll be brief. I know we're running out of time, and I want Tim to speak. I met Tim about over a decade and a half ago, which is only less, still half the time than you've been here, Tim. But the first time I met Tim, he saw me and he said, I've been waiting for you. I'm looking for you. I wanted to meet you. And he took me on about an hour tour of the pool, which only has five rooms. And we made a list of all the things that had to be fixed in that pool. And I said, Tim, no problem. I'm an aquatics guy, too. We're all family here. send it in through a work order, but you can always call me. Tim called me on Tuesday, on Wednesday, on Thursday, on Sunday, until we got all of those projects done. That is the guy that Tim is. He needs to have that pool operating the way it should from the get-go and every day. And I appreciate you, Tim, for all that. We have done so much, even in the short couple decades I have been here, we have replaced all the HVAC, resurfaced the entire pool. We've got new locker rooms. That's all because of you. And I appreciate you and your spirit. I've always said the city of Atlanta is a family. DPR is a family. Aquatics is really a family. And we appreciate you for being the patriarch of that family. I noticed he brought Mr. Terry out of retirement here. Mr. Terry, Mr. Tim, if you don't know this, they run one of the best water aerobics programs in the city. It's still growing strong. You saw it on the video. Thank you for everything you've done. Appreciate you, Tim.

And now, the Honorable Brother Tim Barnett. Thank you very much.

Okay, um...

Okay, um... I don't know what to say. I had so much to say. It went out the window. Okay. Thank y'all very much for coming out and celebrating with me for the two years. Okay.

Since we have about two minutes and 30 seconds left, if anyone on the stage, a family member or a co-worker wants to come up and say something, come on.

Good evening, my name is Natasha. Good evening. My name is LaTosha Burnett. I'm the oldest sister of Timothy Burnett. My brother has been around for a long time, and he has always been good with children and helping everybody. Unfortunately, I'm one of the ones that didn't get in the pool to learn how to swim. To learn how to swim. Yeah, you're right. Wow. And I'm sure he still do it on his side. So anytime I want to learn, I know my brother got my back. I want to congratulate you, brother, on your 42 years and let you know I love you. Congratulations.

I want to speak on behalf of the primetime seniors. It was Timothy Barnett who took Maggie McCollum and myself, along with Jimmy Lawson, to the National Senior Olympics in 2016. And we've been going to the Senior Olympics swimming since then. And it's all because of his dedication, compassion, and leadership that he has for the seniors. But if you can understand the impact that this man has made, when you have seniors who were afraid to swim because of their hair, or for the fears that was installed in us as children. But he broke that barrier. And now if you come into Roselle Fan, you will see seniors from wall to swall learning how to swim. So Tim, we honor you. We will never forget you.

I'm going to be brief. My name is Queda. I'm Tim's niece, retired 25 years, military myself. I'm sorry. It's so emotional. But I just wanted to say thank you, Uncle, for setting the pace, setting the example for our family. Because of you, we all have forged our fortunes through our careers and been able to hold strong. And it's examples like you to keep the faith, to keep the strength in the family going. So congratulations on your 42 years. And I'm so glad I was able to make it.

And now we'll come up and we'll take our... And we have the honorable, honorable 61st. We got 61 in the house. Mayor Andre Dickens. He's going to join our photo.

Thank you.

Let us know you get your watch, Tim.

As Coach Tim and his celebrants leave the dais, all of those that are here to celebrate Veritas, please come up to the dais at this time.

Thank you, Council Member Martin, for calling all to the dais.

Trying to maintain that time, Madam President.

You got the best dress group heading forward now.

Isn't that right? Check out their socks.

Down to the socks. Brains and bronze.

All right, everyone that is here to celebrate with the Deveritus Debate Institute, please make your way to the dais.

We appreciate

Coach Tim and family, if you all could exit right. Our Veritas Debate Institute group is going to come up on the left. Thank you so much. All right. Everybody, please come for, if you're celebrating the Veritas Debate Institute, you'll join us on the dais.

It's fair in times.

It's fair in times.

You only have one vowel in every word.

All right. It is with great pleasure and honor that I celebrate this amazing group of young people that are from all over Metro Atlanta. They are champions by right, but we're here today to celebrate their latest win, the Veritas Debate Institute of Atlanta. Can we please give them a round of applause? This distinctive group was founded in 2017 by their founder and visionary, Brandon Fleming. And today we are celebrating their eighth consecutive championship. And there's only been nine of them. And they've won eight of them. And we're here to celebrate that on the day. We've got students from all over Metro Atlanta. But right here from home, we've got students from KIPP ATL, Washington, Coretta Scott King, Sutton, Midtown, Mays, Maynard Jackson, and Farrell High School's own Devin Mitchell. I went to Farrell's. I had to sneak that one in. And we're extremely proud of them. We have some alum with us today, my mentee, Isaiah Stevens from Morehouse College. He's in so many majors, I can't call them all out. But he is also here. And we just want to celebrate them in an amazing way today. Is that all right? All right, thank you all so much. We are here to celebrate the Veritas Debate Institute with a proclamation from the Atlanta City Council in recognition of the Veritas Debate Institute. And it reads, whereas the Atlanta City Council is pleased to recognize the Veritas Debate Institute, an Atlanta-rooted educational institution, whose commitment to academic excellence, leadership development and expanding opportunity has transformed the lives and futures of young scholars throughout the city and beyond. And whereas the Veritas story began in Atlanta in 2017, when acclaimed educator and former Harvard debate coach Brandon P. Fleming, founded the Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project to create greater access to prestigious academic opportunities for talented black and brown students from Atlanta. And whereas what began as a weekly Saturday school designed to provide Atlanta youth with rigorous high level academic training has evolved into the nationally recognized Veritas Debate Institute providing students in grades eight through 12 with accelerated instruction in critical thinking, research, public speaking, argumentation, leadership, and the social sciences. And whereas Atlanta remains the original home and foundation of Veritas, a community of scholars, families, educators, alumni, and partners united by the belief that talent is universal, but access to opportunity too often is not. And whereas Through its innovative educational model, the Veritas Debate Institute has prepared students to complete and excel on the international stage with Veritas scholars achieving extraordinary success at the Harvard Debate Council summer workshops and earning admission to prestigious colleges and universities. And whereas the Institute has demonstrated That when young people are provided with rigorous preparation, high expectations, meaningful mentorship and access to opportunity, they can transcend barriers and compete with the very best students from around the world. And whereas as Veritas expands its reach to additional cities across the nation, its roots remain firmly planted in Atlanta. where its pioneering work continues to develop the next generation of scholars, professionals, civic leaders, and changemakers. And whereas the Atlanta City Council commends Brandon P. Fleming, the faculty, staff, supporters, families, alumni, and most importantly, the scholars of the Veritas Debate Institute for their dedication to educational excellence and their profound contributions to the future of Atlanta's young people, now therefore be it proclaimed, that we the members of the Atlanta City Council on behalf of the residents of Atlanta do hereby recognize and honor the Veritas Debate Institute for its outstanding service to the youth of Atlanta and its enduring commitment to ensuring that the city's talented young people have the preparation, confidence, and opportunity to lead and succeed on any stage in the world. Can we give a round of applause for the Veritas Debate Institute? Young people, it is not often that the mayor comes into this chamber. He's a former member of this body. But when he does, it's a very special occasion. And so I want you all to receive at this time, Atlanta's 61st mayor, the Honorable Andre Dickens.

Thank you, Wayne. Thank you, Council Member Martin, Council President Overstreet, and to all the members of the Atlanta City Council. I am elated and excited to be here to honor this outstanding group of young people. The Veritas Debate Institute is second to none. And the reason why we know they're second to none is because they've come in first place eight times in a row. And so these guys are so capable of leading in a way that is consistently shining a light on Atlanta, shining a light on this program and just really highlighting how talented you really are. From the young people that's currently in the program to the alums to also the great staff members and supporters that the sponsors and the mentors that help them. I'm extremely proud of you. As the mayor of Atlanta, it does my heart great good to see you go on the international stage and win over and over and over again. You've won eight times. Imagine that. Some teams can't even formulate a team. For eight different times, let alone win eight times. And that takes dedication. Each year, the bar gets higher and higher because you got, you know, predecessors that say you got to win because we haven't lost enough. And so now that pressure rises and you meet that moment each and every time. And so I'm proud of you. You go out there and you represent Atlanta. When you're doing that, you represent your families. You represent the Metro Atlanta area. And it really means something that we are doing great work out there throughout the world. So continue striving. I love my friend Brandon Fleming and his vision that he started and has led this organization to this great destination to where it is today. I love to see when you guys come back through Hartsville, Jackson, Atlanta International Airport. Everybody's doing a big celebration there. That pumps me up and tells me that I'm just like, all right, this is the Atlanta moment each and every year as you guys come back from this from this great event. And so, you know, you spend two weeks at Harvard and and then you go on and do this amazing work. Proud of you all. And I just want to come by here and just say congratulations to each and every last one of you. Thank you.

Thank you so much, Mr. Mayor. I was a member of the championship federal high school debate team. I told the young people 25 plus years ago, we're extremely proud of you all. Until the Falcons win, you're all we got. So y'all got to keep winning. Y'all got to keep winning. I'm a fan. I said until we win. I also wanted to give an opportunity to any of our colleagues to come forward if they want to say anything to congratulate these young people. Please receive Council Member Ishe Collins.

Just want to take a quick moment to congratulate you all. And it's just been an exciting time every year to get the notice that you all, our Atlanta team, made number one. And so just really wanted to congratulate you all on that, but also know that there is a village that's supporting you all every step of the way. So please do not hesitate to let us know what you need. And I am going to put out a call to the community, because this is a great organization where our students are able to travel. and take advantage of a program, but it comes at a cost. And so I want to put out a personal appeal for everyone to please, please support the Veritas Institute and support our students every year to continue this great track of success. They are making their rounds. And let's be very clear, nationally and internationally, they are known. When I was on the school board, we were able to recognize the first team. And year two and three and four, we would get emails from districts across the country, and even some institutes overseas in terms of, what are you all doing? How are you able to get students to this level? And we just sent them to Brandon. We said, hey, this is the organization. This is the amazing leaders and board. So just wanted to put a pill to you all to please support the organization, Veritas Institute, and continue to do great work. We're extremely proud of you guys. And thank you for representing Atlanta so well. Congratulations.

I just want to echo everybody who's been here. I think that Atlanta's black and brown kids are the most impressive in the world because, you know, you can be anything no matter what. Because if you look at this stage right now, you see Daryl, you see South Atlanta and you see Mays, right? And you see Mays and you see North and you see North Atlanta and you see Doug and you see Midtown. And so that lets you know that lets you know you can have this space. And we trust that you are going to go and get all of the knowledge that you need to truly compete. So I say thank you for getting some W's for us. Continue to get some W's because. We're trusting that we're going to need you. You see what we're up against nationally and internationally, right? So get as much knowledge, as much knowledge. Read as much as you can. Learn what you can. Become the best you that you can be. And help us get some W's. Thank you.

Congratulations, winner. All right. Get them W's. He made that very clear. Also wanted to make sure that I acknowledged our colleague here at the city of Atlanta, our treasurer, Courtney Knight, who was a board member for this organization. There he is. Can we give a round of applause for Courtney? Thank you. I'm going to be making a contribution today of $1,000 to support the team's future endeavors. So thank you. I know you would like that. You're a money man. We want to make sure that you all understand you're supported and backed, and we want to make sure you succeed at every level. And we're going to close out today's celebration with two-minute remarks from our board chair, Adrian Cronje. And then following Adrian will be Avery Rodriguez, one of the student team members. Please come.

Thank you.

Thank you. Good afternoon, everybody. Mr. Mayor, councilwomen, councilmen, thank you all for your service and your time. It is my deep honor on behalf of the students, their families, our incredibly inspirational leader, Brandon Fleming, Tamika and the hardworking staff, and my fellow board members to accept this proclamation. We do so with humility and with gratitude. And Mr. Barnett, it didn't quite take 42 years. We've been at 10 years to get to where we're at. And the world is noticing, not just the world, but the rest of the country. And we are being called to take this example to other cities. But if Brandon were here today, he would want to remind you all it's all about staying in the A. It's always, this will be home. This will be home as the mayor has challenged us to make it the greatest city for anyone to grow up in. It's going to take a long time to get there, but we're committed to doing that and Veritas being a small part of that really important work. And so, yes, I'm a lifelong Falcons fan too. And if we can establish a winning culture at Veritas, maybe we can have a winning season. So with that, I want to hand it over to Avery.

This is not for me. Those were the words that rang in my mind as I stepped, each foot nervous than the last in my first interview round, surrounded by confident faces, confident smiles, and I thought that that could never be me. and now i stand in front of you all confident strong speaking and that is the veritas way that is the veritas transformation because they see potential in you potential in me that i never even saw and they take students and they transform them into scholars and they And this program is important because not only is it building the youth, it is taking students and turning us into global leaders, but it takes transformations. It takes people believing in you, it takes people seeing you, seeing what you never saw, to fulfill what you were meant to. And with this, I want to leave you all that the youth is the most important because the youth are our future. Scholars like me, students like us, all of the alumni, they are reaching amazing things because of Veritas and because of this transformation. And I ask you all to continue your support. if not for me, if not for Ms. Thomas, if not for Ms. Fleming, but for the student who is sitting in their seat right now, dreaming of what they think is impossible, dreaming of more, because Veritas teaches you that the impossible is possible, and this program is for those students. Thank you.

Thank you all so much. As you can see, it is working in our communities. We appreciate you at this time. We're going to come with a minute and 20 seconds to spare and take a photo. Congratulations again.

All the way.

All the way.

Thank you. Thank you, Mayor Dickens. Thank you, Councilmember Williams. Martin, I'm proud of you.

And for our last proclamation of the day, it's in recognition of 988 reasons, a day dedicated to awareness of suicide and crisis hotline. So all that are here to stand with recognizing 988 reasons, please come forward to join us here on the dais. This will be presided by the Honorable Ishe Collins. Recognized. 988 reasons recognizing a day dedicated to awareness of suicide and crisis lifeline. Aw. Please come. Because we're going to do the proclamation.

Oh, yeah. This is something.

It's absolutely worthy.

I don't know what to say. I guess I want to say this.

I will say today is Tuesday. This is not a normal day for full council, so there may be a date mix up. Yeah, it's Tuesday. I was wondering where all my public comment speakers were, too. It's Tuesday.

It was Tuesday. It's not Monday.

Yeah, so take it away.

