Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Good morning, everybody, and welcome to the 04/14/2026 Board of Commissioners meeting. I am Presiding Officer Shikaro Johnson and your District four Commissioner. Happy to be with you here today after a nice break from for about two weeks for us. Just a little bit of housekeeping. If there are people still needing agendas and there's none out front, there is a QR code that you can scan by the door on the outside if you need that agenda.

And then commissioners, we will have executive session at the end of the meeting. Thank you. So we will move right into this. If we will start with our inspirational speaker, Bishop Tracy Bowles from New Beginning Full Gospel Baptist. If you will make your way to this front podium, good morning.

Bishop Tracy L. Bowles is a native of Hampton, South Carolina, a devoted husband of first lady Darlene Bowles, and a proud father of three. He is a graduate of Lander University and has pursued advanced theological education at Luther Rice College and Seminary and United Theological Seminary where he earned his doctor of ministry degree. Prior to entering full time ministry, Bishop Bulls built a successful career in the corporate sector serving as an assistant vice president and project manager with Bank of America. He currently serves as senior pastor at Timothy Baptist Church in Athens and New Beginning Full Gospel Baptist Church where he faithfully succeeded the late Bishop James H.

Morton. A respected revivalist, teacher, and dynamic speaker, Bishop bishop Bowles has held numerous leadership roles within the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International. He presently serves as the state bishop for the Georgia Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship, continuing to impact lives through preaching, leadership, and spiritual mentorship. Good morning, Bishop Holes.

Bless you. Thank you for having me. To commissioner Johnson and to all who have gathered this morning, thank you for this incredible opportunity to take five minutes and share with you what I believe will prayerfully bless your heart and strengthen your hand as it relates to the assignment that you currently have. I would like to perhaps title this brief time of sharing accessible but not available for everything. If you are inclined to take notes or capture what I am saying, if you would write that down, I think it would bless you not just for this moment, but sometime perhaps in the near future.

Accessible, but not available for everything. What happens when the person everyone depends on has no boundaries? At first, it looks admirable. They answer every call. They show up to every crisis.

They carry every burden, but over time something shifts. Their clarity becomes confusion, their passion becomes pressure, their calling becomes a cage and eventually the very people they were assigned to serve began to receive a version of them that is tired, overwhelmed, and depleted. I want to suggest something today that many may consider to be counterintuitive and it is this, if you are a public servant, in ministry like myself or public leadership like many of you, boundaries are not selfish. They are sacred. Boundaries, number one, protect your integrity.

When you serve people, access increases and when access increases, so does exposure to pressure, expectations, and even compromise. Without boundaries, lines begin to blur. Personal becomes professional. Favor becomes favoritism. Compassion becomes over commitment, but boundaries draw a clear line that says, I will serve you, but I will not lose myself in the process.

Integrity is not just about what you avoid, it's also about what you protect. Here's number two. Again, number first one was boundaries protect your integrity. Number two, boundaries prevent burnout. Let's be honest.

Many public servants are silently exhausted. Not because they don't love people but because they never stop pouring. Here's the truth, you cannot give what you do not have. Even Jesus who had all power still stepped away. He withdrew, he rested, He said no to certain demands even when needs were present.

Why? Because constant access without intentional withdrawal leads to inevitable depletion And burnout doesn't just affect you, it also affects everyone connected to you. Number three, boundaries clarify your assignment. One of the greatest dangers in public service is this, trying to solve problems you were never assigned to carry. Every need is not your assignment particularly.

Every request is not your responsibility. Every opportunity is not your calling. Boundaries help you say, I am committed but I am also clear. Clarity is the difference between being effective and just being busy. Number four, boundaries teach people how to treat you.

People don't just respond to who you are, they respond to what you allow. If you are always available, people will always expect constant access. If you never say no, people will assume you have no limits. But when you set boundaries, you communicate something extremely powerful and it is this, I value this work and I value the vessel that's doing it. And when you value yourself properly, you give others permission to do the same.

The fifth and final is this, boundaries preserve your life outside of your role. Here's a hard truth. Many public servants succeed publicly but fail privately. Families feel neglected. Friendships become functional at best.

Rest becomes optional, but your life is bigger than your title. I think I'm a little ahead of schedule so I'll repeat that. Your life is bigger than your title. Your first assignment is not your platform, it's your personhood. Boundaries ensure that you don't sacrifice your life trying to sustain your role.

So here are my closing thoughts. Let me leave you with this. Being accessible is part of your calling, part of mine as well. I'm pretty sure you were able to assess that as my bio was being read. But being available for everything is not. Once more being accessible is part of the calling, but being available for everything is not. Boundaries don't limit your impact, they sustain it. They protect your integrity, they preserve your energy, they clarify your purpose and ultimately they ensure that when you show up, you show up whole. God bless

you all.

That was amazing, Bishop Bowles. Thank you so much. If you'll stick around after our proclamations, we'd love to give you a pen and picture. Thank you, sir. So, now, we'll go into our Pledge of Allegiance led by Commissioner Nicole Messiah, and then we'll have our presentations. We have two today, One honoring former zoning administrator Kevin Hunter and the one for Jane Goodall Day.

I pledge of allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God and invisible with liberty and justice for all.

So commissioners, if you're comfortable and would like to meet us on the floor for proclamations.

Good morning. Good morning. Yes. I am humbled to bring forward a proclamation in honor of mister Kevin Hanna, who was our zoning former zoning administrator. He was a dedicated employee of DeKalb County who served a little bit before my time.

However, this morning, I wanted to honor his life as he passed in his office fifteen years ago. At that time, our current chief of staff, Lee May, was on the board of commissioners. And so I would like to call him up to say a few words about mister Hanna.

Thank you, commissioner, Marita David Johnson. If we could bring up some of the planning staff. It looks like these are many of our, retired, no longer here. But if anyone is even current staff, we'd love to to have you up this morning. So good to see so many of you all here today. I did have the privilege of working with Mr. Kevin Hunter early in my role here in DeKalb County. Early in my tenure here in DeKalb County and before I go any further, do we have any of Mr. Hunter's family here? Okay.

Just wanted to make sure. Kevin, worked in what we call planning and development back then, before the name changed to planning and sustainability. And I had the chance to work with him very intentionally as a leading District 5 during that time where there was a lot of development. And in that part of of the county. And I'll just be frank.

I would give Kevin the business because I would say, stop coming with all these recommendations of approval for these things that are not gonna be sustainable in our community and not or for not for the good of our county, and he had that heart. Because Kevin lived in Ellenwood. He worked, for this county for twenty five plus years, and he truly did have a heart for the people. This was more than just a job for him. And and my heart broke when I heard of his passing all the way, what was that, fifteen years ago now.

And my heart broke. I couldn't believe it. And I'll just say this last thing. You know, I have the opportunity to officiate or provide eulogies for many funerals. And, funerals are not for the dead, they're for the living. And and I would ask that as we remember his life and legacy, we would use that as fuel for how we live our life and and how we want to impact the lives of people and our community as well. So thank you for giving me a moment to be able to speak to this commissioner, Rita Davis Johnson.