Yeah, so as we know, as we enter the month of September, that recognizes a lot of things. Also, September is Suicide Awareness Month. And September 8th of every year, also known as 988 Reasons, is recognizing a day dedicated to awareness of suicide and crisis lifeline. Many of us have either come into contact with someone that has inclinations of self-harm or have contemplated suicide. And for me, on a personal piece, being a lifesaver to two friends over a lifetime this day and also this month is a heart touching one. So I just wanted to put some numbers out here to talk about the magnitude of what we are recognizing for today, September 8, and also for this month. Nationally, there are about 48,000 suicides committed each year. In Georgia and within the metro area alone, there's about 1,700 suicide deaths. And for every one death, that has been 10 emergency visits for self-harm, 48 self-reported attempts and 325 people who have seriously considered suicide in their time. And so it is for us and the city of Atlanta wanting to not only recognize Suicide Awareness Month, but also push the lifeline and lifesaver line that has saved many lives. And so I'm going to read this proclamation and then open it up for any feedbacks and remarks, as I have a few people that have joined us. So whereas September 8, 2026 is recognized nationally as 988 Day, an annual day of action dedicated to increasing awareness of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and the behavioral health resources available to individuals and families, and the 988 Crisis and Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, connecting people experiencing emotional distress, mental health challenges, substance use concerns, or other behavior crisis with trained crisis professionals. And by calling or texting 988- or assessing the Lifeline through online chat, individuals can receive compassionate, judgment-free support, assistance in assessing their immediate needs, and connections to appropriate local and national resources. And the 988 Lifeline operates through a national network of more than 200 local crisis centers combined in local care and resources with national standards and best practices and has answered more than 13 million calls, texts, and chats since its launch in July of 2022. And the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities supports Georgia's behavioral health crisis system and works to ensure residents have access to appropriate behavioral health services, resources, and supports when they are needed, and whereas recognizing 988-DAY in the city of Atlanta provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of this critical resource, reduce barriers and stigma associated with seeking help, encouraging compassionate conversations about mental and behavioral health, and ensure Atlantans know where to turn when they or someone they know is experiencing a crisis. And whereas the 2026 988 day theme is 988 reasons, your reason is reason enough, reminds everyone that a person does not have to be in crisis to reach for support and that whatever challenge they may be facing, their reason for seeking help is enough. And so now, therefore, it be proclaimed that we, the members of Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of Atlanta, do hereby declare September 8, 2026, as 988 Day in the City of Atlanta and encourage all Atlantis to learn about, share, and support the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline so that every person knows that help is available. Connection is possible, and their reason is reason enough. And so I want to allow Mr. Mitchell and, well, first, are there any council members, colleagues that would like to say a few words? Thank you. Thank you.

Absolutely. Thank you so much, Council Member Collins. As a family member that made an attempt on their life and thank God they were unsuccessful because they were alone. And when we all got to the place to speak to them about what had happened, we asked the question of why didn't you tell somebody? And they talked about the stigma. around it. And so days like today help us tear down stigma, help us to share with our neighbors, our sisters, our brothers from across the world that it is okay to reach out when you're in crisis. So I celebrate all those that have survived taking their own lives. I celebrate those that are family members of survivors and even those that have had to deal with that tragic end We as a city stand behind those that need mental health support. I thank you to Councilman Collins and her in presenting this proclamation. We're here to tear down the stigma so we can save our brothers and sisters, our neighbors. Thank you so much.

Thank you. First, thank you, Councillor McAllister, for reading this and for doing this proclamation. To David for sharing his own stories about what his family has been through. I love you. And I wanted to speak because I think it's really important to destigmatize suicidal ideation and attempts. So I say that because I open up with my own history with it. I've struggled with suicidal ideation since I was in elementary school. Being a closeted kid in the South tends to cause those types of issues. This job has had me struggle with suicidal ideation, to be very honest with you. Public service and being in the eye and the work that we do and just existing in today's world is very difficult. We tend to dehumanize each other very often, and it can lead to... long-lasting effects on the people that we do not wish to harm but inadvertently end up to by projecting our own issues onto them. What I just ask is that you never know what somebody is going through. You never know what can push them. You never know what they have been through that day, through their life, through that year, or anything of that sort, what their history is. And as somebody who has struggled with depression and suicidal ideation, I try to own that and be public about it so that more people don't feel afraid about coming forth because I have lost quite a few friends to suicide. And I've almost lost quite a few family members to it as well. So please talk about it. Please don't be afraid. Please don't shame someone for opening up to you. Please don't take it as a burden. And just take the time to listen to one another. And if you see someone who needs help, please direct them to resources. And I just want to say thank you again.

My name is David Yelton Mitchell. My father was Martin Hardin Mitchell. He took his life February 11, 1997. It might as well have happened yesterday. It might as well have happened an hour ago. You never get over it. You live with it every day. It's a stigmatism that people put upon you. People take advantage of it. People think it's somehow arbitrary or whatever it is. Courage is a complicated thing. Living in this world is very complicated. Being the child of someone that you love and adore that you will never see again is a complicated thing. It's vexing to me. It's vexing to me that today you're sitting and look at it. And they said, who will stand with this? Who will stand? I need everybody to think really long and hard about that. Everyone talks about courage. Everyone talks about doing the right thing. My father's been dead since I was 23, almost 30 years ago. Is this the best we can do? Everyone needs to understand that we have to do the right thing. We have the opportunity today to do the right thing about many things. We need to do the right thing. I'm very proud. My father was a wonderful, loving, amazing human. I wish he was here now. We've been a better world.

With that, is it okay if we take a photo? Because I do want to see today that we are acknowledging as a city of 988 text line, but 988 reasons to know that a reason is a reason enough. 989. 989. Let's do it. Thank you.

I want to thank everyone for sharing and for the great proclamations today and for staying within code. I want to acknowledge that. So thank you. So this brings us to statements by elected officials. Any elected officials with statements?

I would just want to acknowledge my Crawford Long Middle School football team. This weekend I had the opportunity of, is this the time for that?

So not general remarks. This is where we do moments of silence or, you know, just reflections. But don't forget. Anyone have anyone they'd like to speak about for moments of silence or anything like that?

Madam President, may I? Sure. Here, wait. Council Member Bakhtiari. I forgot to log in first. I feel very weird always doing, you want to hold my hand while I do this? I always feel very odd talking about celebrity deaths. It just feels impersonal and like a moment, something at the moment. But I wanted to say this one because, and my staff is probably going to laugh at me in my office, but for me, I actually did want to raise Dolly Parton's passing. Yeah. The reason I say that is kind of why I talked on the mic. Being a queer kid in the South from an immigrant household in a city and in a town where I was constantly told or heard often from my elders that my family was what was wrong with this country and needed to go back to where we came from. And I would say in that, Dolly Parton's been part of my life for as long as I can remember growing up in the South. And I will say that having a role model like that made me feel less alone, and those moments of struggle made me feel less alone. And I will say that somebody that absolutely chose not to be a billionaire by ensuring that kids, that literacy was readily available, no matter what your background was, in a country where we predetermine where a child is going to jail by the time they're in third grade based on their literacy, I think is extraordinarily important. I just can't say enough good things about somebody who was the embodiment of good in our world and really, I think, made people in general feel less alone. That's all I wanted to say. I know it's a celebrity, but that felt like the world got a little dimmer that day. So I hope that we all think about donating to Imagine Library. And yeah, I really wanted to note that one. It hit home.

Thank you. Any other council members?

Madam President, I would like to offer a moment of silence to the family of Ms. Iona Walker, whom I'm sure you know very well, a longtime neighborhood leader in Kings Forest and MPUP. She passed away peacefully about a week and a half ago. We buried her on Thursday, but I just want to make sure we acknowledge and give a moment of silence for her. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else? Council Member Winston.

I'd also like to add the name of recruit Moses Ross, who tragically died in a motorcycle accident in District 1 a week ago. Moses also worked at Kids Gym USA, where he was a tumbling instructor and actually instructed my two daughters. So please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

OK. Thank you. Recognizing any others? Council Member Lewis.

I would like to send my deepest condolences out to the family of Miss Magby over at Arthur Linkford Recreation Center on the loss of her grandson last week. Miss Magby on the loss of her grandson last week.

Okay.

Maggie Womack. Yes, ma'am.

Maggie Womack. OK, that's it. So let's do a moment of silence for all of those mentioned and those that were not mentioned. Thank you. Madam Clerk, we've been joined by Councilmember Michael Julian Bond. So that brings us to the remarks from the public. We'll now hear from our public. Each speaker will have two minutes or up to 10 minutes with donated time pursuant to our city code. The speakers who have received donated time will be placed at the end of the speaker's list. And I do have the list before me. And we'll get started with Maggie McCollum, Henri Jordan, and Anthony Vaughn. You each have two minutes. You can come forward. Ms. McCollum, you have two minutes.

OK. Good afternoon. It's the small things that you, Colossians 3.23, and whatever you do, do it heartily as the Lord and not unto men. It's the small things that's important to them. How you do it, show you care, and give it all that you got. Sometimes it involves things that you can feel like doing, even something that you doesn't feel like that is fair. Go the extra mile. Do it unto God. Keep a good attitude. Be kind. We need to see examples in you. At Columbia Senior Residential Center 125 Logan Street, an 88-year-old senior is complaining about the Atlanta Police Department closing traffic to this facility for Wesley International Academy. That needs to stop just in case they have an emergency. Adamsville Green residents, an 88-year-old senior, complaining about the elevator who has been down for six months or more. I tried to reach out to Councilmember Boone. I got no response. At 97 Fairkill Avenue, I'm going to keep talking until it actually happened. We want a recreation center built for the youth, the adolescent, the toddlers, and the seniors. Well, you know what? I want to do something in my community. I go to the national senior game, the state games. I bring back medals. I need to be going to a place in my community. I won seven medals, four golds, three silver in the state games of Kentucky. So I'm not done yet. Please support me. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. McCollum. Henri Jordan, you have two minutes.

Give now to the Spirit of God, everyone that's here. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. Matthew 22, chapter 37, verse. Christ's tables of the law is the responsibility to God. If we do not love God, we ask for death. And the second is likened to it. Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. Matthew 22, chapter 39, verse 1. When you seek to put your behinds in my face, you ask for death. Christ teach me to love myself. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. St. John 8, chapter 32nd verse. They will not be sinless but blameless, free from the power of sin. If you lie about what Christ has done through me, then I cannot give it to you. For whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. St. Matthew 10, chapter 33, verse. Jesus constantly called for an open confession of himself by his followers. When you deny what Christ has done through me, how can I give it to you? Christ. did it for his glory, not your glory, for the saving of an enormous number of souls and lives. Christ has more for us than we have for ourselves. He can give us life where man said death. That's when we serve Christ. That's when we need him. You're living on his time, not your time. You didn't give it to yourself. Christ gave it to you, and you owe it to him to obey him.

Thank you. Anthony Vaughn, you have two minutes.

Good afternoon, Humanitarian of the Year and President Overstreet, esteemed people of this Atlanta City Council. My name is Anthony Vaughn. I believe what we need right now more than ever in our world and in our politics is raw authenticity. An example, I now have people looking into an organization that took advantage of me and has taken advantage of other people worldwide. Ever since we were born, we have been given pieces of our essence away. We weren't handed a textbook on how to live on God's green earth, but we were given the opportunity to learn. Healing our essence, healing ourselves, is how we heal our everyday lives, and consequently, how we heal our families, our cities, our states, and our country. Healing can be weird, it can be awkward and painful, but it is ultimately empowering. This is an ecosystem I have studied nonstop since 2009. I've written a book and created daily media content documenting this exact path to authenticity. Now I'm bringing this blueprint home using a local to global framework rooted in my challenge hometown of Gary, Indiana, anchored right here in Atlanta and built to scale worldwide. The Balancing Dark with Light Initiative is a dual market model that grounds deep psychological healing directly into municipal policy. We are seeking a strategic partnerships with Atlanta's neighborhood planning units and youth programs to bring structured, healing-centered workshops and mindset resources straight to our local community gatherings first. By testing and improving this framework here in Atlanta, we will turn our city into a definitive blueprint for global expansion. Thank you. We have established B2B. I have left information right there for you, and I would like to leave for Ms. Bakhtari as well.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you.

Our next three speakers, Dorothy Lanier, Todd Corley, Laura Rudnicki. You each have two minutes. Please come forward. Ms. Lanier, two minutes.

Thank you. I'll come to speak to you all because I am 82 years old now. Can you speak into your mic a little better? We'll start over. I'm 82 years old now, and I'm having to pay school taxes. My school tax this year is $2,909.84. And my total taxes, because I applied to get it, helped, and they helped. And the total tax is $3,000, a little over $3,000. And I'm just wondering, why do I have to pay school tax at this age? I've been here in Atlanta area for 65 years. I've raised four kids. Three of them graduated college, and they got children that's in college. So I'm asking you, why do I have to pay this kind of school taxes? They raised my house note. I mean, they value the house up over $100,000. And I wonder why they do that. I don't know. But I would like to know. And I'd also like to bring to your attention that the wall on North Avenue and Glen Iris Drive was painted to celebrate 1996, the Olympic coming to Atlanta. And they have not, and I have been trying to get them to you know, to make it look better. It has worn. It don't look good at all. And we would like to try to get something done there too. And so if, you know, any way that we can get these $2,900 taxes paid this year, please let me know. I'm at 596 Glen Iris Drive, Northeast, Atlanta. Been there 55 years. Okay. They're right across the street from Ponce City Market. And now... They want me to continue to pay off all these taxes. And I can't because I'm on a limited income.

Ms. Lanier, I hear you. You have to pass board chair for APS on our council. Her name is Council Member Isha Collins.

She will be able to help you. Well, I called her office and I couldn't get through. You know, the voicemail is full.

That's how you're going to have to get that addressed. I really think that. Okay. She's going to come over to the side and speak with you. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Todd Corley, you have two minutes.

Hey, good afternoon, council president, council members. My name is Todd Corley, and I live in District 6 off of the Cheshire Bridge Road corridor. For years, we've been advocating for improvements along the Cheshire Bridge Road corridor. I myself rode with the Atlanta Department of Transportation over two years ago seeking improvements to Cheshire Bridge Road, to the corridor and the side streets. We continue to not have any improvement. The crosswalks along Cheshire Bridge Road are not complete. Students cannot safely cross the street to board their bus. And accidents continue to happen along the Lindbergh Drive corridor. I'm asking this council to focus its efforts on improving the transportation along our streets. to stop wasting our tax dollars, millions of our tax dollars, on surveillance technology such as Flock. We're spending millions and millions upon dollars on technology that is best one in three times wrong. This council has an opportunity to really lead in the decisions that we make and the improvements that we make along our corridors and along our busy streets, and I'm seeking action. I've attempted to get that through my councilman, Juan, and it's not happening quickly enough. So again, seeking action and improvement, Cheshire Bridge Road corridor.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Laura Rutnicki. You have two minutes.

Hello, members of council. I'm here because I am extremely concerned about what has happened in Midtown over the past year. I want to know what the council is actually going to do about the homeless problem. I understand that homelessness is a problem in every major city, and I believe experiencing homelessness deserves compassion, housing, and mental health care, but what is happening in Midtown has become a serious public safety issue. I live about eight minutes walk from Piedmont Park and almost every morning I wake up to homeless people passed out in the streets or going through the trash. I've had men looking at my windows. I was attacked by a man who threatened to take my life. And most recently, a person experiencing homelessness was outside my door and followed me while I was walking my dogs. These are not statistics. These are things happening to people who live here. I'm also deeply concerned about the way Atlanta handles people who are clearly suffering from serious psychiatric problems. Too often it seems that these people are arrested, placed into an already overcrowded jail, and eventually released back onto the streets without receiving the treatment they need. That is not helping them, and that is not protecting the community. The recent stabbing at Kroger on the Beltline should force the city to ask whether there were opportunities to intervene before someone lost their life. When someone has a history of repeated arrests and apparent mental health needs, simply continuing to cycle that person through the criminal justice system is not a solution. Also, if you haven't read the statement from Jonathan Hamley's family, I highly recommend you do. It is devastating. I've looked at what the council has done regarding the homeless this year, and I am concerned that one of the most visible action has been putting a pause on plans for additional homeless housing and shelters. I am not asking you to simply move homeless people somewhere else. I'm asking you for a real solution, psychiatric treatment for people who need it, appropriate shelters and supportive housing, better coordination between the police and mental health professionals in a system that actually breaks the cycle. I should not have to be afraid to walk my dogs or worry about someone outside my door. Thank you. Your time is up. That's two minutes.

Thank you so much for coming to speak with us today. Thank you. Our next three speakers, Eula Samuel, Michael Collins, Tiffany Roberts. You each have two minutes. You can come forward.

Good afternoon. I live on Morgan Place, southeastern Atlanta. The house across the street is 372. There's a very large oak, very tall, that is in front of 372 Morgan Place. I understand, and I learned in 2013, that the tree belongs to the city of Atlanta. It is over 30 feet tall. And if it falls, it's going to fall on my house. The tree looks diseased to me, and the roots are on top of the ground. And I was just wondering if the city could come out and check that tree. Because I reported a tree in 1978, and told the city that it was going to fall. They said they came out, and they said it was healthy. The very next week, it fell across the street. So I was just hoping that the city can come out and check the tree. And thank you for allowing me to speak.

Thank you. I think your council member is on the way to speak with you. Next speaker, Michael Collins. You have two minutes.

Hey, everybody. I moved to Atlanta from Baltimore in August of 2022 and got involved with a number of local groups on criminal justice reform. I remember the same month that I moved, the mayor used what's become a famous phrase, we are not in the jailing business. This came against the backdrop of a broken promise where He had supported repurposing the Atlanta City Detention Center, ACDC, and turning it into a diversion center. And organizations, groups, were very disappointed. Nevertheless, we worked very hard do what we always do, which is try and reduce the jail population in Fulton County. It's the site, as you know, of a lot of deaths, 15 deaths in 2022, 10 deaths in 2023. We always knew that increasing the jail population, building a new jail, increasing space was never going to be the solution. And we actually did a lot of work to reduce the jail population in the interim. So it's especially disappointing to read in the newspapers that we are striking a deal as the city of Atlanta to now sell ACDC to Fulton County. Let's just think about what that means. That means we are getting in the jail business. We're getting in the jail business not just with Fulton County, but with Sheriff Patrick Labatt. who has overseen a lot of death and destruction, who has been an individual responsible for a lot of corruption. The jail itself is under a consent decree. And this is also coming at a time where the mayor and his office are playing games with PAD, the diversion center. And so all of this is tremendously disappointing. It's happening behind closed doors. In a few hours, the mayor is going to walk in legislation affirming the sale, and I encourage a level of scrutiny and opposition from this body. Thank you.

Thank you. Tiffany Roberts, you have two minutes.

Good afternoon. This is my daughter, Mariel. She's out of school today. And so I thought it would be good for her to join me. As you all know, I'm the Director of Public Policy at the Southern Center for Human Rights. And there are hard copies of the two orders I emailed to you all last week about Sheriff Labatt's material breach. of a lawsuit, a settlement, regarding the treatment of women with serious mental illnesses, initially at the South Fulton Annex, currently at the Atlanta City Detention Center. I think it's important for us to talk about this because the Atlanta City Detention Center continues to be raised up as a remedy for Sheriff LaBotte and Fulton County, honestly, their failures to keep incarcerated people safe. I want to just make the record for what this material breach entails. First, simple tracking requirements. The sheriff is required by the settlement to track the receipt of services for women with serious mental illnesses now at the Atlanta City Detention Center. He continues to be unable to document whether people are receiving services or refusing services. Second, out-of-cell requirements. Women who are incarcerated with mental illness are supposed to be receiving four hours of out-of-cell time. At the Atlanta City Detention Center on a daily basis, the sheriff refuses to do that, even though when he does not do it at Rice Street, he says it's because of the building. What is the justification for it not happening at ACDC? Also, safeguard requirements for people when they're out of cell. And then just, it should be jarring that the sheriff even refuses to provide reading materials that are required by the settlement. People are being required to pay for them or to get them from the chaplain. I raise this because it needs to be really clear that you are not saving one life by selling this jail, not one. And if we don't check the sheriff, if someone doesn't name him and name his conduct as we're discussing this sale, the deaths for which you have not apologized that have happened during the term of this lease will continue.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Roberts. Our next three speakers, Marielle Roberts, Connect King, and Christopher Bruce. You each have two minutes. Marielle Roberts.

Hi. My name is Marielle, and I'm in the seventh grade. I worship and work in Atlanta, Georgia. I'm a graduate of Ebenezer Baptist Church's First Freedom Youth Organizing School. For my whole life, I've seen elders like my mom, Miss Marilyn Nguyen, and my ancestor, Marissa McCall Dodson, fight to close the jail. In June of 2026, I went to Ebenezer Baptist Church's Freedom Day bailout. While there, I saw numerous young people without many things that they need, like shoes and homes. As a young person, it is hurtful to watch people who care so much about others be ignored by people who say they care about my generation. We need resources like wellness centers, not more jails that hold people back and are intentionally designed to ruin them. Thank you. And remember, there is still time to keep your promise.

Thank you. Roberta Myers. I know. Roberta Myers is number 13. Number 15 is Conette King. You both can come forward, though, or close to the front. Thank you. You have two minutes. I thought y'all were trying to skip me. Not really.

Good afternoon, council members and city of Atlanta residents. I'm Roberta Myers, vice president of state strategy and reentry at the Legal Action Center. We're a national nonprofit law and policy organization committed to fighting discrimination, defending dignity, and supporting justice. We are members of the Community Over Cages Coalition, a group of local and national organizations Organizations fighting to end mass criminalization and to see the City of Atlanta and Fulton County reduce its carceral footprint by eliminating their reliance on incarceration and other forms of punishment as their public strategy. In 2022, the Council went against the community when hundreds of us stood before this body on multiple occasions to say it was a horrible idea to lease the Atlanta City Detention Center to Fulton County. We're telling you it's an even worse idea to sell the building to Fulton County. What does the community stand to gain? Nothing. Nothing but more deaths, more mismanagement, and more wasteful spending. We told you leasing the beds was not going to help end overcrowding in the Fulton County jail system. We told you it would not end the inhumane treatment and lack of care of individuals that would lead to more deaths. We told you it would not be a financial benefit to the city, but instead a financial liability. You didn't listen to us. You listened to Mayor Dickens and one of the culprits that sustains the practices and policies that keep that jail and the people in it in crisis and in danger. Do not allow your minds to be wiped clean of all the work and resources that went into reimagining a better use of that building and its land. The mayor moved right past what the people wanted. to his own agenda. Atlantis wanted a comprehensive health and wellness center that includes space for career training, a health clinic, short-term and transitional housing, mental health services, drug and alcohol treatment, and more. Who really stands to benefit from the sale of ACDC? It definitely isn't Atlantans.

Thank you. Connect King, you have two minutes.

Good afternoon. My name is Kanet King, and I'm the Movement Policy Associate at the Southern Center for Human Rights. And today, I urge you to transparency, accountability, and informed decision making regarding the future of the Atlanta City Detention Center. Southern Center has invited all city council members to attend our Justice Watch program, which is a community-based court watching monitoring program that allows residents to observe firsthand how our criminal legal system operates. Those invitations remain open because it is critical for you to see where resources are being spent and how decisions are made in this chamber affect the people in real time. Now that the city has agreed to sell the jail, you need a clear window into the realities of pretrial detention, court delays, bond practices, and the ways people become trapped in the system simply because they cannot afford to navigate it. The mayor has now agreed to not only put Fulton's incarcerated population at risk, but also those detained by the city of Atlanta. Selling the jail risks moving public resources away from investments that actually improve safety and stability in our communities. including our organization's names on proposals without so much as a word to us is shocking. We encourage every city council member to demonstrate authentic compassion for those in the criminal legal system by witnessing the process firsthand and use that knowledge to guide decisions about the future of the jail. The public deserves policies grounded in observation, data, and community experience, not assumptions. Before doing Mayor Dickens' bidding, consider the failures of your most recent decisions concerning the jail and choose to do right by the community, not just in word but by deed. Thank you.

Thank you. Chris Bruce, you have two minutes.

Thank you, Council President. Members of Atlanta City Council, my name is Christopher Bruce, Deputy Executive Director of the ACLU of Georgia. Throughout this moment in time, we have seen, in this nation, flock cameras being misused by the police. Literally, the people who are sworn to protect and serve the community is now spying on them. Tomorrow, we expect an audit from the Atlanta Police Department dealing with surveillance technology in the city. Let me tell you, we are in support of this audit to let us know what's been happening. But we want to go further than that. It shouldn't be something that is just called upon at will. That's why there needs to be an ordinance to call on the Atlanta Police Department, as well as the city of Atlanta, dealing with surveillance technology. And that's the purpose of CCOPs, Community Control Over Police Surveillance. It is a surveillance technology transparency ordinance. I want to thank now the members of the council who have met with the city, with the ACLU of Georgia. Thank you to all of you for listening to your constituents and members of the community who care about this subject. But I also want to leave the door open to the members of the council who we have not talked to. You know who you are. She's laughing because we did meet with the city council president. Thank you, council. That wasn't even a call out. It really wasn't. Let me be clear about this, because there is a lot of things that are going on. This is not being about anti-technology or anything about anti-public safety. This is about accountability. It is about automatically putting in place surveillance technology guardrails. So an audit can tell us what happened. CCOPs can help us make sure that there is oversight before something happens. Let's do the right thing right now. So as the city council looks over and works with the mayor's office, we also want you to work with the community. Thank you.

Well, I'm glad I actually sat with you. You did your job. I did mine. Thank you, city council president. That did catch me, and I got tickled. I'm sorry. Okay. Moving to our next three speakers, Emmett Lump, Sheila Louder, and Paula Coopersmith. Coopersmith. Coopersmith. We'll start with Emmett. Lump. Lump. All right. Two minutes.

Cool.

All right. My name is Emmet Lumpy. I live in Capitol View.

Can you speak into the mic? Yes. Is that better?

Yes. OK. Cool. My name is Emmet Lumpy. I live in Capitol View. I'd like to start by giving a huge thank you to Councilmember Kelsey Bond for leading the charge on establishing a data center task force. My understanding is that the mayor's office is ultimately going to be carrying out this investigation, but raising awareness and understanding is such a vital step. From what I can tell the mayor's process is not going to include any public meetings or hearings So I'm here today to share some things I've learned in my 13 plus years in the power industry So I want to start the basics which is what does 100 megawatts even look like I say 100 megawatts because that's a relatively moderate sized data center from what I've been seeing Something that you might feel comfortable putting in a in the neighborhood actually across the street from a major transit hub. 100 megawatts exceeds the peak load of numerous communities in Georgia. For instance, our neighbors in East Point have a peak load of 92 megawatts, like the whole city, the homes, the businesses, the industry, everything there. East Point is about 40,000 people. Coincidentally, that's approximately the same population as each of Elena's 12 districts. So a moderate 100 megawatt data center consumes approximately the same amount of power as each one of your districts. In my opinion, that should give us some pause. That's a lot of resource consumption. How are your constituents going to be impacted as the strain on the power grid continues to increase? Will they have the power that they need or will they be literally left in the dark? Since I think the mayor's data center strategy will not include public opinion, I'm calling on the members of city council to ensure that the magnitude of the impact on Atlanta's communities is fully understood. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Sheila Louder, you have two minutes.

Good afternoon, council. I'm here representing my son, Steven, who could not get off from work today. But I am here because of the runaround he is getting when his car was damaged by the city of Atlanta forestry truck. And it has been almost seven months. And he has constantly been calling, not getting any responses. And he has submitted all the necessary paperwork. Surprisingly, this morning, Ms. Johnson, who is an investigator, called him and said, guess what? We're going to be resolving your claim, and you should be getting reimbursement in two to three weeks after seven months of him chasing somebody to get this resolved. He works as a security guard at Maddox Park, and he submitted everything the day it happened. However, my concern is that she told him that you're going to get your reimbursement, but because of the age of the car, you're not going to get the full reimbursement of what your estimates were. Well, surprise, the car is paid for. It's been in our family 20 years. Tell me why when... Tell me why he is not going to get full reimbursement of an estimate for something that the city has done to his car. When you file an insurance claim, you don't have to, when you are not at fault, you don't have to pay a deductible. You get whatever the estimate is. President Overstreet, you were sent some information by one of your relatives because we know your relative and we haven't heard from you either, so we'd like to get this resolved as soon as possible. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Paula Coopersmith, you have two minutes.

Good afternoon Councilwoman Overstreet and members of Council. I'm Paula Cooper-Smith and I live in Lakewood Heights. I'm speaking in support of the Peachtree Circle historic designation today. Peachtree Circle and Lakewood Heights could hardly look more different, but when it comes to protecting the history and character of our neighborhoods,

Excuse me, I think that that's a zoning issue. It has to go through the zoning process. I'm not sure if we can speak on that. Isn't that on our agenda for zoning? Or no? The law department said yes. We cannot speak on legislation that is on our agenda concerning zoning. OK. You have to use the process for that, and that would be through ZRB and that process.

All right, I'll check on the next meeting.

The MPU system.

All right. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Lisa Hoffman, Joan Layman, and Roger Smith, you're our next three speakers. You have two minutes each.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members of council. My name is Lisa Hoffman. I live at 41 Peachtree Circle. Let's begin with a basic question. Why does the city preserve anything? Why do we protect a park? Why do we protect a tree canopy? Why do we establish setbacks, regulate building heights, or protect the character of a neighborhood? We do these things because a city is more than a collection of individually owned parcels. A city is also a collection of shared places. Streets, buildings, landscapes, neighborhoods, and public spaces together create the physical identity of Atlanta. And while individual properties may be privately owned, the experience of those places is shared by all of us. That is the fundamental public interest behind historic preservation. Historic preservation recognizes that some places acquire significance beyond their property lines. They tell us something about how Atlanta developed, how Atlantans lived, how our architecture evolved, and how generations of citizens shaped this city. Once they are lost, they cannot truly be recreated. Atlanta's historic preservation provisions recognize precisely that principle. Places of special historic and architectural value possess aesthetic, educational, economic, and historic value that can be irreplaceably lost through destruction and neglect. That is why preservation is not simply nostalgia. It is stewardship. Our responsibility is not to prevent change. Cities must change. Our responsibility is to determine what should change, what should endure, and how the two can coexist. Historic preservation gives Atlanta one means of making those decisions deliberately rather than accidentally, because a city that preserves nothing eventually loses the ability to tell its own story, and preserving that story is a legitimate public interest. Thank you.

Thank you. And for the record, thank you for speaking about the purpose of preservation instead of a legislative item. Our next speaker is Joan Lyman.

Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you. My name is Joan Lyman. I live at 116 Peachtree Circle. And while Lisa talked about why preservation serves a public purpose, I would like to tell you how cities protect that public interest. They use zoning. Every property in Atlanta already exists within a framework of public regulations. Zoning determines the uses of what occurs on a property. It establishes the height, the density, the actual setbacks, and how much coverage on the lot. Other regulations can govern trees, stormwater, buildings, and streets. We accept these regulations because decisions made on one parcel will affect the other neighbors, their streets, their infrastructure, property values, and the larger city. Historic preservation regulations rest exactly on the same principle. Historic districts are not exceptions to zoning. They are the expressions to zoning. Traditional zoning questions asked such as, how tall can the building be? How much can it stand to the street? And how much of the lot can it be occupied? Historic preservation zoning adds another legitimate question. When a place possesses a recognized historic, architectural, or cultural, how should they change so the public does not unnecessarily lose that value? This is not an extraordinary exercise to government authority. It is an ordinary exercise to zoning authority that is applied to extraordinary resources. And importantly, historic preservation zoning does not require for a building to remain unchanged. It establishes a process of review, and these distinctions matter. The purpose is not to turn neighborhoods into museums. The purpose is to manage significant change thoughtfully, and particularly changes that affect the public-facing characteristics that give a place its identity. Cities constantly balance between property rights and public interest, and balancing at the heart of zoning itself. Thank you for coming to speak with us today. Our next speaker is Roger.