Morning, everybody. Cedric Hudson, former director of planning and sustainability. I've been here since 2002. What we do here is is more than just four just four walls. It's bigger than this. We just talked about this earlier, preacher here before. When your coworkers become your friends, become like family. It's different. You pull a bit more into it, it's a little different. And, that's what Kevin was. Big heart. Loved everybody. Spot the community. What it meant. And, one of the funny things about it is most important work happened after five.

I'm not going into a lot of details about that. But anybody y'all everybody back here knows about the spot. That's all I got to say about that. But a lot of good work got done then that we brought here. It is funny. A lot of the greatest ideas would come off of a napkin sometimes, if you know what I mean. And then, that comes in. You knew the policy. Anybody knew Kevin? He knew the code by heart. He'd be walking. See him in the hallways. He knew the code. He'd tell you what's going on. But he knew how to apply that to the community. That's the most important thing about it because he cared about everybody. And so, just want to say those two words about that kid. Cheers. Miss you, brother. Love you.

And and and and I would just like to close-up by saying this and following what reverend Lee said. Always able to say that about we got two reverend now. But someone's death says so much about their lives, And no one really need to speak for them, although though they may want to speak for them. But if we all remember this, if you've heard the commercial, we all gonna die. We all gonna die.

But it's what you do in your life that matters, not in your death. And so I would just want my life to speak at my death. And so thank you for giving me this opportunity to present this proclamation. Thank you, Lee. And also thank you for speaking of him. So I turn it back now throughout the You wanna read the proclamation? Oh, okay. We gonna read the proclamation.

Okay. Whereas commissioner Marita Davis Johnson and the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners pause to reflect and honor the life and legacy of Kevin Hunter and the anniversary of his passing, recognizing his dedicated service, professional excellence, and lasting contributions to DeKalb County. And whereas mister Hunter served the residents of DeKalb County with distinction as a planner and zoning administrator, bringing more than twenty five years of experience, expertise, and institutional knowledge to the field of planning. And whereas he was widely respected for his mastery of zoning codes, his management of complex cases, and his unwavering commitment to ensuring that planning processes were executed with precision, professionalism, and integrity. And whereas his colleagues regarded him as a self assured, diligent, and highly respected public servant whose work ethic was unparalleled and whose contributions helped shape the growth and development of DeKalb County.

Whereas mister Hunter was known not only for his professional excellence, but also for his strong convictions and willingness to stand firmly for what he believed was right, leaving a lasting impression on all who had the privilege of working alongside him. Whereas, although his passing occurred in 2011, his impact continues to be felt across the county. It is both fitting and proper that we honor his memory and the legacy of service he left behind. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the governing authority of DeKalb County do hereby honor and remember the life, legacy, and leadership of Kevin Hunter and celebrate his service and his his enduring contributions to DeKalb County. Be it further resolved that Tuesday, April 14, is hereby proclaimed Kevin one hundred Day in DeKalb County, and that his legacy of excellence, dedication, and professionalism will continue to inspire those who serve in public service and the field of planning for years to come.

Thank you, madam clerk, and thank you commissioner David Johnson for bringing this proclamation forward as we honor the life of Kevin Hunter. But I also wanted to, as we close this out, take a moment to let all of our employees know that we honor and we cherish them and all the work that they do. And as Bishop Bowles was given the word this morning that this is so much bigger than the one thing that we're doing, that everything we do is a lifetime and it's bigger than that. We have to live outside of that and set those boundaries. So we honor but we also want to make sure you guys get home and take time off for yourselves as well. So thank you. I think we'll take a picture right now.

Alright. On three.

Good morning, everyone. I hope everybody had a nice spring break and came back feeling rested and relaxed and ready to continue on with 2026. My name is Michelle Longspears. I serve as a district two commissioner here in DeKalb County. It is my honor today to recognize the legacy that has profoundly transformed how we understand our connection to the natural world and to one another.

Doctor Jane Goodall was a world renowned primatologist, conservationist, and humanitarian whose groundbreaking research reshaped our understanding of animal behavior. Through her work with chimpanzees, she helped us see more clearly the deep and meaningful connections between humans and the natural world. Although we lost doctor Goodall in October, we continue to celebrate a life defined by purpose, compassion, and an unwavering commitment for a better world, for people, for animals, and for the environment. Her influence extended far beyond science. She inspired inspired generations, including myself, but especially young people to take action, to lead with courage, and to become thoughtful stewards of our planet and to protect our planet.

DeKalb County was especially honored to welcome doctor Goodall in September 2023 when she commemorated the International Day of Peace at Legacy Park and engaged directly with our youth. During that visit, she helped launch the first Roots and Shoots Base Camp in The United States right here in DeKalb County, planting seeds of leadership, environmental stewardship, and global citizenship that continue to grow with our youth, our families, our seniors, all of us here in DeKalb County today. Inspired by her example, we have taken thoughtful and meaningful steps to carry that legacy forward. I was especially proud to partner with the 100 black men of DeKalb County. We have a few representatives here today.

Y'all please come forward. To establish the DeKalb Youth Explorers program. This district two initiative has created opportunities for our young people to engage in our environmental stewardship, develop leadership skills, and participate in a global learning experience. Since 2025, we're on year two, students and mentors in this program have expanded their impact beyond our borders, traveling to Costa Rica where they have engaged in environmental conservation and community development training, learning, and other efforts in places like San Jose, Corcovado National Park, Sierra Bay, Drake Bay, and several other locations in Costa Rica. Through these experiences, our young people are not only learning about the world, they are actively working to improve it, to make it better for their children, their grandchildren, and so on.

On a personal note, the work of Jane Goodall inspired me as a little girl, her and Dian Fossey. And I remember reading as much as I could any article, any book. I would watch them on TV, and I believe that is where the genesis of my love of the natural world began by really being inspired by those two ladies. And while Jane Goodall came to DeKalb and passed away afterwards, I really hated that I missed her here, but I heard that she had such a profound impact on the children that visited with her. It was apparently just really a spectacular experience.

And on a little side note about Doctor. Jane Goodall, we all know her for her work with monkeys. One of her last speeches that she gave, she talked about actually her love for dogs. She said that like humans, she doesn't like all monkeys. But with dogs, she just loved to surround herself with all of that love.

And this is the kind of loving legacy Doctor. Goodall envisioned, one that empowers the next generation to lead with knowledge, compassion, and purpose to protect our environment. Today as we recognize 04/14/2026 is Doctor. Jane Goodall recognition day in DeKalb County. We honor not only her remarkable achievements, but the enduring impact of her vision, a vision that continues to take root right here in DeKalb County. So now, madam clerk, if you please read the proclamation into the record.

Whereas, doctor Jane Goodall was a world renowned primatologist and conservativeness and humanitarian who dedicated her life to the study of chimpanzees and to advancing global conservation efforts. And whereas Doctor. Jane Goodall was widely recognized for her groundbreaking research on animal behavior, intelligence, and emotional capacity, transforming our understanding of the relationship between humans and animals. And whereas Doctor. Jane Goodall visited DeKalb County, Georgia in September 2023 to commemorate the International Day of Peace at Legacy Park in Decatur, where she engaged with local youth through a celebration featuring peace dove creations.