Excuse me. Your two minutes is up. Thank you so much for coming today. Thank you. Roger Smith, David Mitchell, you each have two minutes. You both can come forward.

Well, I'm obviously not Roger Smith.

I'm Penelope Sheroff. I live at 238 Peachtree Circle.

Just a second. Did you sign up to speak today?

I didn't. Roger just left, and they said it was OK. I can speak to what he said.

Is it not true? It's definitely not OK to just take Roger's place, because you have several that have signed up. But thank you. So that takes us to David Mitchell, Kaelin Gilstrap, and Jennifer Brooks. You each have two minutes. David Mitchell, two minutes.

David Yockey Mitchell, 327 St. Paul Avenue, Southeast Atlanta, Georgia, 30312. I found it kind of fascinating at the beginning of the invocation that we discussed the complexity of the long memory. Historic preservation is that and then some. As a southerner, I can tell you this. Memory is something that never ends. It always exists, and people never forget it. what it was done for them, and the things that make life worth living. With that being said, I want to emphasize historic preservation is vital because it protects community identity, supports economic revitalization, strength and sustainability, and safeguards the stories embedded in historic buildings and places. Store preservation has consistently resulted in greater appreciation of home values over time and more resilience during economic downturns. Realtors can and should tout historic materials and design as a value-added asset. This is important to counter charges that excessive regulation adds undue burdens on historic property owners. These arguments are particularly noteworthy for older neighborhoods that do not have the benefit of protections as they may not be vulnerable to cyclical economic downturns. The foreclosure market offers further supporting data about the lower period, I'm sorry, the lower financial risk of owning protected historic properties. During the 2008-2013 time period in Raleigh, North Carolina, where my son goes to school, who will be using this meeting as part of his class, so all of you will be in a class in Raleigh, North Carolina, NC State. Go Pack! Local districts had 28.8% foreclosures per 1,000 households compared to the citywide average of 100 per 1,000 households. This premise also held up in the San Antonio where foreclosures in all nine of its historic districts were less than or in one case equal to the citywide average. So the idea that an historic district somehow or another devalues your home is bunk. It's not true. It's a constant misleading thing, and I'm tired of hearing it. Historic preservation is a value. It adds culture. It adds identity. It does something that gives you a sense of purpose, and it is an exhausting conversation to continue to defend who and what you are, and particularly as the executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center. It's my craft. It's what I do, and I do it all over the city with great vigor and pride, and it's something we should all feel the same way about. Thank you.

Thank you. Kaylin Gilstrap, you have two minutes.

Good afternoon, Council President Overstreet and members of the City Council. My name is Kaylin Gilstrap. I'm a member of the Sylvan Hills community. In 2024, Atlanta City Council passed legislation to prohibit data centers within half a mile of high capacity transit stops. An exception was proposed near West End MARTA and withdrawn after community opposition. That same year, the city helped acquire the former mall West End across the street. Now that property is well on its way to becoming One West End, a roughly $450 million mixed-income, mixed-use development with 900 homes, retail, a grocery store, and a hotel to be built around its access to MARTA. This is exactly the kind of investment in South Atlanta we want and need. So what changed? Now that One West End is shovel-ready and the Atlanta Urban Development Corporation and Invest Atlanta have spent more than a million in public dollars to get it rolling, were they told that the city council would provide the same site-specific zoning exception directly across the street? Did they see this company? Because the community didn't. Atlanta City Council cannot tell residents, public agencies and private development partners that this is the future. We're investing and then quietly reconsider a conflicting land use across the street. Explain the repeated contradiction and please stop this exception altogether. Atlanta has already invested in an exciting future for West End neighbors and our nearby students. This is twice now. Protect that investment and that legacy once and for all. I'm asking for council to stop advancing any exception to this legislation.

Thank you. Thank you.

Jennifer Brooks, two minutes. Thank you very much. Good afternoon, and thank you all for letting me speak. I'm Jennifer Brooks. I live on Centennial Olympic Park Drive. I want to address an item that's on the consent agenda that I really wish would pause. It's 26-R-3953. That would be a road diet on Centennial Olympic Park Drive. And I just would respectfully ask for consideration of the changes over the last 8 to 10 years since Atlanta Cycle 1.0 and 2.0 and One Atlanta Master Plan came out because so much has changed since then, and the needs of that corridor have changed significantly. And I fiercely, as you know, fiercely support the entities in my neighborhood that really need to have proper consideration if they're going to be viable as entities. The GWCC campus, State Farm Arena, centennial yards they see in the millions of visitors and workers, and I really want those needs to be addressed. I know you've got bigger things on your agenda. The ACDC is a big one. Thank you for handling that and so responsibly. And just one quick note on the data centers. If anybody would like firsthand experience, I'd be happy to speak with you. The building across the street from where I live on Baker Street has been converting to a data center over the last 10 years. It's really, really noisy. And there's no sign of any mitigation of the roof noise that then just comes right up to our windows. So if you need support for taking a stand on data centers, please reach out to me. Thank you.

Thank you. This takes us to our yielded time list. Each speaker will have whichever allotted amount of time, according to how many are standing with them in solidarity. Our first yielded speaker is Jocelyn Lewis. You have four minutes. Is Anna Mae Banks here? Jocelyn Lewis. So you are Anna Mae Banks? Oh, OK. Anna may have to leave. So unfortunately, you're only going to get two minutes. OK. Are you ready? Yes.

Good afternoon, City Councilmember Antonio Lewis and members of City Council. My name is Jocelyn Lewis. I'm the founder of Rising Above Homelessness. I want to begin with a young man I met during my community outreach. He's not even 21 years old, and from what I personally witnessed, I believe He needs compassionate professional behavior, health support, and a facility that will receive him with dignity and loving care. My question is, what resources are available for people like him? During my outreach, I met a 17-year-old foster youth who came to Atlanta after experiencing abuse. Gateway promised him a ticket home, but he is still sleeping outside on the ground along with dozens of others. Many told me they have caseworkers, but we're not sure. getting a response from them. Even though they are outside of the building, they are being ignored by their caseworkers. During my outreach, many unhoused neighbors told me that they have social workers, but many don't have phones. How are they expected to be connected to services, especially when they can't see their caseworkers outside of appointments? Are there any government phone programs or agencies available to stay connected? Some people. go months without hearing back, even after being promised that they will receive housing. They need IDs and socials, and by their appearance, they are not getting hired. I'm asking city council and housing agencies serving our unhoused neighbors to come out into the community and see these issues firsthand. I'm planning a Rising Above Homelessness Community Dignity and Resource event, and I'm asking you to come out. Work alongside with us in a community and help us identify and secure a city-owned property or community space near downtown for- Thank you.

Thank you. I also want to suggest that you reach out to Fulton County too, but our community development, our CDHS chair is Matt Westmoreland. And maybe you all can, he can help direct your questions to the right people.

And y'all are willing to come out to support?

I can't answer that for you in this moment. But I do want you to know that we have ways of connecting you to people that will be able to provide you some information or guidance.

OK, thank you.

Thank you. Our next yielded speaker is Devon Franklin. And you have four minutes. Kendall Long, are you here today? OK. Four minutes, Mr. Franklin.

Thank you, President Overstreet. My name is Devin Franklin. I am senior member of the policy council at the Southern Center for Human Rights. To start off today, I would like to say that there's a such thing as doing or performing a bad deed or a wrong act, and we all do our best to not find ourselves in that seat. But there's also a such thing as being complicit, standing idly by while the harm occurs and doing nothing to stop it. I want to be clear that accountability falls on both the active and the passive wrongdoer, particularly where there's a track record of harm that extends into the present. At the Fulton County Jail, there are 10 restrictive housing units for 17-year-olds intended to keep these children separate from adults also being held in custody. Of those 10 units, only three had working lights. The units are shuttered with metal plates at the direction of Sheriff Labatt, preventing daylight from entering the cages. These young men are held in their cells 23 hours a day, Monday through Friday. They do not leave the cells at all on weekends. This is not an issue related to the physical plant that is the Fulton County Jail. This is an issue of treatment. This is disregard for the dignity of the human spirit. Most importantly, though, these are facts that were published in the most recent report issued by federal jail monitor Kathleen Kinney and only serve as an example of the harms that continue to exist under the leadership of Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labatt. and the hands and conditions that you will be committing incarcerated people in Fulton County to if you choose to enact legislation to finalize the acceptance of the agreement for the purchase of the Atlanta City Detention Center by Fulton County, as the mayor has published today. I want to be clear. Merely being complicit, allowing harm to occur, is no different than perpetuating the harm itself. Keeping children in the dark It's not nearly the only area where the sheriff's office has remained out of compliance in critical areas as it pertains to the federal consent decree. They are also not compliant in areas that directly affect the safety, health, and dignity of incarcerated people. First, staffing remains a fundamental problem. During the review period, approximately 54% of required mandatory post hours at the main jail, Marietta Annex, and the South Annex, Union City, were unfilled. Supervisory coverage was also inadequate. Approximately 49% of the required supervisory hours went unfilled, with the deficiencies particularly pronounced at the Marietta Annex. The monitor specifically found that the required supervisory staffing at Marietta was routinely not achieved. The consequences are serious. The monitor found that the required security checks were not consistently occurring at the frequency required by the consent decree and rated that provision non-compliant. The report also found the sheriff's office non-compliant with requirements for adequate supervisory staffing. The report further indicates continuing failures involving medical and mental health care, including inadequate oversight of the health care provider, failures in medication auditing, deficiencies in suicide prevention and mental health systems. These are not simply administrative problems completely unrelated to the physical condition of the jail itself. They can determine whether a person receives medication, is seen by medical staff, or receives appropriate intervention when they are in crisis. I ask you, does the sale of ACDC to Fulton County solve those problems? I'll answer that question for you. It does not. And so what I promise you here, as I have promised you when I first began my work at the Southern Center four years ago, and nearly every week I was at this podium speaking to you all about the failures of the lease of ACDC to Fulton County. We may not be able to prevent you all from going forward with the sale, but I promise you this. I will be here at this podium every week reminding you all, as I have before, of the failures, the shortcomings, and the harm that will lay in your hands if you allow for this lease to go forward.

Thank you. Our next yielded time speaker is James Arpett. Thank you. And you have six minutes.

Thank you.

Is D'arquisha Johnson here? D'arquisha. Johnson.

She was giving me her time.

Yeah, is she here?

Yes, she's outside.

So she's going to have to come in and give you her time. Okay, that's fine. And your other is Robin Carmichael. Is Robin here? Okay. So if Tarkwisha doesn't come in and give you his time, you will have four minutes.

Thank you so much. I have documents for all of the council persons.

OK. Well, we will come grab those documents. Do you want us to go to the next yielded time speaker and come back to you when Tarquesha comes so you can have your full six minutes?

Yes, thank you. OK. May I give these out in the meantime?

Just put them right there, and we'll come grab those right there on the side. Yeah, that's good. Yeah, right there. Thank you. Thank you so much. And so we're going to go on to our next yielded time speaker, who would be Devin Barrington-Wardt. Mr. Ward, Barrington Ward, you have six minutes. Matthew Nercy. And I think it's on the back. Ron Zee. Is Ron Zee here?

Mr. Ward. I'm not sure. So you can just give me four minutes. Four minutes, yes. Good afternoon, Devon Barrington Ward, and I'm speaking as a member of Communities Over Cages, ATL. I want to begin by addressing the mayor directly. It was completely out of pocket and out of line for your administration to name our organizations that are members of this coalition as potential partners in this proposed ACDC deal without speaking with us first and getting our consent. These aren't just random organizations that you can use as political pawns or to justify the sale of these facilities. These are groups who spent years fighting jail expansion and preventable deaths and unnecessary incarceration. And to add insult to injury, these are some of the same organizations that sat with the mayor when he was a member of council and introduced the measure to close the city detention center. These are some of the same organizations that toured ACDC with Mayor Dickens during the first months of his administration and toured that facility while asking us what we wanted to see the facility become. And I remember that day because many of us were very confused because, Mr. Mayor, you already knew what we wanted. In 2019, while you were serving on this council, he introduced the resolution establishing the process to repurpose ACDC into the John Lewis Center for Equity, Wellness, and Freedom. And when his administration proposed the lease of the jail to Fulton County in 2022, the city called the agreement temporary. And the Dickens administration said that they remain committed to fully repurposing ACDC for non-incarceration purposes. And he came and spoke at this same podium and told this council, we are not in the jailing business. I do not want to be in the jailing business. And then he turned around and leased the jail to Fulton County over our objections. We were told it was necessary because people were suffering and dying at Rice Street. We were told that people would be moved to ACDC and that this would prevent further human rights atrocities. But more people died once the lease started. That included Noni Baptiste, a 19-year-old young woman with serious mental health challenges who died while being held at ACDC. So simply moving people into another building was never the solution. And now this administration wants to permanently sell the building for incarceration. I want to be very clear with the mayor. You may want your legacy to be affordable housing, transportation, the environment, but your legacy is Cop City, it is mass incarceration, and it is police surveillance. And we will never, ever let you run away from that. I'm concerned that we are building an incarceration infrastructure at the same time when we are not living in normal times. We are having national fights over voting rights, election administration and federal authority. We've seen our election offices raided by this Trump administration. We already see he's trying to play games with mail-in balloting. Let me be very clear. If there is civil unrest related to this election or the 2028 election, let me tell you who will be in those jail cells. It won't just be people accused of rape and murder or selling drugs. It will be young people who will be protesting democracy, who will be fighting to make sure that their vote actually means something. And their incarceration will be on your hands. because they don't build jails for them to be empty. We are on the precipice of having one of the largest jail systems in the country if you sell this building to Fulton County. Let my words be a warning. History will be the judge.

Thank you, Mr. Barrington-Ward. Back to you, Mr. James Arpad. Did you see Takwisha? Okay, do you want to wait a little longer or you want to? It's up to you. I'll give you two seconds to. I'm sorry?

Would it be okay to wait?

Yep, yep. We'll move on to our next yielded time speaker, Dr. DeJuan Robinson. You have eight minutes. I don't see. Mr. DeJuan. Oh, there you go. Let's see. Is Donald Brooks here? Okay. Gwendolyn Webb. Carolyn Dabney. All right. You have eight minutes, Mr. Madam President. Thank you.