And whereas during her visit, doctor Jane Goodall highlighted the launch of the first Roots and Shoots Base Camp in The United States, an initiative supporting youth led environmental and humanitarian projects, and helped cultivate local partnerships, including collaboration with the Fernbank Museum of Natural History to expand environmental education and community engagement across DeKalb County. And whereas inspired by doctor Jane Goodall, lifelong commitment to empowering youth to protect the natural world through education, service, and leadership, commissioner Michelle Longspears partnered with 100 black men of DeKalb County to establish the DeKalb Youth Explorers Program, which engages students in the environmental stewardship, leadership development, academic enrichment, and global citizenship. And since 2025, participating DeKalb County High School students and mentors have advanced this mission through environmental conservation and community development efforts in San Jose National Park in Drake Bay, Costa Rica. And whereas doctor Jane Goodall's enduring legacy continues to inspire individuals of all ages to take meaningful action for people, animals, and the environment, advancing peace, sustainability, and global stewardship. Now therefore, I, commissioner Michelle Longspheres, along with the board of commissioners, on behalf of DeKalb County and its more than 780,000 citizens, do hereby recognize 04/14/2026 as doctor Jane Goodall recognition day in DeKalb County and re encourage all residents to support efforts that advance environmental sustainability, youth leadership, and community well-being.

Thank you, madam clerk. And now will our Roots and Shoots representatives please come forward? Are you all out there? There you are. Great. While you're making your way up here, I've asked Troy, the president of a 100 black men to say a few words about the experience they just returned home from in Costa Rica, and then we'll hear from Roots and Shoots.

Alright

well good morning commissioners, good morning guests. So you've heard a lot about the program and I'll just give you a little bit of background. So we have at the one hundred, we have our Youth Global Citizenship Program and that's a program where we take young people and we compare and contrast different communities. We compare and contrast the justice systems, the economic systems, the healthcare systems and the education systems. So, we take that classroom experience and then the culmination is often an immersive experience into that particular country.

Well, 2025 Commissioner Longspears approached me and she said, Hey, do you all ever do anything with environmental awareness? And I had this look on my face like, What are you talking about? But no, we had not but it really opened up our eyes and she had this vision and we said sure, why not? So, what we've done, this is our second annual, but we interview not just students but we interview families. Once they get accepted, they go through a semester long experience in the classroom learning about what environmental awareness and sustainability is like.

And then we take them to a place. And it's been Costa Rica these last two years. So this year we took 10 students and some mentors to San Jose, but then we went into the wilderness, Drake Bay, and that's really where the magic started to happen. So, you get these young people who are real city fied and really bringing them into a location where Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse environments in the world. They own smaller than one percent of the land, but 5% of the biodiversity happens in this one country.

So, we brought kids in and they were able to truly be one with nature. We had some community service activities, sustainable farming, really helped them experience on what it means to live on less. And so it was very eye opening for our young people. We learned that Costa Ricans have a longer life expectancy. I think theirs is 81.

Here in The States we're significantly less than that. So we just had some discussing around that because it wasn't about I mean, why are they living longer because we have more money, more resources, but it just came down to and through conversation the young people understood that they don't have the distractions that we have. So, not having those distractions allows them to spend more time with family, living off the earth, everything is more natural. So, this trip, this experience wasn't just about taking them out of DeKalb County into a place like Costa Rica, but it's taking Costa Rica back to DeKalb County. So we truly believe that in order to compete in a global society, you have to become a global citizen.

You can't just have a local mindset. So we've challenged our young people to come back here, have discussions with their family about what it means to have sustainability, what it means to recycle. We've asked them to take video speaking to their friends about what the experience meant. So we really just wanted to take this time and to prepare tomorrow's leaders today. So I just want to thank Commissioner Longspears for trusting us to really help developing our leaders in the future and this is just the beginning. So thank you.

Good morning. My name is Angelle Cooper. I'm the Atlanta Base Camp Coordinator for Roots and Shoots. And on behalf Institute, I'd like to thank you all for this great honor. Many of you know that Doctor.

Goodall was a conservationist and researcher, but part of her legacy was also creating two programs. While she was studying the chimps, she realized that their habitat was shrinking. She also realized that the people in the villages near the habitats were struggling to survive. And it was at that point that she decided that she couldn't help the chimpanzees without helping the people in the villages around them. She also realized that the villagers were the experts in their own community.

So, it was that point that she created a program called Takare, which is a community led conservation program. The main key to this program is listening and understanding the people that you serve. In addition to this, a little later, she created a program for youth and those who are young at heart called Roots and Shoots, which is a youth driven program that uses service learning to help animals, people, and the environment. Again, this program also had shared values with the Takare program. The youth had to understand, observe and learn about their environment before they created their service learning projects.

As a DeKalb County resident, I see some of these same values reflected in the work across the county. It's my hope that in addition to honoring Doctor. Goodall on her day, that we continue to use our words and actions to honor her as well. Thank you again for the honor to Doctor. Jane Goodall. I think she would be pleased. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Really love that. Thank you. Alrighty. Now we will take our

Bishop Bowles, if you'd come forward, I'd love to pin you. You good, Zach? All right. Thank you so much, everybody. So, we'll move into comments from the public.

Madam Clerk, if you'll read in the instructions.

The purpose of public comment is to allow the public to voice county related requests, concerns, or opinions during the commission meeting. Speakers will only have the opportunity for one public comment per meeting. Each speaker must please complete a speaker card and present it to the clerk before the beginning of the public comment portion of the meeting. Cards turned into the clerk from the time the general meeting is convened, generally 9AM, and by the beginning of public comment portion, generally following presentations on the agenda. The clerk will accept cards on a first come first served basis.

Prior to the clerk's call for public comment, speakers who are residents of DeKalb County shall be allowed to speak before residents of other counties are allowed to speak. Speakers will only be allowed to speak for three minutes each, and public comments should not exceed thirty minutes in length. When the buzzer sounds to indicate that time has run out, the speaker will be expected to immediately cease speaking and to yield the podium. Those who submitted speaker cards but did not speak because of the time allotment will be allowed to speak first at the next regularly scheduled commission meeting without regard to residents. Speakers should always talk directly into the microphone and begin by stating their name, full address, and the name of any organization they represent.

Abusive, profane, or derogatory language, holding up signs, clapping, yelling, standing, or laying in the aisles to show support for or opposition to a speaker will not be permitted. But a show of hands or quietly standing in place will be permitted to show support for or opposition to a speaker's position.

Thank you, ma'am. Any speakers left over from the last meeting? No. Okay. So first speaker for today?

Our first speaker is Jane Dunaway.

Good morning, Ms. Dunaway.

I'm Jan Dunaway, Unincorporated Stone Mountain and a DeKalb County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. The district is an unpaid state agency that works closely with the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission to protect the waters of the state. I'm here talking about the text amendment, again, that has been that has gaping holes that must be filled, especially regarding the discharge of chemically infused water from them. Without a plan for discharge of this chemically infused water to go into our water treatment plant, which can't filter out these concentrated chemicals and could overwhelm the treatment plants, putting more pollution into the South River and polluting the drinking water of our downstream neighbors. Do we have enough water for these multiple data center campuses?

Without leak detection required, surrounding soil will be contaminated. Closed loop systems still use around a 100,000 gallons of water a day. Data centers should not be considered critical infrastructure, putting data centers over drinking water of citizens. The amendment has no compliance plan, no consequences, and no bond to protect the citizens or the should those companies leave town. At the 07/07/2025 PEC's committee meeting, commissioner Bolton questioned staff regarding water saying, we're under a state of emergency.

Miss Provost stated that water was is a sticking point. We remain under a state of emergency for drinking water and sewer as we still are under the consent decree due to sanitary overflows into the South River since 2011. It's amazing that nine months later, water and sewer concerns, just like magic, are no longer a concern. No explanation, just no longer a problem for the staff of the BOC. This issue is still a concern and has not been addressed.

Citizens have made their voices known. No data center campuses over 500 square feet, and not allowed to cluster, but it appears no one's listening. I think you guys are swooning over dreams of the county coffers overflowing with cash. Remember that once all land is gone and or contaminated and there's no clean water left to drink, you can't eat or drink this money.

Thank you. Next

speaker? Jackie Malcolm.

Good morning.

Good morning, commissioner. My name is Jackie Malcolm. I live in District 3 off of Bouldercrest where they're trying to propose a 2,000,000 Square Foot Data Campus. But I want to start off by giving honor to Commissioner Long Spears for having a sellout event. I call this event a Donkey Event First Class.

Oh, yes. And we enjoyed everything about this event, the speakers, the panel, the t shirts, the t shirts, and the food. I learned a few things from the panel that I did not know. I thanked them all for educating us. And, yes, you are a fantastic mistress of ceremony. We enjoyed your speech. And this event ran very smooth. They had to put additional chairs out for the people that was way in the back. And with that being said, this was a successful event. Thank you.

And I found out from the panel that on the North Side, you all have you are able to give food assistance for the people who have animals. But on the South Side, this service is non assisted, which is not available as of yet. I heard your speech, and I hold you to your word that you would try to find a location on the South Side so the South Side can experience the same thing as the North Side. And if you need assistance, I can volunteer. Thank you.

Now, let me dive into the data campus a tad bit. DeKalb County has a total of 26 fire stations over two seventy one square miles, and that's two sixty eight square miles of land. The water area is only three miles. Each fire station covers 10 to 10 and a half miles. The urban areas like Tucker, Decatur, Brookhaven, their fire stations is closer together.

But in the on the South Side, unincorporated areas, we have longer and larger response times. This gives a population density roughly 200 2,500 to 2,800 people per square mile. Remember, we only have 26 fire station that's covering 268 square mile. Each fire station on an average covers 10 square miles and more. The data center and the data campus fires.

We understand mutual aid, but in the Bouldercrest area where I live, the city has five fire stations that is on the list to be dispatched to our area. That's not enough. I'm stating to you all, do our firefighters and fire department have adequate training and put it out a data campus fire? I don't think so. Are firefighters here?

I will pick up a part

to next week. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Two weeks.

Gina Mangum.

Miss Mangum, good morning.

Good morning. Gina Mangum. I live in the East DeKalb Commission Districts five and seven. It's election season again, and once again, as in all political campaigns, the candidates are vying for a seat on the BOC, and they all commit to community engagement. But what does that mean?

So I looked it up. Community engagement is defined as the purposeful collaborative process of working with community members to address concerns, improve well-being, and most importantly, to influence decisions that affect our lives. It builds trust and involves two way communication to empower stakeholders. Unfortunately, throughout this data center process, the process doesn't seem to be quite working. We have reached out to all of you, and thankfully, commissioner Terry has had discussions with us, but we are not having a two way dialogue.

Why does it have to be an us versus them situation? We've come here week after week to express genuine concerns about the potential impact of large scale data center campuses on our residents, our communities, and really on the county itself. We provided legitimate research on the issues, offered reasonable solutions, and more and more information comes available every day, really. I get articles, I get calls, we all do, from people around the country talking about these issues surrounding data centers. Yet, with the exception of some minor revisions in January and the proposed amendment introduced by commissioner Terry, It hasn't changed much.

It's a start, but it's not sufficient. This is a national issue. Community residents all over the country are raising valid concerns, many of which we've raised here. Others are already dealing with the aftermath of high costs, both monetary and personal, massive water usage, power usage, pollutants, and health problems. Government officials are starting to realize that the perceived benefits do not outweigh the enormous burden on our resources.

What if the water supply becomes depleted or contaminated? What if forever chemicals are not properly disposed of, or worse, seep into our drinking water? What if a chemical fire is at a data center? Can we are we prepared to deal with it? What if the expected revenues don't pan out? What if the technology changes and data centers become obsolete? This needs to be two way communication. We are doing our part. All we ask is that you do yours.

Thank you, ma'am. Next speaker.

Our next speaker is Steven Binney.

Good morning, mister Binney.

Good morning, commissioners. I would like to start this morning by wishing a speedy recovery to miss Mary Hinkle. Miss Hinkle has graced this County with a lot of her time and dedication, especially when it comes to the charter review committee, which DeKalb County has been working on since 2019. It took the city of Decatur six months to review and renew their organizational act. DeKalb County is in its seventh year of this process.

Miss Davis Johnson seems to be the personification of part time commissioner when it comes to processing charter review recommendations. There is a scheduled ops special meeting to discuss the charter today at one p. M, but there has been one at every scheduled commission public meeting for the last year. When was the last time a scheduled commission public meeting ended before lunch? I don't remember either. With only 28 pages on today's agenda, we can all be hopeful, but I am not betting the under. I sometimes forget how good DeKalb County is at kicking cans down the road, but you always remind me. On today's agenda alone, there are four items that you have been working on since 2024. Talk about watching grass grow. For Ms.

Henkel, the charter review members and all of DeKalb County, let's finish this charter review by September 1 so that the CEO can finish her review in time to submit it as one of DeKalb County's priorities to the DeKalb County legislative delegation in January 2027. If we can accomplish that, citizens will be able to vote on it in November, and we might have a new organizational act by 2028. I do not see anything on today's agenda regarding the reopening of Entrenchment Creek Park. This is another thing the county has been dealing with since 2019. I think that it is time to revoke the original land swap deal for breach of contract.

I would much rather have our original parkland back than any money we may receive after a long legal process. We have available park funds to open up Entrenchment Creek Park. Miss Long Spears is allocating over $200,000 from our 20 o one park bond funds on today's agenda. Doing business with racist con men like Ron and Ryan Nolstapp is a dangerous thing. We got property not good for building and anything and for building anything.

And mister Milstaff got property good for building a movie studio, but now apparently wants to sell it to an entity that wants to build a data center on it. I have heard rumors that the District three Commission has been talking with representatives about this proposed data center. Between this and constantly deferring on the Elliwyn Data Center, it especially seems that you may be trying to allow these two locations to be grandfathered into our county after data zoning regulations are finally passed. We may have to change your name from Nicole Messiah to Nicole, queen of the data center's messiah. And miss Messiah, I speak only for myself. I do not speak for anybody else. Thank you.

Betty Prather.

Good morning, miss Betty.

Good morning. My name is Betty Prather. I live in District 3, Rolling Rock Drive, Connolly. I am here to talk about the school closing in DeKalb County, in particular, the Cedar Grove Elementary and High School. I am a member of Cedar Grove Elementary School Grandparents Club. We are volunteer group. Every week, we go into the school and read to the children. Every week. Our goal is to help the children with reading, comprehension, and to verbally answer questions about what has been read. This also helps the students build confidence by expressing themselves.