Afternoon, counsel. Madam President, what I'm handing out now before I start my speech is a court order by our former Park and Rec Commissioner, Mr. Justin Cutler. You guys was lied to and told Ms. Boone that he resigned, but that showed you that he hit a young lady, Mr. Wayne Martin, during the daytime, speed, and almost killed the girl. Court order, right? The city had to pay a settlement that was hush-hush. I don't know if y'all know it. Maybe you do know. You guys settled in April of this year. So therefore, Mr. Cutler had to leave. But upon Mr. Cutler leaving, right, you know what I'm saying, because of his near-death accident, that you guys was led to believe that, oh, he just left, right? And here's why I'm so upset about it, because y'all lied and played games with me about my settlement with the OIG and my, you know what I'm saying, my lawsuit. So Mr. Cutler now, Mr. Antonio Lewis, he's now the Senior VP Consultant for Leaders Gov, who under Mr. Cutler's leadership, Mr. Wayne Martin, Mr. Gov done made that company done made about $2 million. $2 million. You know what I'm saying? For training, parking wrecks. So you forced to resign one city entity. You know what I'm saying? Oh yeah, he was on a city vehicle. You know what I'm saying? By the moment he was on the clock, 1 p.m., and they drug it out for about three years lying. He was in court for about three years lying about that incident, right? But you guys were told that he was leaving the city of Atlanta to crowd new houses. But Leader Gov, Ms. Boone, is where he at now, Councilman Bond. That the same company that he gave money to, he didn't have to wait a year cooling off period, Dustin Hillis, to go to a company that had a contract with the city of Atlanta to service Park and Rec. Man, we got this stuff twisted. Now let me talk about something because I told y'all last time if nobody reach out to me about this OIG situation with this lawsuit that the city said that need to be dismissed. I said I'm going to unleash hell, right? So I'm here today to say that everybody point blank saying this person said that this person said that. But before anybody came in and gave a recommendation of dismissal, they should have asked, hey, if the Warren Robertson name on there, have anybody made any promises? Have anybody said that this is, hey, this and the third, before you dismiss anything? Because, hey, I always say the crime, no, the cover-up is worse than the crime, Ms. Overstreet. What you guys are reading now is the cover-up. Now, the crime was bad, but the cover-up is bad. Now, they want to say he don't drink, it wasn't a DUI. Might not have been a damn DUI, but it almost been a vehicular homicide, I'll tell you that much. But what I want to talk about today is that the city, the leaders of the city are trying to get you guys to sign off on it. A slot machine gambling at the airport under disguise, Mr. Ward. There's a lawyer, you understand this. It's a disguise, Ms. Bhatiawra, as a pilot program. It's a pilot program they're trying to push, but it's slot machines. And guess who it's for? Your first female mayor of the city of Atlanta, Ms. Boone, you damn right, it's for Shirley Franklin. And I ain't afraid to say it. That's what they're trying to do. But it ain't going to happen. And y'all vote for it. Y'all going to have them damn orange jumpsuits too. Because that's what it is. They're trying to slide gambling in the airport, Ms. Mary Norwood. And you stand for, you know what I'm saying? You stand for corruption. And that's what they're trying to do. They're trying to get the law firm to word it in a way where it's a pilot program. You know what I'm saying, Mr. Boyd? They're trying to do a pilot program. But God damn it, it's gambling. And the contract's going to Shirley. You know what I'm saying? The grandmother of it all. So the city want to play games, right? Ms. Kelsey Bond. We ain't going to let it happen, are we? We ain't going to let it happen, Ms. Kelsey Bond, because guess what? I tried to protect so many people because every time we get in this seat, there's always a corruption with us, right? But we, you know what I'm saying? A wise council member told me, Mr. Hillis, if y'all don't want, you know what I'm saying, the... What do they call us, Mr. Bond? Advocates. Yeah, if you want the advocates coming down here, don't do nothing wrong. They won't show up. Now I sit and meet with so many people, Councilman Lewis. I met with one of the ladies who started Atlanta Life, Mr. Herman. She gave me some great history on Atlanta and how The problem has always been us, greedy. Always been us wanting to turn on each other. Always been us wanting to go back on their word. When you give us your word, you don't go back on your word. But there's a few head of the snakes here in Atlanta. And we constantly want to load their pockets up while screwing everybody else. See, if I come to you for help, Councilman Bond, you ain't going to jail. I'm not going to jail. We're going to do everything above board. But there are some people that don't know how to do things above board. You know what I'm saying? Because they first time in leadership. They first time in government. I always tell you, man, be literal people first. Who come from a poverty background. Because they'll do anything to line their pockets up. Be leery of men who are not used to dealing with women. Because that woman will entrap him and ensnare him. Be used and be leery of those people. Who are not just used and don't come from a background of true servanthood. We are letting too many people that don't have a background in servanthood. And we think it's okay. We fall prey to whoever raised the most money is the best candidate. That's far from the truth. And we know it. I'm ashamed because I sit here as a black man born in 1977, Grady, baby. Straight to born home to Munch's Middle School to Douglas High School. And a white man never had to tell me no in the city of Atlanta. It always been us who have stood in the gap and played these games and told us no. We can't blame nobody in Atlanta except for the leaders that we have elected and put place in Atlanta. But we got to do better. We got to do better. And there is no way that you want me to be loyal to you or protect you while you stick the knife in my back. We ain't going to do that. But y'all hear me loud and clear, Mr. Juan, Mr. Word, who's a lawyer, Ms. Ishe, I know y'all read lawyers, read every every I, every T. You're going to get some legislation soon, Mr. Amos. And it may say a pilot program for the airport slot machine. But Ms. Norwood is nothing far from the truth but gambling. And we can't stand for it. And until you guys do right. I'm going to be down here every full council blast and every dirty dog secret y'all got. Everything that y'all trying to do. Because we know there's no landing pad for some people when they leave that second floor in three years. There's some workers over there ain't qualified to go nowhere. We know there is some leadership in this building. Can't go nowhere, Mr. Juan. So the next best thing to do, Mr. Baltari, is to try to bag that brink truck up illegally, you know what I'm saying, on a one-way street and try to hope the money dumps somewhere. But we ain't going to let it happen, y'all. You know what I'm saying? Because one thing about y'all, y'all might not read everything across your email, but y'all are some ethical people for the most part. And we ain't going to let this happen in Atlanta.

Thank you.

OK, thank you. So our last speaker is going to be you, Mr. James Arpat. And I think we're going to have to just go with the four minutes. OK? And we all received your handout.

Thank you very much. Yes, Ms. Q had to leave. OK, understood. I will suffice with the four minutes. How do you do? My name is James Arpad. I'm a resident of Atlanta, Georgia. And I'm here on two resolutions that have been promoted by Councilman Byron Amos that affect my properties at 699 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard.

Is that a zoning paper specifically? No, it's not? Okay.

It's a community development. It's a resolution.

Got it.

Just please proceed.

Sorry. Go ahead.

Thank you. Yeah, authorizing a determination blight outside of the city courts and code enforcement. So... I'd like to begin by stating that neither of my properties are blighted. And as you can see from the documents that I provided, the one in 699 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard is a very nice looking commercial house. I've been trying to lease it for over three years. It has no code issues against it whatsoever. Grass is cut. It's boarded up properly, accordingly to code, because of the copper thieves and vandals that have wrecked hundreds of thousands of dollars of damages on my buildings and houses over the years in that area. So we keep it protected. It's listed by a broker. You can see the CoStar listing in front of you, LoopNet CoStar. Excellent location. No blight whatsoever should not have been on this list. My other building at 293 Sunset Avenue is a historic site. The brick building that needs to be torn down dates back to the 1850s. It predates the Civil War. It took a direct hit from the tornado a year after I bought it, and I've been trying to save it ever since. Two years ago, I applied for a demolition permit with the city of Atlanta. to take the building down. It had been approved and was only lacking the historical oversight department to finalize the demolition permit. And of course, The property is not blighted. We cut the grass every few weeks. It's secured. It's fenced. You can see the pictures in the, again, the CoStar listing that I have for it. It's part of a three-acre assemblage on Cook Park, 450 feet facing Cook Park. that's listed for like $13 million. So there's no need for this to be a part of this. And I have been negotiating with the mayor's office for the last three weeks. I forwarded the email chain to everybody this morning to ask that you review it and see that I have been doing the right thing and neither of these should be approved uh worse that could happen is you should table these to do a full investigation to understand what's going on the mayor's office is looking to take this out of the code case in rem authorized oversight and take it into the hands of private consultants. I was approached by a law firm that said they were going to condemn my property. They offered me pennies on the dollar for it and said that it would come to state court condemnation if I did not agree to sell it to them. I've been there before. I had a house that I owned in Cook Park itself that was taken, and a jury had to award me five times what the city deposited with the court for its true value. Thank you very much for listening to me. Please hold these two papers for investigation and review. I'm happy to come back.

Thank you. I do know that they're working on a date for a public hearing for those to follow the blight process. So you still have plenty of time to speak with everyone. Thanks for coming.

Thank you very much.

Okay. I want to thank everyone for coming to our public comment section of our full council and sharing your information and your likes and dislikes of what's happening around our city and metro area. Let's continue to do that for sure. This takes us to Our report of the journal.

Good afternoon, Madam President, members of council. I, Corinne Alindo, municipal clerk of the city of Atlanta, do hereby certify that the minutes of the regular meeting held on Monday, August 17, 2026, are true and correct.

Is there a motion to adopt the report of the journal? So moved by Juan, second by Worthy. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

We can do this by unanimous consent, Madam President.

We can do this by unanimous consent. That's OK. What is the sound for unanimous consent? That's 13 yays, 0 nays. 13 yays, 0 nays. The report of the journal is adopted. Let's move on to communications.

Thank you, Madam President. If I may take items one and two as a block?

Yes, you may.

Item number one is 26C-5076. This is a communication from Council Member Dustin Hillis, District 9, reappointing Ms. Joanne Powell to serve as a member of the Atlanta Commission and Women. This appointment is for a term of two years to begin retroactively on February 5th, 2026 and expire February 4th, 2028. Item number two is 2060-5077. This is a communication from Council Member Antonia Lewis. District 12 reappointing Ms. Takisha Shields to serve as a member of the Atlanta Commission on Women. This appointment is for a term of two years to begin retroactively on May 6th, 2026 and expire on May 5th, 2028. For both those items, staff recommendation to refer to Committee on Council. Let them follow that course. Item number three is 26C-5078. This is a communication from Mayor Andre Dickens appointing Ms. Khalif Davis to serve as a member of the Atlanta Development Authority Board of Directors as the Atlanta Planning Advisory Board representative. This appointment is for a term of four years. Staff recommendation to refer to Community Development Human Services Committee and Committee on Council. Let it follow that course. Item number four is 26C-5079. This is a communication from Donald T. Penovey, CPA, Chair of the Audit Committee, submitting the performance audit 26.06, moving Atlanta forward and in review. Staff recommendations to refer this item to Transportation Committee and the Finance Committee.

Let it follow that course.

Item number five is 26C-5080. This is a communication from Donald T. Pinovi, CPA, Chair of the Audit Committee, submitting the Performance Audit Report 26.07, Department of Watershed Management, Water Billing and Collections Follow-up. Staff recommendation to refer to City Utilities. Let it follow that course. Madam President, if I may take item six to nine as a block? You may. Item number 6 is 26C-5081. This is a communication from Municipal Clerk Renee Lindo advising the various boards, authorities, commissions, and bases have sunset pursuant to Section 3-401 of the City Charter. Item number 7 is 26C-5082. This is a communication from Chief Procurement Officer Chandra Houston submitting the Department of Procurement monthly report for July 1st through July 31st, 2026. Item number eight is 26C-5083, use of communication from Municipal Clerk, Corinna Lindo, submitting a report of administrative correction made to previously adopted legislation between the regular council meeting dates of August 17th, 2026 and September 8th, 2026 to the Atlanta City Council in accordance with section 2-275 of the Atlantic Code of Ordinances correcting resolution 26R-3753. And item number nine is 2060-5084. This is a communication from Interim Inspector General LaDawn Plackett submitting the Office of the Inspector General Governing Board August 18, 2026 final decision report. For all those communications staff recommendations to accept and file.

Let it follow that course. Also, Madam Clerk, I want to commend you all for the work that you've done to sunset the commissions and boards that are either dormant or complete, thank you for that work. Thank you. You're welcome, Madam President. Let it follow that course. Are we ready for consideration of veto legislation? We need a motion to accept and file. OK, a motion to accept and file. Is there a motion to accept and file? Motion made by Wan, second by Worthy. Please prepare the vote. Hello. One moment.

The vote is open. Will everyone please vote?

The post-closed 13 yeas, zero nays. 13 yeas, zero nays. These items are accepted and filed. Madam President, if I may just make a couple announcements before.

Sure. I just want to remind everyone that October 5th, 2026 is the last day to register to vote. And also that citizens can request an absentee ballot through October 23rd, 2026, beginning August 17th, 2026. That was the... beginning of requesting an absentee ballot, and you can do that through October 23rd. So just remind everyone that we have an important election coming up, and please check your voter registration and go to myvoterpaid.com to identify your polling location, make sure you're still registered, and you still have time to make any updates.

Important message. Thank you. Consideration of vetoed legislation? We have none. Okay. What about unfinished business? None. Thank you, Madam President. That takes us to our... Consent Agenda Section 1. These are the items that receive unanimous votes out of committee. Are there any items to be removed from Consent Agenda Section 1? Okay. I recognize Council Member Alex Wan.

Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to remove 260-1485. This is on page 12, item number 22. Again, 260-1485, page 12, item 22. Got it.

Is that it? Council Member Dozier.

Thank you, Madam President. One item, ordinance 26-0-1370 on page three.

26-0-1370. Got it. Is that it? No. Oh, just press your speaker button? Sorry. Council Member Winston.

Thank you, Madam President. I have two items. The first is 260-1476. That's item number 13 on page 8. And then the second item is 26R-3984. That's item number 20 on page 18. Thank you.

Can you repeat both of those again? I don't have those on here.

Yes, 26-01476, item number 13 on page 8, and then 26R3984, item number 20 on page 18. Thank you, Council Member Winston.

Councilmember Isha Collins. Yes, just one question in terms of removing item number 26-0-14-8522 on page 12 from consent when the councilmember isn't a sponsor and it has already gone through all the steps.

That happens all the time. I'm sorry? It happens all the time. I'm just asking why. You should walk over and ask him why. Okay. Thanks. All right, seeing no more, is that it? Okay, so I'll entertain a motion to adopt Consent Agenda Section 1 with those items removed. So moved by Bakhtiari. Is there a second? Second by Norwood. Madam Clerk, please open the vote. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote? Will everyone please vote? Council Member Martin, what is your vote? Yes.

Fourteen yays, zero nays. Fourteen yays, zero nays. Consent agenda section one has been adopted with those items removed. Council Member Westmoreland, did you have your speaker button pushed?

On purpose. That's it.

On purpose.

I did.

You have the floor.

To make a motion to send item 2601458, that is item number four on page six, to the mayor's office post haste. Second.

Anyone else? No other items for post haste? Motion by Westmoreland, second by Martin. Please, this can be done by unanimous consent. Madam Clerk? 14 yeas, 0 nays. 14 yeas, 0 nays. These items are sent to the mayor's office post-haste. All right. This takes us to consent agenda section 2. These are items that were introduced for first reading committees and are now being referred back to their respective committees. Are there any items to be removed from consent agenda section two? Motion to refer by Juan, second by Bakhtiari. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open. Will everyone please vote?

The vote's closed, 15 yays, zero nays. 15 yays, zero nays. These items are to be referred back to their respective committees. Seeing that, now we are to our standing committees. Chair Westmoreland. Community Development Human Services Committee.

Thank you, Madam President. Good afternoon, everyone. We have one item, 260-1366. It's an ordinance by Councilmember Lillian Al-Bakhtiari to amend the Land Use Element 2025 City of Atlanta Comprehensive Development Plan so as to designate property located at 2341 Glen Drive Southeast to the medium lot family and land use designation. For other options, the recommendation coming out of the committee is to file.