We are making a difference. One of our major concern is that if the school closes, the children will lose the benefit of the grandparent involvement. Last month, March, members of the grandparent club and I attended the school board meeting. We asked them to please remove Cedar Grove Elementary and High School from the list. Today, we're asking you commissioners, all of you, because whether it's in your district or not, DeKalb County is being affected by what's going on right now with the school.

Today, we're asking you to get those two schools removed from the list. Other concerns are how will we attract businesses to an area with not enough or no schools? How will the closing affect our property value? With all the new housing developments being built, where will those children go? Closing schools is not the answer.

The bottom line is we want our children in the classroom and not on buses being driven all across town. Thank you for listening.

Thank you, ma'am.

Lisa Reagan.

Ms. Reagan, good morning.

Good morning. My name is Lisa Regan, associate executive director of Saint Vincent De Paul, Georgia. I would firstly like to applaud the county for the thorough and thoughtful unhoused support and services plan that was proposed in January and accepted to today's agenda. The issue of housing instability and homelessness is extremely complex and will take a village, all of us working together to make an impact on this critical and timely issue. I'd like to take a moment to focus on the strategy of deploying unhoused service hubs throughout the county.

The plan calls for at least resource hubs at least three resource hubs in the North, South, and central regions of the county to provide basic needs and coordinated access to services. For those of us in this work, we certainly know the importance of community, a community center easily accessible by MARTA, providing the full range of services our unhoused neighbors need. What most of us take for granted, basic hygiene, clean clothes, nutritious food, shelter from extreme elements, access to vital documents, a place to pick up mail, oftentimes time sensitive mail relating to benefits applications are not readily available for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Neither is the opportunity to use a computer, charge a cell phone, or talk to somebody who can actually tackle the arduous process of finding permanent housing and helping someone who feels broken get back on their feet. The smart idea to employ service hubs does just this.

It offers a version version of a one stop shop in strategically placed areas of the county leaning into the services that exist. At Saint Vincent de Paul, about 100 unhoused neighbors come through our facility each day. There, have access to food, caseworkers, life skills classes, spiritual retreats, basic money management classes, and more. But we also know that more is needed. Saint Vincent de Paul's plan within DeCAB's support and services plan calls for 10,000 square feet of dedicated space as a community center to provide all of the components of the proposed services hub.

We see this not as a nice to have, but as a must have facility within the Saint Vincent de Paul operation. The service hub is a key component to this comprehensive and vitally important plan, and I urge you to approve the unhoused support and services plan to unleash the power of community and support of our unhoused neighbors. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Kimberly Henderson.

Kimberly, good morning.

Hello. My name is Kimberly Henderson. I live at 2562 Bradford Square Northeast, Atlanta, Georgia 30345. I'm the incoming secretary of the Bradford Square Condominium Association, a 71 unit community in District 1. So Commissioner Patrick, I am here to introduce myself as a new board member and to follow-up on something urgent.

Hi. Yes, ma'am.

So our most immediate need is simple. We need the culvert on the North Fork Peachtree Creek at Shallowford Road cleared. DeKalb Roads and Drainage issued work order 26007109 on March 2 to do exactly that. It is now forty three days old and nothing has happened. Every day that culvert stays clogged, our creek bank erodes further toward our residential buildings. We are in a FEMA designated floodway. A hundred year storm would bring 8.2 feet of flood water to our doors. This one action, clearing that culvert, is what we are asking for right now today. But, commissioner, we also need to talk about the bigger picture. You visited our community on September 9.

I wasn't on the board yet at that time, so we haven't had a chance to meet, but I know you have seen this with your own eyes. The North Fork Peachtree Creek has been flooding and eroding our banks for years. The chronically clogged culvert makes it worse every time. Our buildings are at risk, and we simply do not have the financial resources to shore up those banks on our own. On your YouTube channel, speaking about our very situation, you said these are projects larger than what an individual property owner can afford and that ultimately the government is going to have to get involved.

We agree completely. We also understand there is a Peachtree Creek Greenway project planned through this corridor. We would welcome a conversation about whether creek bank stabilization at Radford Square could be incorporated into that effort. We have spent years being bounced between roads and drainage, planning and sustainability, stormwater management, floodplain management, and the Army Corps of Engineers with no resolution. Bradford Square is a modest cash strapped community.

Our complex was built in the 1960s and has many residents who are elderly, first time home buyers, or otherwise living on a fixed income. We have been managing this crisis with nothing but Band Aid fixes because we simply cannot afford anything more. We would like to know what will it finally take to get action. We want to be your partners. We are open to easement discussions. We support the Peachtree Creek Greenway. I have photographs and a summary document to submit today. And Commissioner Patrick, I would welcome the chance to invite you back to Bradford Square to continue this conversation. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

James Fisher.

Good morning.

Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is James Fisher. I'm the sole owner of EGP Inc, which owns a small 56 year old building in Tucker located at 2256 4th Street. It's an engine rebuilding company that has been in operation since 1984. My business, like many other mom and pop businesses, are getting forced out of business because of huge increases in taxes that were assessed in 2025. In 2024, my property was assessed at $3.73 9. In the summer of last year, it was assessed at over $2,000,000. My county property taxes went from 6,700 to $36.02 94. I can't afford to pay this.

I'm gonna have to go out of business. The county, along with the city of Tucker, has been trying to force businesses like mine out of business in the interest of gentrifying. The county has used misleading comps try and show that my value is over 2,000,000. The property is located on a dead end road with virtually no traffic, volume or exposure. The property consists of a 9,000 square foot machine shop on two thirds of one acre.

It was built in 1970 and it's in decent shape, but it needs some upgrades. I'm planning on making them until I receive this tax assessment. The building is sheet metal over metal frame. It needs some roof work, gutters and parking lot maintenance. The comps that the county assessor's office has used are not even close to comparable.

Almost all the comps are all Hugh Howell Road, Lawrenceville Highway, which are obviously high traffic, four lane roads with lots of public exposure. Virtually no traffic goes by my building on 4th Street. The comps also are masonry buildings much newer than mine. Like I said, my building is sheet metal built in 1970. Such comps aren't even close to my building type.

One of the comps is a new very new car wash on Lawrenceville Highway built in 2021. That was valued at $4,600,000 This outrageous that my property is being compared to a newly built car wash. The assessor's office has intentionally used different properties like the car wash to try and bring up average values to justify tax increase. Something needs to be done about this to protect me, my business, and other property owners who are getting squeezed out. I ask my 2024 property tax assessment be frozen and other relief provided to keep this increase from happening to me and other small business owners.

The county also needs to stop allowing the use of properties that are not comparable to be used to drive up property values. Thank you very much.

Thank you, sir. Next speaker.

Our last speaker is Mariel Sibley.

Good morning. Good

morning. It's such a pleasure to be here. I'm with the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, Georgia. I'm here to affirm support, like my colleague Lisa Regan, for the unhoused plan. This was a very collaborative effort to move forward some vitally needed resources and services. We think it's very well thought out. I know as someone who's been working in this field for a number of years, it will really be responsive to the black hole that people find themselves in when they're in crisis, when they're in need. The hub vision is very important because it's hard for people to get around. They need to be served kind of where they are. That inverts the burden.

Building up the data platform will be very, very helpful to providers so we're not duplicating services so that we can make sure that the resources are smartly utilized. Having the ability to access a longer timeframe of entry into the system and having these doors kind of like a no wrong door entry will be really, really helpful. I think there's a misconception that people bop around to different counties and they really don't. They tend to be where their community is. And so this plan finds people where they are and tries to serve them where they are.

We have found that when people are moved to different areas, they gravitate back to their community. So just want to encourage the resolution to be affirmed by the council and to really move forward on it. We really need it. Thank you all.

Thank you. That was our last speaker? Yes. Yes, ma'am. So before we move into our public hearing, I did want to take a point of privilege and acknowledge one of our amazing employees who is now Ms. Doctor. Diamond Lewis. Doctor. Diamond Lewis has just recently successfully defended her dissertation in communication at Liberty University. Congratulations, ma'am.

Now we'll move into public hearing. If you will read the instructions for us, please, madam clerk.

Citizens may speak for or against an item that is considered by law to be a zoning ordinance, and each side will have ten minutes to present its case. Citizens may also speak for or against an item that is placed on the public hearing agenda, but is not a zoning ordinance. In that case, each side will have five minutes to present its case. In the event there is more than one speaker per side, speakers must divide their time in order to complete their full presentation within the ten minute time allotment or the five minute time allotment. When the buzzer sounds to indicate that time has run out, the speaker will be expected to immediately cease speaking and to leave the podium area.

Prior to speaking, a speaker shall complete a speaker card and present it when approaching the podium. If a speaker has any documents for the commissioners, the speaker shall provide 10 copies when approaching the podium. Seven copies are for the commissioners, and the remaining copies are for the planning director, the county attorney, and the clerk. In all zoning ordinance and traffic common cases, staff should make their recommendation for action to the commission first followed by applicants or citizens speaking in favor of the item. Applicants in zoning ordinance cases shall have the right to reserve time for rebuttal.

Opponents of a zoning ordinance item shall have no right of rebuttal. For all other items placed on the public hearing agenda, applicants or citizens speaking in favor of the item shall speak first, followed by the opponents of the item. Once the citizens have finished speaking, staff shall make a recommendation for action to the commission. At this point, citizens are no longer allowed to speak unless called to the podium by an individual commissioner to answer questions or provide information. Speakers should always talk directly to the microphone and begin by stating their name, address, and the name of any organization they represent.

Abusive, profane, or derogatory language will not be permitted. Holding up signs, clapping, yelling, standing, or laying in the aisles to show support for opposition to a speaker will not be permitted. But a show of hands or quietly standing in place will be permitted to show support for opposition to a speaker's position.

Thank you. We only have excuse me one item under the public hearing, and it is a District 4 and District 7 item. So, I am going to pass the gavel to Commissioner Messiah to handle this for us, or Deputy Deputy Presiding Officer.

Deputy Deputy.

Thank you.

And

we just received a substitute for this particular item. This is item number 2026Dash061, Commission Districts 4 And 7, septic to sewer petition, Pine Lake, Georgia Forest Road. Great. Morning, director.

Good morning. Good morning. Reginald Wells, Watershed Management. Yes, this item is a sewer to septic petition. We got a couple of residents along Forest Road that have failing septic systems and will not, due to requirements of septic systems, will not be able to reinstall, renew, repair.

They'll have to connect to public sewers. However, in order for that to be executed, it requires extension of about 300 linear feet in order to be able to facilitate connection to the county sewer. And this is exactly what this item is in place to do. The reason for the substitute is the septic to sewer requirements require public hearing and a presenting before the board. And specifically, the notifications and the champion of the public hearing, March 12, the nineteenth, and the twenty sixth had to be specifically stated in the legislative item.

The reason for the substitute. The item did go through PWI March 26 and was approved. And ultimately, we need to support this to serve the the citizens, and I ask for you guys approval.

Thank you so much, director Wells. Are there any citizens that are here to speak in favor of this item? Is there anyone here to speak in favor of item two zero two six dash zero six zero one? Seeing none, is there anyone here to speak in opposition to this agenda item? Anyone in opposition?

Seeing none, can you repeat your recommendation again, director Wells?

I recommend approval of the septic to sewer petition for Forest Road.

And I see we have a motion.

Yes, ma'am. I move to approve item ending in 0601.

Second. We have a proper first and second. All the can you open up the machine for a vote, please

excuse me that should be approved the substitute

the substitute

yes the substitute

That motion is passed. Passing the gavel back over. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Messiah. So now we are at the top of page three and again that was our only public hearing item and we had no appeals. So now we are at appointments, excuse me, not requiring board action and for information only. So I will read all of these into the record. Under board of commissioners, item twenty twenty six dash zero five five eight, all commission districts record the appointment of Nia z Harper to the to the DeKalb County Women's Commission as the City Of Stonecrest appointee.

Item twenty twenty six dash zero five five nine, all commission districts record the appointment of Beverly Echols to the DeKalb County Women's Commission as the City Of Tucker appointee. Item twenty twenty six dash zero five six zero, all commission districts record the appointment of Soraya Yadu Green to the DeKalb County Women's Commission as the City Of Pine Lake appointee. Item twenty twenty six dash zero five six one. All commission districts record the appointment of Cheryl Glover to the DeKalb County Women's Commission as a City Of Chamblee appointee. Item twenty twenty six dash zero five six two.

All commission districts record the appointment of Elizabeth Apley to the DeKalb County Women's Commission as a City Of Brookhaven appointee. Top of page four, item twenty twenty six dash zero five six five. All commission districts record the appointment of Joyce Neal to the DeKalb County Women's Commission as the DeKalb County tax commissioner's office appointee. Item twenty twenty six dash zero five six six. All commission dictionaries record the appointment of Victoria England to the DeKalb County Women's Commission as a junior league of DeKalb County appointee.

For District 1, item twenty twenty six dash zero five seven six, record the appointment of Charlene Fang to post one of the DeKalb Arts Council as a standing member and the District 1 appointee. For District 2, item twenty twenty six dash zero excuse me. Zero five zero eight, record the appointment of Ben Bell to the friends of the DeKalb Sports Commission as the district two representative under the CEO's office, item twenty twenty six dash zero five nine nine, all commission districts record the appointment of Clara Burks Jones to the DeKalb County Women's Commission as a chief executive officer of DeKalb County Government appointee. And that is the end of the ones recorded into the record. We're now at the top of page five where these are appointments to be voted on.

The first one is item twenty twenty six dash zero four four two, all commission districts, appointment of mister Sheldon Fleming to post eight of the recreation parks and cultural affairs board. And this is a PEC side.

Motion to approve. Second.

You hit your button, commissioner. Thank you. Alright. Seeing no request to speak, if we'll open the machine for a vote.

That motion carried. Madam Presiding Officer, apologies, but we need to circle back to item twenty twenty six-five zero eight. It's an appointment item that has a substitute. So if you could just acknowledge the substitute.

Okay. Thank you. So re reading into the record item twenty twenty six dash zero five zero eight, record the appointment of Ben Bell to the Cab United Sports Commission as a district two representative as a standing member with voting privileges. So hopefully, that will correct the record.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you.

Thank you. And the next item, I do need to pass the gavel to my deputy presiding officer.

Thank you, madam Pio. This is item two zero two six zero five seven zero, all commission districts. This is the appointment of commissioner Shakira Johnson's to post nine of the development authority of DeKalb County and post nine of the private hospital authority. Do we have a motion for this item?