There's a motion by Councilmember Westmoreland to file 260-1366. This item is coming out of committee, does not require a second. Madam Clerk, please open the vote. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The vote is closed, 15 yays, 0 nays. 15 yays, 0 nays. This item is filed.

Concludes our lengthy report. Thank you.

Fantastic. Moving to transportation, the Honorable Alex Wan.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, I'm going to take the regular standing report items first and then come back to the one pulled off of consent. First item is 260-1473, an ordinance by Transportation Committee to authorize the Commissioner of the Atlanta Department of Transportation to extend existing shareable dockless mobility device annual permits on a month-to-month basis with shareable dockless mobility device operators beginning September 2, 2026, and ending July 1, 2027, to waive any conflicting provisions of Section 150.401 of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances and for other purposes. Colleagues, this came out favorable on condition. The condition was a substitute, and we have received that, and you've got a copy of it. The substitute extends the contract retroactively for two years or no later than 60 days after award and execution of operator contracts with the city. I'm going to read the new caption in. It's a, oh. Well, that motion from the committee was favorable. So it's an ordinance by Transportation Committee as substituted by Atlanta City Council to authorize the Commissioner of the Atlanta Department of Transportation to extend existing shareable dockless mobility device annual permits with shareable dockless mobility device operators retroactively from September 2nd, 2026 and through july 1 2028 or no later than 60 days after award and execution of the operator contracts with the city of atlanta to allow for a seamless transition of the contract-based regulatory framework to waive any conflicting provisions of section 150 401 of the city of atlanta code of ordinances and for other purposes move to bring forward the substitute motion by one to bring forth the substitute second by bakhtiari please prepare the vote

The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The vote's closed, 15 yays, 0 nays.

15 yays, 0 nays. The substitute is before us.

If there are no questions, I'll make the motion to adopt on substitute.

Any questions? No questions. Motion to adopt by Juan, second by Amos. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote?

The vote's closed. 15 yays, 0 nays. 15 yays, 0 nays. 26-0, that's 1473, is adopted as substituted.

Madam President, I'd like to take the next two items together as the action is the same. Sure. All right. 26R3951, resolution by Councilmember Alex Wan authorizing the mayor or his designee on behalf of the city of Atlanta to execute all documents necessary to consent and approve the assignment to OTG Concessions Management LLC from OHM Concession Group LLC For FC-5467, concourses B and F, food and beverage concessions at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, package number 7, and for other purposes, and 26R-3952, a resolution by Councilmember Alex Wan authorizing the mayor or his designee on behalf of the City of Atlanta. To execute all documents necessary to consent and approve the assignment to OTG Concessions Management LLC from OHM Concession Group LLC for FC 8484 Concessions Lease Agreement Food and Beverage Concessions on Concourse C Midpoint at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport and for other purposes. Motion from the committee on both items is to file.

The motion is to file by Councilmember Wan. This item came out of committee favorable to file, so there is no second necessary. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The vote's closed. 15 yays, 0 nays.

Oh, sorry. 15 yeas, zero nays. These items are filed.

All right, that takes us back to the item that was pulled off of consent. That's 260-1370, an ordinance by council members Dozier, Kelsey Bond, Hillis, Wan, Bakhtiari, Winston, Worthy, Westmoreland, Collins, as substituted by the Transportation Committee, amending Chapter 30, Article 17 of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances entitled Parking Lots and Parking Garages to establish consumer protection, rate disclosure, payment accessibility, privacy notice, validation, and dispute resolution requirements for Park for Hire facilities operating within the city of Atlanta to provide enforcement and penalties and for other purposes. This came out favorable from committee.

I recognize Council Member Dozier.

Thank you so much, Madam President. I didn't want to cross you today, so I wanted to make sure I was acknowledged. Colleagues, first I just want to thank the Transportation Committee for adopting this favorably out of committee last week. This is something we've been working on. I think it's gone through committee two or three cycles now. And the legislation as before you today is almost complete. There is a small amendment that I would like to make that strikes a few words from one of the definitions that's in one of the earlier clauses of the legislation. This was already done in an earlier draft. of the legislation, but unfortunately I missed at the last substitute that I did not include that specific language or that that changed. And so I would actually request that we amend to strike the words on behalf of Under the definition for customer parking data, colleagues, this was emailed out. If you need to see the full language that's currently contained in Section 30-1066, happy to read it out if you need me to read it further. Please do. Okay. Okay. So currently the definition of customer parking data states customer parking data means any information collected by or on behalf of a Park for Hire facility that identifies a customer, vehicle, license plate, payment method, date, time, location, duration of stay, validation status, parking transaction, alleged violation or dispute. And so we're just removing the four words or on behalf of from that statement.

And so you're making a motion to amend.

I would like to make a motion to amend.

Motion to amend by Dozier. Second. Second by Wan. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote for, to amend.

Ishe was going to speak.

Oh, Councilmember Collins. I'm sorry. Before you prepare the vote. Councilmember Collins. Sorry, I just took it down. He answered a question. Thank you, Councilmember Dozier. Okay. Please open the vote. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote? Will everyone please vote?

The vote's closed, 15 yays, 0 nays. 15 yays, 0 nays. This item has been amended.

I would like to adopt as amended. I'll second.

Motion to adopt as amended. Dozier, second by Juan. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote to adopt as amended. The vote is open. The vote is closed. 15 yays, 0 nays. 15 yays, 0 nays. This item is adopted as amended. Councilman Bedell, sir.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, just to want to, once again, thank you once again for your support in this legislation. This has been, I think, framed in the media as a parking bill of rights. I want to give kudos to my colleague, Alex Wong, who came up with that phrasing. However, I do want to, just for the edification of the public, remind y'all that I continue to be an advocate for making sure we reduce our dependence on cars and on parking to make Atlanta more walkable, more transit-friendly. But at the same time, the parking facilities that already exist in our city must work better for residents, commuters, and visitors. At the end of the day, this legislation is about transparency, accountability, and making a frustrating system a little easier to navigate. So thank you all so much for the support, and I look forward to continuing this conversation in the months and years to come. I yield.

Okay.

Madam President, that concludes my report.

Fantastic. Thank you. We are moving to Finance Exec, the Honorable Jason Winston.

Thank you, Madam President. My first item is 26-0-1459. Colleagues, I will read the caption. An ordinance by the Finance Executive Committee waive in Article 10, Section 2-1546 of the Procurement Code of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances authorizing the mayor or his designee on behalf of the city of Atlanta to enter into a lease agreement between the city of Atlanta and the Progressive Firefighters of Atlanta Labor Organization Inc. for a lease of that certain city-owned property located at 817 Hollywood Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, known as the Old Fire Station 22, for a term of five years commencing September 1, 2026 and ending August 31, 2031, and for other purposes Colleagues, this was forwarded with no recommendation on condition. That condition has now been met. So I will move to amend this to attach exhibit A.

You have to adopt it first.

I'm sorry. I'll make a motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt by Winston, second by Martin. Any discussion?

Bakhtiari. Thank you, Madam President. I was just curious, because I'm not in finance, so please forgive me. What will they be using the building for, the progressive firefighters?

for their new home.

Oh, OK. Good to know. Thank you.

OK. We have a motion and a second. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. Will we have to adopt it first?

No, we don't take a vote.

It's a procedural. OK. So we are moving on to the amendment.

I will make a substitute motion to amend.

Motion to amend by Winston, second by Wan. Madam Clerk, please open a vote for amend. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote?

Thank you. Now I will, oh, sorry.

Will everyone please vote?

The vote is closed, 15 yays, 0 nays. 15 yays, 0 nays. The item has been amended.

Thank you. I will move to adopt as amended.

Move to adopt by Winston, second by Martin. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote? Council Member Lewis, what is your vote?

The vote's closed, 14 yeas, 0 nays. 14 yeas, 0 nays. This item is adopted as amended.

Thank you. That takes me to my second item, 26, DAX 01482. I will make a motion to bring forth the substitute.

Second. Motion to bring forth substitute by Winston, seconded by Martin. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open.

15 yeas, 0 nays. 15 yeas, 0 nays. Can you read the caption, please?

Yes. 26-0-1482, in ordinance by Councilmember Alex Wan, Wayne Martin, Jason H. Winston, Kelsey Bond, Matt Westmoreland, Byron Amos, Jason Dozier, Liliana Bakhtiari, Mary Norwood, Dustin Hillis, Ishe Collins, Thomas Worthy, Andrea L. Boone, Antonio Lewis, and Michael Julian Bond, as substituted by... The Finance Executive Committee, as substituted by the Atlanta City Council, to authorize a donation to the Atlanta Pride Committee in an amount not to exceed $80,500.00. On behalf of this Atlanta City Council, to support the 2026 Atlanta Pride Festival, pursuant to the section number listed of the City of Atlanta Charter and for other purposes, I will make a motion to approve.

Motion to approve by Winston, second by Martin. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Everyone please vote.

The vote is closed. 15 yeas, 0 nays. 15 yeas, 0 nays. 26-0-1482 is adopted as substituted.

Thank you. On to the next item, 26-0-1486. I will make a motion to bring forth the substitute.

Motion to bring forth substitute by Winston, second by Wan. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open. Will everyone please vote?

The vote's closed. 15 yays, 0 nays. 15 yays, 0 nays. The substitute is before us. Please read the caption.

Thank you. An ordinance by Council Members Matt Westmoreland, Ishe Collins, Thomas Worthy as substituted by Finance Executive Committee authorizing donation in an amount not to exceed $9,500.00. to the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta pursuant to section number 6-306 of the City of Atlanta Charter to support LGBTQ outreach and the Mayor's Youth Scholarship Program and for other purposes. I'll make a motion to approve as substituted.

Motion to approve by Winston, second by Juan.

One moment. I would like to make a friendly amendment. Any discussion?

I'm sorry.

I'd like to make a friendly amendment to add my name as a cosponsor.

Yeah, this is specific from, Councilmember Westmoreland's account, correct?

No. I'm looking at my account screen right here for my council account.

Is this the one that I'm on to?

Yeah.

Got it. Okay.

I just want to add my name as a co-sponsor of the legislation.

Recognizing Councilmember Martin, he would like to make an amendment. He motions to amend second by Westmoreland.

Winston is an aye.

Madam Clerk, please apply to vote to amend. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote? The vote's closed. 13 yays, 0 nays.

12 yays, 13 yays, 0 nays. Is that what you said? Yes, Madam President. This item is amended. You want to adopt as amended?

I will make a motion to adopt as substituted.

And amended.

And amended.

Motion to adopt and amend by Winston, second by Bakhtiari. Please prepare the vote.

The vote is open. Everyone please vote.

The vote's closed. 13 yays, zero nays. 13 yays, zero nays. This item is adopted, substituted as amended.

Thank you. Colleagues, I did pull two items off the consent agenda. The first is 260-1476. I will make a motion to bring forth the substitute.

Motion by Winston to bring forth the substitute. Second by Wan. Please require the vote.

The vote is open. Will everyone please vote?

13 yays, 0 nays. 13 yays, 0 nays. The substitute is before us.

Please read the caption. 2601476, an ordinance by Councilmember Andrea L. Boone as substituted by the Finance Executive Committee and substituted by the Atlantic City Council authorizing the mayor or the chief financial officer to execute, deliver, and perform a master lease agreement between the city and Grant Capital Management, Inc., and or its assigns as lesser, one or more related financing schedules and any escrow or other agreements all related to the acquisition and equipping of police vehicles, including any necessary equipment or technology for use by the Atlanta Police Department, provided that such lease financing shall be authorized in a combined principle not to exceed $17,800,000.00 plus an applicable interest component. All rental payments will be charged to and paid from the fund department and organization numbers as determined by the chief financial officer and for other purposes. Colleagues, the substitute that we brought forward, it amends exhibit A, the vehicle list that was provided in that exhibit, and it added e-bikes that were requested by Councilmember Backyard. So I will make a motion to adopt as substitute. Second.

Motion to adopt is substituted by Winston, second by Martin. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote? The vote is closed, 12 yays, 0 nays. 12 yays.

Zero nays. This item is adopted as substituted. Just trying to see who's missing.

All right. Thank you. So for my last item is 26-R3984. I will make a motion to bring forth the substitute.

Motion to bring forth substitute by Winston, second by Wan. Please prepare the vote.

The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? Council Member Bakhtiari, what is your vote?

It's 12 yays, 0 nays. 12 yays, 0 nays. This item is adopted as substituted.

This item is substituted. Thank you. 26-R3984, a resolution by the Finance Executive Committee as substituted by the Atlanta City Council authorizing the city of Atlanta to donate an amount not to exceed $250,000.00 to House Proud Atlanta, Inc., pursuant to Section 6-306. of the City of Atlanta Charter to authorize the Mayor or his designee to execute a donation agreement to authorize the Chief Financial Officer to make the donation payment from the account listed herein and for other purposes. I move to adopt as substituted.

Move to adopt as substituted by Winston, seconded by Martin. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote?

Opposed, close. 13 yays, 0 nays. 13 yays, 0 nays. This item is adopted as substituted.

Madam President, I'd like to make a motion to send this item to the mayor's office post-haste.

Motion to send post-haste by Winston, second by? Westmoreland. Was that Martin?

Westmoreland.

Westmoreland. Westmoreland. This can be done by unanimous consent. Madam Clerk, please sign the count for unanimous consent.

13 yays, 0 nays.

13 yays, 0 nays. This item is sent to the mayor's office post-haste.

Thank you, Madam President. That concludes my report.

Thank you, Chair Winston. Moving on to Committee on Council, that would be Chair Byron Amos.

Thank you, Madam President. We have three items come before us today. Without any objection, I'd like to take items one and two together as a block. Yes, please. These items will be communications 26-C-5066, a communication from Mayor Andre Dickens appointing Ms. Margo Walker to serve as a member of the Civil Service Board. This appointment is for a term of three years. The next one is 26-C-5073, a communication from Council President Marcy Coyle over the street appointing Mr. Scott Barr to serve as a member of the Downtown Atlanta Community Improvement District. This appointment is for a term of four years. Both of these come out of the committees and through Committee on Council favorable.

Is that a motion?

Yes, it is a motion to approve.

Moved by Council Member Amos. It does not require a second. Madam Clerk, please repair the vote. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote?

The vote's closed. Fourteen yays, zero nays. Fourteen yays, zero nays. These items are adopted.

Thank you. My last item is a resolution 26-R-3843, a resolution by Committee on Council establishing a civility pledge for the members of the Atlanta City Council to advance civility and promote professionalism, ethical leadership, respectful deliberation, and public trust in municipal government and for other purposes. Come from the Committee with a favorable recommendation. Motion to approve.

Motion to approve by Chair Amos. Does not require a second.

Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote? Council Member Lewis, what is your vote? The vote's closed. 12 yays, 0 nays. 12 yays, 0 nays. This item is adopted.

Thank you, Madam President and my report.

Thank you.

That was 13. Council Member Bond, I'm sorry, what is your vote?

That's 13 yays, 0 nays. 13 yays, 0 nays. 26-R, that's 38. 43 is adopted. Chair Norwood, zoning.

Thank you, Madam President. We have six items. I'd like to take five of them as a block. The first is 260-1223, Z2630, 24 Cleveland Avenue, Southeast. The ordinance is to waive the zoning conditions prohibiting an automobile service station. The second is 260-1332, U-2608, 4475 Roswell Road, Northeast. The ordinance is for a special use permit for an outdoor dining and eating and drinking establishment. Number three is 260-1341, C2641, text amendment to add a special use permit requirement to allow a holder of a state medical cabinet, cabinets, and product dispensing license. Number 4 is 260-1365, Z2645, 2341 Glen Drive SE. The ordinance is to zone property to R4 single-family residential zoning district. And number 6 is 260-1427, Z2637, 686 Highland Avenue. The ordinance is to rezone from R5BL Beltline Overlay to C2BL Commercial Service District Beltline Overlay. The recommendation from the committee on these five is to file, and so I recommend.