So moved. Second.

Can we open them at well, I don't see Yeah. Any request to speak, but my screen is stuck on the last vote. Is there any request

to speak? I'm not seeing any requests to

Can we open the machines for a vote, please? Motion carries. And I pass the gavel back to madam residing officer.

Thank you, and thank you, everybody. I appreciate the confidence. We are on the consent agenda, madam deputy presiding officer. Ready. That's good. Middle of page five, airport item twenty twenty six dash zero five zero five, commission districts one and six, standardized tee hanger space lease agreement Charles e Taylor at no cost to the county.

Move for action.

Item 2026Dash0571, commission districts one and six, standardized tee hanger space lease agreement with James Weaver at no cost to the county.

Move for action.

Item twenty twenty six dash zero five eight five, commission districts one and six, standardized office space agreement with Jenna Kim at no cost to the county.

Move for action.

Board of commissioner items, item twenty twenty six dash zero six zero zero, approval of minutes for the 03/26/2026 Committee of the Whole.

Move for action.

District 1 items, item twenty twenty six dash zero five seven four, to approve the appropriations of an amount not to exceed $50,000 for the renewal of a contract agreement for Tobin Inc. For an additional year from district one's operating account.

Move for action.

Item twenty twenty six dash zero five seven five to approve the appropriations of an amount not to exceed 50,000 for the renewal of a contract agreement for design b Haley Curtis for an additional year from district one's operating account.

Move correction.

Item twenty twenty six dash zero five seven seven to approve the appropriations of $6,500 from district one's reserve for appropriations account to iCare Atlanta for food distribution.

Move for action.

We're going to top of page seven district two items. Item twenty twenty six dash zero five five six. Allocation of $15,000 of district two reserve for appropriation to echo addendum to fund training for district two parks volunteers.

Move for action.

Item twenty twenty six dash zero five nine seven, allocation of $216,149.50 from 2001 district two bond account for improvements at Rutledge Park.

Move for action.

District three items, item twenty twenty six dash zero five three seven to appropriate $2,500 from the district three reserve for appropriation fund to the National Council of Negro Women DeKalb Chapter.

Move for action.

Item twenty twenty six dash zero five four nine to unallocated amount not to exceed 100,000 from the district three reserve for appropriation funds for the district three live, laugh, love, community arts, music, and engagement series.

Move for action.

District 6 item, item twenty twenty six dash zero five seven three to appropriate an amount not to exceed $39,300 from the Super District 6 reserved for appropriations to roots down for impact analysis, reporting, and public engagement around the cabs, regenerative land projects, as well as landscape installation and site management.

Move for action.

Top of page eight, CEO items. Item twenty twenty six dash zero six one two, approval of minutes of the special call meeting of 03/17/2026.

Move for action.

Item twenty twenty six dash zero six one five, approval of the minutes of the board of commissioners meeting of 03/24/2026.

Move for action.

Item twenty twenty six dash zero six one six, approval of the minutes of the board of commissioners zoning meeting on of 03/26/2026.

Move for action.

And final one, district attorney item item twenty twenty six dash zero five six seven, acceptance of violence against women act grant for $55,405 to district attorney's office.

Move for action. And with that, madam presiding presiding officer, I move to approve items two zero two six zero five zero five, zero five seven one, zero five eight five, 0600, zero five seven four, zero five seven five, zero five seven seven, zero five five six, zero five nine seven, zero five three seven, 0549, 0573, 0612, 0615, 0616, and 0567.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you. Seeing no request to speak, please open the scene for the vote. Motion carries. We're now at the bottom of page eight, Preliminary items. This is district two item, item twenty twenty six dash zero five nine six, an ordinance to regulate the restraint and transportation of animals and for other purposes. I believe this is an IRPS.

Yes, ma'am. This is an IRPS item. And on behalf of the IRPS committee, I move to defer item zero five nine six for two weeks with a prior stop in IRPS, and I believe that is the April 28 meeting.

Second. Please hit the buttons. Alright. Seeing no request to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Top of page nine. Item twenty twenty six dash zero five six three, commission districts three and six, fire rescue training at 3211 Glenwood Road and 1816 Candler Road. And these are fire and rescue services items.

Mhmm. Move for action.

Item twenty twenty six dash zero five seven two, all commission districts, first responder kits for kids program.

Move for action. Action.

Item 2026Dash0580, all commission districts kid smoke alarm donation.

Move for action. And with that, madam presiding officer, I move to approve items 2026, 0563, 0572, and 0580.

Is there a second? Second. Thank you. I see no request to speak. Please open the machines for the vote.

The motion to approve carries. Middle of page nine, these are ops committee purchasing items. Item 2026Dash0481, change order number 4 to contract numbers 12973401297345, and 1297347, vehicle mounted GPS devices for use by Public Works Fleet Management, the Cap County Code Compliance administration, and the Department of Watershed Management to obtain GPS vehicle services, safety, and work management applications and tracking capabilities seeking increase in contract funds and term through 06/30/2027, awarded to Verizon Connect NWF Incorporated amount not to exceed $202,000

Move for action. Yes, ma'am.

Top of page 10, item twenty twenty six dash zero four nine six, All commissioned district statewide contract, very long one, software and ancillary services for use by department of innovation and technology to pay outstanding Microsoft Azure license overages for June through December 2025 awarded to Dell Marketing LP, amount not to exceed $473,050.71.

Move action.

Item twenty twenty six dash zero five two six, commission districts districts one one and and six, cooperative agreement for score bar scoreboards, digital displays, and video boards with related services for use by the Cab Peachtree Airport to obtain replacement and additional digital displays and signs at the airport. Also seeking to ratify a previously issued purchase order, awarded to Daktronics Incorporated, amount not to exceed $215,467.

Move for action. Madam Siding officer, I make a motion twenty six zero four eight one, twenty six zero four nine six, twenty six zero five, 26 be approved as approved in the ops committee.

Thank you. If you'll hit your button for me. Mhmm. Is there a second?

Second.

The motion and the second, no request to speak. Please open the machines for the vote. The motion to approve carries. We are now bottom of page 10 under PWI, item twenty twenty six dash zero four one three, all commission districts, invitation number 2025137 ITB, county abatement properties, mowing and maintenance, annual contract with three options to renew, freeze by public works, sanitation, and beautification to obtain mowing and maintenance services at various county abatement locations, recommend award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Flex Landscaping Management LLC, amount not to exceed 100,000.

Move for action.

Yes, Can

we take that one separate?

Do it. Okay. Could we just skip to the next one?

Sure. Do you wanna go to item twenty twenty five dash one seven six zero?

Yes. On page 11.

On page 11. Okay. So that's 2025 dash 1760, Commission Districts 2 And 6, Park Pride Atlanta Incorporated, $50,000 grant award to Fraser Road.

Motion to approve.

Yeah. The move for action and the action to approve both those items.

Oh, no.

Well, we're gonna pull that first one, the mowing first one. So we're just gonna handle this one separately as a stand alone item and then circle back.

Okay. I'm sorry. Understood.

No worries.

So just for item ending at $17.60, a motion to approve.

Correct. And if respectfully to those commissioners, thank you.

17 yeah.

$17.06 0 was in pet.

I think he meant retail for some 32.