Motion to file by Norwood. No second is needed. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote? Who didn't vote?

It's right here.

Council Member Bond, what is your vote?

Aye.

Council Member Martin?

Yes.

Council Member Boone?

Nay.

Council Member Collins?

Nay.

Fifteen yeas, zero nays. Fifteen yeas, zero nays. All five items are adopted. And the last... Filed. Filed.

Yes, filed. The last item is 260-1406C2643, Peachtree Circle. This ordinance is to rezone from R4 and R4BLBS landmark building site. to R4HD, Historic District, and R4LBS, Landmark Building Site, Historic District. That recommendation out of the committee was to file, and the councilman of the district would like to speak to the issue.

OK, recommendation is to file. Is that a motion?

I'm waiting for the councilman of the district to address the issue.

I recognize Councilmember Alex Wong.

Thank you, Madam President and colleagues. I've got so much I want to say about this, but I'm going to kind of edit my comments. Because as I've shared with all of y'all, we've been threatened by litigation on both sides of it. So I just got to be mindful of what I say. I pretty much laid out at zoning committee my process and my approach to this that I've taken painstakingly over the last year. And I... Since that time, planning department and I spent about an hour on Monday going parcel by parcel to verify everybody's positions. We actually found an error or a difference that planning had versus what we had and that moved the count in actually the opposite direction. And I've sent that to everybody so you have a copy of that. This is not a new topic for this neighborhood. Three years ago, it was very contentious, and that is why I've been very, very clear about my threshold since the beginning of the process. And I have to remind everybody, especially the community that is out there saying that I've been hostile or non-supportive of this, I want to remind the applicants that it was me that met twice with the planning commissioner last summer to unstick this. I was also the one who introduced the legislation on the moratorium on demolitions before this made it through to give y'all time. And so I'm disappointed. I can't say I'm surprised but I'm definitely disappointed in the rhetoric that is flying around there about me on this and I've had to be very frostily dispassionate on this because of the intensity of the positions on both sides of this and it's not because of my personal position but because of I Just I've been through this before with y'all and I knew this was where we would end up and here we are all that said Here we are. It is time for this particular application to conclude. I stand by my request that this application be filed. Like I said, I've got so much more I want to say about this, but I'm going to leave it at this, because this has been a really painful and unfortunate dynamic that is happening in the neighborhood. But again, colleagues, I do ask you to support the motion to file. Thank you.

Second. OK. Well, we have to hear from Councilmember Collins.

Just have a couple of questions. Sitting on the zoning committee, I know we had, I know we were, Council Member Wong, we were talking about just some of the processes. And so I know that there was, we got communication that the voting had changed. It was like maybe one that was actually counted as a yes was a no. So for the 72, it puts the, it's still a majority, but not a super majority. That's what you're saying?

Correct. The planning department reported 40 yeses at zoning. That number has actually moved to 39. It's moved down one.

Okay, so you said, so it's a majority but still not a supermajority, which is the baseline for these decisions to be...

This is that. To earn my support on that, I expected a supermajority two-thirds. Got it. A lot of people have been questioning what supermajority means, but by my standard, it's two-thirds, much like our supermajority process up here. And yes, it falls short of that threshold.

And if it, and say for, if it was, if this designation was to be in place, those homes that are currently in opposition would be grandfathered in?

Well, no, they would be, there's not a grandfather, grandfathering means you retain your original rights before the zoning change. If the zoning changed, all the properties would be brought into this new designation. So all the requirements, whether you support it or not, you would still be subject to it going forward. So grandfathered isn't really the right term because there isn't a grandfather and you don't retain your previous rights pre...

Right, but you're saying going forward. Okay, so you're saying going forward. So if their property is where it is now, going forward, if they wanted to do any changes or whatnot, they would need to align with the new designation?

If the designation was approved by us today, yes.

Got you. Okay. All right. Thank you. Chairman Wan, if you would be so kind as to read the count to us, because the zoning committee had asked for that, so that we can, as we vote, we can have an official count of the...

I'm happy to do that. Of the 72 parcels, sorry, I should have had that with me. Of the 72 parcels, there were 39 yeses, 26 nos, and 7 no responses.

Okay. Now, I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I've been given 40 and 22, not 39 and 26.

I would ask who you were given that by.

I can't tell you, sorry.

I can tell you. It's been from the community. And again, that is why planning and I painstakingly, and I see Mr. Reid, he's out there. We went on Monday parcel by parcel and said, do we have an indication of a yes or no? And he agreed with the count that, well, we both agreed. And so whatever else is floating out in the community was not generated through the city application and the department. So, again, there's been a lot of disinformation spread out there, and that's why I shared this with the committee and my colleagues.

Okay. All right. And so the motion is to file. I will be voting against that motion if you will record that. Thank you.

So motion is to file by Norwood. It does not require a second because it came out favorable to file. We have one more speaker, Councilmember Bond, before the vote. Michael Julian Bond.

Thank you, Madam President. I have a question. It would seem to me that historic preservation is always worthy of preservation, right? And as the city government, we have the ability underneath our code to draw the lines of perspective, zoning areas and zoning districts the way that we see fit. Now, I can understand that there may be people on the street who may not all agree with the designation. But since we do have, I guess, 39 homes on that particular street, I'm sure the district can be drawn really just to contain those 39 homes. Is that something in the way of a compromise that we might approach so that those who don't want to be a part don't have to be a part and that those that choose to have the protection can have the protection? Because there's nothing in our code that would eliminate or restrict us from creating a district that contains one house or a thousand houses.

So, Councilmember Bond, that is correct, and in fact, I got a call late last Wednesday night from a property owner, kind of a last-minute, 11th-hour proposal to redo the map. I'm not sure if the rest of the community is aware of this that was laid on the table. However, after that meeting, I did have the Planning Department verify whether or not that would need to then go back through ZRB and MPU and the community, and the answer is yes. And to me, that effectively constitutes a new application. And quite frankly, that's how the process should evolve. It should be a conversation in the community first, you kind of assess where it's almost like annexation. You gauge where your support is and then you tailor the map to that effect. And so what you've described in my opinion is definitely a path forward, but I think that path will always remain in terms of a subsequent application. I think at this point Yeah, I just view that as a whole new application process. But yes, redrawing the map would absolutely meet the thresholds. And quite frankly, shows a clear understanding by the community members of how the math works. So I don't understand why folks have been questioning why there's been lack of clarity from me on how the math works, because they clearly knew in order to be able to draw a new map. All that said, yes, that would be a very viable path forward and one that I could find myself supporting.

Well, I guess my follow-up question would be that if this paper is filed today, I mean, since those who have been involved in the effort presumably have been involved for some time. I mean, would you be willing to, I guess, introduce the legislation for the application for those particular homes?

So you have to remember, we do not introduce the legislation. It is an application process with the planning department. And then they put it forward to us as the legislation. This wasn't my legislation. Oh, OK. I see. Yeah.

But you would support something like that?

Yeah. I mean, again, my metrics and my approach to this has been consistent over the last 16 years. That's the map. That's the map forward. Absolutely.

Well, I'm glad to hear that there would be some concession and compromise, perhaps, for those who are seeking the historic designation. I guess it would be great to have everyone. But if you don't, if you can save and preserve what you can save and preserve, I think it would probably be worthy of that. I don't know about the starting over part, but, I mean, to win a support, I mean, that's why this place is... Councilman Bond. I'm sorry?

Councilman Bond, I just wanted to offer a different alternative to my colleagues, to the councilman of the district, and to the community. What happened in my own neighborhood was a defeat of a historic district. And what we did later was to have a text amendment that literally goes to the zoning committee that is giving us a modicum of protection in Tuxedo Park. It's called an overlay district, and there are half a dozen of those in our zoning code. So that is something that is not as restrictive as a historic district. It does not have as many protections But it does give you some protection on the redevelopment or the characteristics of the area, and that's what we decided to do. And that may be something that the councilmen of the district and the community and the rest of the council would like to consider.

Well, I think that's a great idea because, again, You know, we control our zoning code. So the procedures, the rules, you know, we're the body that sets those things. And so even like the starting over part, and I understand the analogy that Councilman Wong was making, but we still control that, right? And so if we're going to end up in the same place where there are 39 or 40 homes that will still end up, whether it's the overlay that you talked about or a specific historic designation for those particular homes, I was just seeking a quicker resolution to the problem rather than, I guess this took, what, over a year or so? You know, not to put the people back through all that exercise to see if there's a quicker way to come to a, since there is a spirit of compromise in the room, and maybe there's a shorter way to get there. I mean, could we lay this on the table and maybe have a meeting or a conversation and come back in two weeks and... If it hadn't been resolved in two weeks and everybody starts over in France or whatever.

May I respond, Council President? Of course. Yeah, I'm asking, Council President. Yeah, I just want to make sure. So I appreciate that. The reality of it is that most of that year was spent by the planning department doing their analysis, their research on the historic significance of the street. That's done. The other half was assessing and developing the controls because there are heavy controls, there are light controls. That's done as well. So I would suggest that the process shouldn't take as long as it did the first time because all of the heavy lifting has been done. Now, it is time. There is kind of a cooling off period as well, but all that said, I also am not sure that simply redrawing the map doesn't necessarily change any of the recommending body's opinions on this, because the civic association, the NPU may have a different feeling when it's a snaggletooth map versus the way it was that was a whole street. I don't know that. I don't know if the ZRB will. I don't know if planning will. And so to me, I'd like this has been a very difficult 15-month process. I'd like to bring this to a close and complete it, but I think what we have outlined before us today are two paths forward to accomplish partially the effect and then long-term the effect as well. And so I would not support tabling this or holding this for those reasons. I think we just need to I'm a process person. You know that. Let's finish this process and let's do it as a new one based on what they've put forward.

Okay. Well, I appreciate your response. And just for myself on the record, if there is... legislation that Ms. Norwood mentioned or talked about. I'd like to co-sign on that. I hate to see the folks start over, but I haven't been in a district before. I understand your position as well. But I hope that we can get with everyone and work out what's best for these, the best situation for these neighbors. So with that, I withdraw.

OK, seeing no others, where are we? You made a motion to file. Yes. Madam Clerk, we have a motion on the floor. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Norwood has said no.

Correct.

The vote's closed. 11 yays, 4 nays. 11 yays, 4 nays. This item is filed.

And that completes the report.

Thank you, Chair Norwood. Moving to Public Safety Legal Administration. Council Member Bond, you have the floor.

I just wanted to explain my vote. You know, I appreciate everything that the colleague, Council Member Wong, said. And I'm not necessarily opposed to what he said. But I do want just to have my vote reflect the possible frustration that some members of the community obviously have worked hard on trying to get us to this point. So I want to make sure that that was reflected in the position that I have. But I do still firmly believe that since this has been filed, that the new application, I don't know what we can do on the council per se because it's not our application, but I would support that. But I would also recommend that those community members get with Council Member Wan and Norwood, and I wanted to jump on that myself, to do what Ms. Norwood had suggested about creating that district within those homes who are supportive of being counted in that number of historic preservation. I just wanted to put that on the record.

OK, thank you. Anyone else? You have two minutes to talk about your vote. Anyone? No? OK. In that case, we are all done with zoning, and we are moving on to Public Safety Legal Administration, the Honorable Andrea Boone.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you, Madam President. We have two items on the report today. Item number 126-0-1478, page 49, an ordinance by Councilmember Byron D. Amos to amend the Charter of the City of Atlanta, Georgia, 1996, Georgia laws P4469. Adopted under and by virtue of the authority of the Municipal Home Rule Act of 1965, OCGA Section 36-35-1 ETSCQ, as amended by amending Part 1, Charter and Related Laws, Subpart A, Charter Appendix Four, citizen review board section three, appointment of members to revise the appointing authority for one young adult member of the Atlanta Citizens Review Board by replacing Street Smart Youth Project Inc. with the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials and for other purpose. Madam President, this is a charter amendment before the body today for its second read and first adoption. I would like to make a motion to approve.

Motion to adopt by Councilmember Boone, second by Martin. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote.

The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? Okay, thank you. The vote's closed.

Fourteen yays. Oh, zero nays. Fourteen yays, zero nays. 26-0-1478 is now adopted. This is the first of two adoptions that's required for a charter amendment, so we will now need a motion to refer it back to Public Safety Legal Administration. So moved by Martin, second by Lewis. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote to refer back to committee.

The vote is open. Boone, how do you vote? Aye. Will everyone please vote?

She's got a perplexed look. Are you okay?

The vote is closed. 13 yays, 14 yays, 0 nays. 14 yays, 0 nays. This item is referred back to committee.

Next item, 26-0-1485, an ordinance by Councilmember Ishe Collins, Antonio Lewis, and Matt Westmoreland that's substituted by Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee to amend Chapter 10, Article 2, Section 10-94 of the City of Atlanta Code and Ordinances in order to provide an exemption from the distance requirements to a private residence and public Library set forth in sections 10-88A and B of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances for an on-premises consumption for 633 D.O. Avenue and for other purposes. This item was pulled from consent agenda following a favorable recommendation from public safety. I would like to make a motion to approve.

We have a couple of speakers first. Council Member Lewis.

I truly appreciate this legislation. I truly appreciate what this will do in District 12. We don't have food halls like this in District 12. I was even thinking about when it got pulled today and thinking about the district that pulled the legislation. On one street, you have more restaurants like this than we do in our entire district. And so we truly need this, similar to Jamrock, when we made sure Jamrock could, for the first time in 30 years, be able to offer a different option. I know a lot of other districts across the city, you all have access to a lot of things that we want. And so this has been done right by our community. We have a letter from the NPU president, a letter from the Neighborhood Association. So my hope is that my colleagues will stand with us on this and open up this in giving this distance requirement. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Collins.

Just want to echo the sentiments of my colleague, Mr. Lewis, and wanting to just also reaffirm that the community has heavily supported this effort and the establishment as well. It is in a part of District 12 in Concept House. And so what has happened is the landowner, the establisher of this business, and the community truly came together before coming together to us to clean it out and clean it up and had really coalesced and wanted this investment in the community. And so it is an honor for us, honestly, to support this legislation and efforts just as this, where you have the community and everyone coming together to tell their public leaders what they want and not the other way around. And so we would truly appreciate the council supporting this endeavor. Thank you.

Thank you. Council Member Wan.

Colleagues, y'all know I've been doing this for all four terms I've been on council. It is not a statement of the community support. I realize that. I just, because I'm not satisfied with the level of enforcement of our alcohol code, I don't feel, I'm not supportive of poking holes in it by creating waivers. But I fully support this going forward. I hope everyone else will vote for it. I just am going to vote no. I've just been doing it All the time. It's a running joke. Everybody laughs at me for it. Thanks.

I appreciate you saying that. And I appreciate you saying that. Thank you again.

OK. So that is that. We have a motion. Is that correct, Chair Boone? Yes, Madam President. OK. No second is required. Because it was on consent agenda. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. The vote is open.

Will everyone please vote?

Votes close, 13 yays, 1 nay. 13 yays, 1 nay. This item is adopted. Thank you, Madam President. This concludes my report. Thank you, Chair Bone. I would like to recognize Councilmember Lewis.

I vote that we move 2601485 to the mayor post haste. Second.

Motion to move to this item post-haste to the mayor does not require, oh, by Councilmember Lewis, second by Bakhtiari. It does not require a vote. It can be done with unanimous consent.

Madam Clerk, please sound the count for unanimous consent.

14 yeas, 0 nays. 14 yeas, 0 nays. This item is sent to the mayor's office post-haste. Is that it? Congratulations. City Utilities Chair, Dustin Hillis.

Thank you, Madam President. We have one item on our report, 26R3978, item number one on page 52, resolution by City Utilities Committee authorizing the mayor his designee to execute an agreement for item number listed, solid waste billing and management system with TrueWave Software LLC on behalf of the Department of Public Works for a term of three years with two one-year renewal options that amount not to exceed $1,824,700.00, all contracted work will be charged to be paid from the fund department organization account number listed herein. And for other purposes, the recommendation of the committee is to adopt.

Motion to adopt by Hillis does not require a second. Is there any discussion?

Council Member Bakhtiari. Thank you, Madam President. I know that we had issues with the IPRO report, Chair. Do we actually feel that we have got the conditions of this been sorted out, or are we feeling that we are once again rushing this despite issues that we had?

I mean, that's my understanding. I didn't receive any other issues or questions, complaints, et cetera.

I guess my, thank you, I guess one of my hesitancies is once again we're rushing something without it being properly vetted, so I understand that we do this condition and we say wait until the committee meeting and there was an extra week, but I want to flag again that this has been a pattern that is a problem when it comes to good governance. So I will quote what we've said a million times that I will vote it through today, but I have, and I think I'm speaking for a lot of us here, I've really reached the end of my rope when it comes to a lack of preparation when it comes to contracts, procurement, etc. So happy to vote for it today, but I can say that if the IPRO report and there's not better communication around things like this moving forward, I think we're going to see a lot more things pulled and a lot more things put on held. So just needed to flag that. Thank you. And I yield. Okay.

Anyone else? Motion by Hillis does not require a second. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. And the vote is open.

Will everyone please vote?

The bill is closed. 13 yays, 1 nay. 13 yays, 1 nay. This item is adopted.

I'll complete my item, Senator President. Thank you.

Thank you, Chair Hillis. This brings us to, drum roll please, personal papers. We do have an immediate consideration paper. Council Member Michael Julian Bond. Everyone should have a copy in your red folder.

Thank you, Madam President.

I have a resolution signed by all members present, a resolution at all to establish the Peebo Bryson Legacy Commission in honor of his contributions as a Grammy Award-winning vocalist, songwriter, Atlanta music icon, and for other purposes, whereas the Peebo Bryson was an iconic musician balladeer and R&B artist whose remarkable career spanned decades, earning national and international acclaim, whereas P. Bo Bryson dominated the soul and R&B charts for nearly 20 years, celebrated for his romantic ballads and globally recognized Disney duet performances. And whereas Peebo Bryson is a Grammy Award-winning singer, remained a beloved cultural figure whose music and artistry influenced generations and who passed away at the age of 75. And whereas Mr. Peebo Bryson's professional breakthrough occurred in Atlanta at Atlanta's own Bang Records, where he was signed as a writer, producer, and arranger, a pivotal moment that launched his career. And whereas Mr. Bryson made his home in Atlanta for many years, residing in Atlanta, Mariela later in Atlanta deepening his personal and artistic ties to the city, whereas his engagement with the Atlanta civic and business community, including participating in the Atlanta Business League, telling our story program where he shared reflections on his extraordinary career and connection to the city. And whereas the city of Atlanta seeks to honor Peebo Braxton for his extraordinary music contributions and his cultural impact on both local communities and audiences worldwide, whereas it is fitting and proper that the city of Atlanta formally recognize and preserve the legacy of Mr. Peebo Bryson through the establishment of a legacy commission to recognize the appropriate and lasting honors. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the city of Atlanta of the City Council of the City of Atlanta, Georgia, that Pupil Bryson's legacy commission is hereby established for the purpose of exploring and recommending ways to honor Mr. Bryson's life, his legacy, and special attention to his profound influences in Atlanta's musical heritage. be it further resolved that the commission shall consist of the following family, community, and local government officials, Tanya Bryson, Linda Bryson, Marisa Bryson, Willie Burks, former Mayor Bill Campbell, former Mayor Shirley Franklin, Jeffrey Alston, Chris Tucker, Alvin Waters, Calvin Waters, and Mack Wilburn. It is further resolved that the following city departments and or offices will each designate a representative to support, advise, and participate in the commission, the Atlanta Department of Transportation, the Department of Public of Parks and Recreation, the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Post 1 at-Large Office. Be it further resolved that such appointments do not require confirmations by the Atlanta City Council. Be it further resolved that the Commission shall hold its inaugural meeting within 60 days of the adoption of this resolution and meet regularly incorporating public hearings and community forums to gather diverse perspectives. Be it further resolved that the commission shall be staffed by the staff of the sponsoring council member's office, both one at large, the mayor's office of cultural affairs. A chair will be elected by the body of the commission. be it further resolved that the Commission shall endeavor to meet its anticipated goals and sunset by August, oh, it should be August 2027, not 26, that already happened, following the adoption of this resolution, be it further resolved that the final report detailing the recommendation shall be submitted to the Atlanta City Council no later than one year after the Commission's first meeting. The Commission shall dissolve upon the submission of the final report unless further action is authorized by the Atlanta City Council be it finally resolved that all resolutions and parts of resolutions in conflict with this resolution therein are hereby waived to the extent of the conflict. I'd like to move approval. Second.

Move approval by Bond, second by Martin. Hillis. Madam Clerk, please prepare the vote. Hillis, how do you vote? How do you vote? The vote is open. How do you vote, Martin?

Martin, aye.

Collins is a yes. Council Member Amos, what is your vote? Yes. Amos, how do you vote?

Yay.

Yay.

Louis, yes. Louis, yes.

The vote's closed. Fifteen yays, zero nays. Fifteen yays, zero nays. This resolution is adopted.

Thank you, colleagues. I'd like to move to move this to the mayor's office. Proceeds.

moved by Councilmember Michael Julian Bond to move to the mayor's office post-haste. This can be done by unanimous, well, second by? Hillis. Hillis. This can be done by unanimous consent. Madam Clark, what is the count for unanimous consent? 15 yeas, zero nays. 15 yeas, zero nays. This item is moved to the mayor's office. 14 yeas, zero nays. 14 yeas, zero nays. Without objection, this item is moved to the mayor's office post haste. Now we're at personal papers for to be referred. Are we ready?

Yes, we're ready. Do you have one? Yes, I do.

Okay, I'm ready.

Of Elms ID number 41117, in ordinance by Councilmember Michael Julian Bond, I authorize the donation in an amount not to exceed $250 from the Post 1 at Large Carry Forward Account to the Bethlehem United Methodist Church in recognition of its 150th anniversary and for other purposes.

41117 to be referred to FEC.

Thank you.

Thank you. Council Member Amos.

Yes, Madam President. Ams 41132, a resolution by Councilmember Byron D. Amos requesting the Commissioner of Atlanta Department of Transportation to establish a southbound left turn lane on Joseph B. Lowry Boulevard Northwest at the intersection of Joseph B. Boone Boulevard Northwest to facilitate eastbound turn onto Joseph B. Boone Boulevard Northwest and for other purposes.

41132 to be referred to Transportation.

Ams 41136, a resolution by Councilmember Byron D. Amos, Michael Julian Bond, Wayne Marn, Ishe Collins, Jason Dozier, Dustin Hillis, Antonio Lewis, Jason Winston, Liliana Bakhtiari, and Matt Westmoreland authorizing the installation of a historic marker to honor the late Reverend Joseph E. Boone for his lifelong service to the city of Atlanta and his contributions to the civil rights movement and for other purposes.

41136 to be referred to CDHS.

Final 1Ms. 41112. Ordinance by Councilmember Byron D. Amos to authorize the City of Atlanta to donate an amount not to exceed $10,000.00 to Park Pride Incorporated as a fiscal agent for the Friends of Rambo Park for the purpose of supporting improvements to Rambo Park to authorize the Chief Financial Officer or his designee to make payments from the account identified herein and for other purposes.

41112 to be referred to FEC.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thanks, Chair Amos. Council Member Martin.

Thank you so much, Madam President. ILMS ID number 41095, a resolution by Council Members Wayne Martin and Andrea Boone to correct resolution number 26-R-3913, adopted by the Atlanta City Council on August 17, 2026, and approved per city charter. section 2-403 on August 26, 2026 authorizing the second renewal option for an agreement number SP-S-1230018 time clock replacement and licensing with the time clock plus LLC on behalf of the Department of Atlanta Information Management to include the fund department organization and account numbers associated with the funding string and for other purposes.

41095 to refer to FEC.

Thank you, Madam President. IMSS ID 41125, a resolution by council members Wayne Martin, Matt Westmoreland, Kelsey Bond, Byron Amos, Ishe Collins, Dustin Hillis, Thomas Worthy, Liliana Bakhtiari, and a lot of other council members whose names I cannot make out. Jason Dozier, Byron Amos for one. A resolution by these council members requesting the chief financial officer to eliminate the requirement that personnel requests for the municipal court be submitted to the vacancy review board and for other purposes.

41125 to be referred to FEC.

Thank you, Madam President.

All right. Thank you. Chair Hillis.

Thank you, Madam President. My first item is ALMS 41122, in accordance by Councilmember Dustin Hillis authorizing a donation in an amount not to exceed $13,750.00 from the Council District 9 carry forward account to the Atlanta Police Foundation to assist in the improvement of Westside Water Works green space through the purchase of a quad PTZ camera and for other purposes.

Okay. 41122 to refer to FEC.

Next item is ELMS 40965, an ordinance by Councilmember Dustin Hillis authorizing a donation in an amount to exceed $12,500 from the District 9 Carrie Ford account to the Westside Howell Mill Community Improvement District to support the Westside Stride, a one-day advocacy event for safer multimodal streets to be held on November 8, 2026.

I'm sorry, which one was that?

40965. 40965 to refer to FEC. Next item is ALMS ID 41094, a resolution by Councilmember Dustin Hillis authorizing the mayor or his designee to execute cooperative agreements listed with HERC Rentals, Inc. and with United Rentals North America, Inc., utilizing source well contract number listed on behalf of the Department of Public Works Enterprise Assets Management, Parks and Recreation, Transportation, Aviation, and Watershed Management as authorized user agencies each for a term of one year with zero renewal options on a task order basis and an initial amount for all agreements not to exceed $4,202,000.00. All contracted work will be charged to and paid from the fund, department, organization, and account numbers listed herein and for other purposes.

41094 to be referred to City Utilities.

Fourth and final item is ALMS ID 41135. In Orders by Council Members Dustin Hillis, Andrea Boone, Wayne Martin, Ishe Collins, Byron Amos, and Antonio Lewis to amend Chapter 158, Article 2, Division 20, Section 158-89, Reduction of Required Tree Recompense for Affordable for Sale Units of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances to Remove Certain Conditions Required to Secure a Production or waiver of requested tree recompense for affordable for sale units and furtherance of the need to balance its goal of tree canopy preservation with its goal to incentivize the development of affordable housing and for other purposes.

41135 to refer to CDHS.

Thank you. That completes my items.

Thank you.

Councilmember Bakhtiari. Thank you. Just two papers today, ELMS ID 41133, in ordinance by Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari and Ishe Collins, authorizing the contribution of a total amount not to exceed, oh, I'll say, because we're going to substitute new numbers, so I'll say not to exceed blank, to the East Atlanta Community Association to support resident services and community development pursuant to Section 6-306 of the City of Atlanta's Charter and for other purposes.

41133 to refer to FEC.

Thank you. Elms ID 41134, an ordinance by Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari and Ishe Collins authorizing the contribution of a total amount not to exceed blank to the Atlanta Preservation Center, Inc. to support the Phoenix Flies Preservation Initiative pursuant to Section 6-306 of the City of Atlanta's Charter and for other purposes.

41134 to be referred to FEC. Thank you so much. Thank you.

Those are all my papers.

Chair Wan.

Thank you, Madam President. Elms ID 41116, a resolution by Councilmember Alex Wan authorizing the mayor or his designee to execute special procurement agreement, insert agreement number or agreement name with Mythix LLC on behalf of the Department of Finance pursuant to Section 2-1191.1 of the Atlantic City Code for a term of four years with one two-year renewal options in an amount not to exceed $14 million and zero cents for the initial term on contract to work to be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account number listed herein and for other purposes.

41116 to refer to FEC. Thank you. Okay. Council Member Dozier.

Thank you, Madam President. I only have one item today is ELMS number 41129, a resolution by Council Member Jason Dozier requesting the Executive Director of the Atlanta Urban Design Commission to nominate the Just Us neighborhood which consists of most of Fountain Drive Southwest and Morris Brown Drive Southwest south of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southwest as a landmark building or site and for other purposes.

4-1-1-2-9 to refer to transportation.

Thank you.

Chair Winston.

Thank you, Madam President. My first is ELMS ID 40984, a resolution by Councilmember Jason H. Winston and Councilmembers Westmoreland, Dozier, Bakhtiari, and Kaye Bunn. authorizing the city of Atlanta to donate an amount not to exceed $350,000.00 to the Atlanta Victim Assistance Inc. pursuant to section number 6-306 of the city of Atlanta charter to authorize the mayor or his designee to execute a donation agreement to authorize the chief financial officer to make the donation payment from the account listed herein and for other purposes.

40984 to be referred to FEC.

ELMS number 41113, a resolution by Councilmember Jason H. Winston authorizing the Chief Financial Officer to refund customers for overpayments to water and sewer accounts in the amount of funds to be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account number listed herein and for other purposes.

41113 to be referred to FEC.

ELMS number 41114, resolution by Councilmember Jason H. Winston authorizing the Commissioner of the Department of Watershed Management to adjust water and sewer service charges on certain customer accounts in accordance with Atlanta City Code section 154-28 amount of the dollars and cents to be given later and for other purposes.

41114 to be referred to FEC.

Elms ID 41118, in ordinance by Councilmember Jason H. Winston, authorizing the issuance and sale by the City of Atlanta of its Tax Allocation Refunding Bonds Beltline Project Series 2026A in the original aggregate principal amount of not to exceed and its Tax Allocation Refunding Bonds Beltline Project taxable Series 2026 B.C. and the original aggregate principal amount of not to exceed blank together the series 2026 bonds in order to refinance all or a portion of the city's currently outstanding Beltline tax allocation bonds issued under the master indenture fund certain accounts with respect to the series 2026 bonds and pay certain cost of issuance related to the series 2026 bonds. The execution, delivery, and performance of a second supplemental indenture of trust providing for the sale and issuance of the Series 2026 bonds. The execution and delivery of the continuing covenant agreement in connection with the sale of the Series 2026 bonds. The execution and delivery of one or more escrow deposit agreements and certain related actions all in connection with the issuance of the Series 2026 bonds and for other purposes.

41118 to be referred to FEC.

Elms ID 41119, an ordinance by Councilman Jason East Winston to amend the seat of Atlanta fiscal year 2027 budget by adding to anticipations and appropriation bond proceeds in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed blank for the series 2026 tax allocation refunding bonds, beltline project, associated cost of issuance, and for other purposes.

41119 to be referred to FEC.