That's a Look. We had

two weeks off. We're a little we're a little rested. Yeah. Know. Okay. Which item are

we on?

So we should be on 0473. Okay. I thought you just

skipped that one. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. What I meant was skip the previous one where we were talking about the mowing as I believe commissioner Terry has some modifications he wants to make.

Let's reset.

Are we gonna get a substitute on that to have staff prepare that? You've got I guess if you would pass that out as well. And then sorry, madam presiding officer, if we could take 02 excuse me. 20260473. I think that would be appropriate. Okay. Top of page 11.

So, madam clerk, if we can just nix the one we were just doing, and we'll come back to that one. So now we're on item twenty twenty six dash zero four seven three, all commission districts, cooperative agreement, sewer vacuum hydro excavation and municipal pumping equipment with related accessories and supplies for use by Public Works Fleet Management to be used by the Department of Watershed Management. This request seeks to purchase from the competitively let source of contract number 101221VAC for the provision of one VACCON international truck cab and chassis with hotshot jetting machine for the purposes of unclogging sewer manholes and residential sewer lines throughout the county awarded to VACCON Inc, care of Carolina Environmental Systems, amount not to exceed $412,880.15.

Alright. Motion to approve.

Thank you.

If I can get a second.

So that was a motion to approve that one. Seeing no request to speak. Please go to machines. That motion to approve

And then if we have that substitute, can we get that passed out?

Friendly amendment motion. So

you just wanna do it as a friendly amendment?

Yes.

So I can read it and you'll do the friendly amendment. We're good with that? Okay. So we're back to item twenty twenty six dash zero four one three, bottom of page 10. Invitation number 2025Dash137 ITB, county abatement properties mowing and maintenance, annual contract with three opt in options to renew for use by public works, sanitation, and beautification to obtain mowing and maintenance services at various county abatement locations. Recommend award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Flex Landscaping Management LLC, amount not to exceed $100,000.

Thank you, mister chair. So motion to approve this item and the additional amendment to the agenda item is to add an amount not to exceed $1,500 for cemetery maintenance. And within this contract, consistent with legal requirements for the cemetery located at Fleetwood, where the new roundabout Constitution of Fleetwood will be installed. This is the cemetery that this in District 3 And 6 that the CID cleaned up last year. And this is an abandoned cemetery, and the motion is to add this to the the contract.

Second.

We have a motion and a second and request to speak. Commissioner Masai refers.

Alright. Thank you so much. And so I'm just gonna say public here publicly that there has been some challenges in terms of cemeteries and has been historically an issue where cemeteries are considered abandoned, for lack of due diligence into ascertaining ownership. And I'm hesitant as an in opposition of this board deeming any cemetery or land at this present moment, especially in a general nature, as being abandoned. So with that, I respectfully ask that the friendly amendment, be withdrawn because I don't want it to be construed and conditioned on actually labeling a piece of property in DeKalb County as an abandoned property, particularly at a a cemetery, a historic cemetery that has bodies that are are there.

So I think the proper and legal thing would do is to actually go through the courts and the process in order to identify a property as being vacant or abandoned. With that, I I yield back.

Thank you. Commissioner Patrick?

Thank you for that input, commissioner. My comment is there are a lot of abandoned, cemeteries or cemeteries are not being maintained within the county, even within District 1. And so my ask would be ultimately to the administration is is can y'all put together a list of cemeteries that are within the county regardless of municipal or city jurisdiction? And then let's come back with a fuller conversation, to talk about how we, maintain those facilities. Again, going back to my experience in Norcross Historic Cemetery, it is actually something that the community appreciates when it's maintained, putting some trails or sidewalks in the area also is a way to increase activity engagement and keep our eyes on those locations.

So that was going to be my ask on this, and those are my comments for now.

Thank you. Commissioner Terry. Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. Last year, Metro South CID invited myself and commissioner Messiah to participate in a volunteer cleanup of the cemetery that I mentioned in my motion. And at the time, the CID was basically improving a property that had been completely overgrown.

And so it was a blight in an area of the county that we're trying to improve. And we're spending, you know, upwards of millions of dollars on a new roundabout intersection at that five point convergence. And the CID at the time as well as news outlets that covered the volunteer cleanup interviewed myself and commissioner Messiah. And one thanked us for participating in the cleanup and then respectfully requested that we find a way for there to be ongoing maintenance because the CID expended several thousand dollars to clean overgrowth that had occurred for what appeared to be many, many years. And the reason why I brought this forward, commissioners, is in the agenda item.

If you notice on the third sort of tranche of properties, are several cemeteries that we are maintaining. I don't have the exact history of why we started to maintain them, but presumably, they were sort of created before the state statute that required there to be some funds set aside for ongoing maintenance. And so there unfortunately, we have a lot of cemeteries that are literally probably a 100 years old plus that, while functionally and maybe legally are not technically abandoned, there just is no one taking care of them. And so they're becoming a blight on our communities. And the other and again, this is something we talked about at PWI.

So if you weren't there, then you probably missed out on part of the conversation. But the committee did recommend approval of this contract with the consideration for two additional locations to be added for this cleanup and maintenance that is in line with the contract. The other one that I'm gonna ask about is in a separate motion commissioners is related to the Anderson Cemetery. And I'll just share with you all that a year ago at DeKalb History Center, a volunteer approached me with concern that there was a historic African American cemetery over on Jordan Lane near the North DeKalb Mall site, it's District 4 And 6, about overgrowth and invasive species. And so we actually worked with the the nearby funeral home that is across the street to do a cleanup day.

And I wanted to share a letter from mister Robert Strong, who's a member of the the patrilineal side of the Bussey family. And they emailed this to all the commissioners on April 3, so you'd you'd all to get this letter. But it goes on Sunday, March 29, members of our Bussey family group along with commissioner Ted Terry, community volunteers, staff at the Divine Group, Timothy Amo Shada Frost of Lincoln Memorial Group participated in the cleanup of DeKalb County's Anderson Cemetery. We are writing to sincerely thank you for your support. We are hoping for your continued support and look forward to more cleanups.

For decades, seven plus, our family kept up the 24 plots of our second generation two brothers purchased in the nineteen hundreds. With the help of family through generations, the gravesites were maintained. As time has passed, our family members aged and that ugly, beautiful, lavender, treacherous wisteria took over, and we have never been able to find the owners of the Anderson Cemetery. We worked hard on Sunday. And if you did not know, commissioner Terry works well with pitchforks, portable saws, and garden rakes, pruners, and pulling up vines, which I all did.

And we were honored that, the commissioner worked alongside of us to, uncover the gravesites of our ancestors. There are no words to describe the emotions you feel when a headstone marker is revealed that was not visible when we arrived at the gravesites of our dear ancestors. Again, thank you very much for your support. Sincerely, the Bussey family group, Gregory Bussey, Barbara Bussey Williams, and Rosemary Clark Strong. This is a historic African American, cemetery.

And and as the Bussey family pointed out, their family plot had been so overgrown that we actually pulled out several chunks of wisteria vines and dirt that accumulated over many decades. And we got about 10% of the way through the cleanup, but there's just so much overgrowth that it's just gonna require additional work. And again, keeping in line with what we talked about at the PWI committee, motion was to bring back to the board a recommendation for the two cemeteries for maintenance and for cleanup. And so I would like the commissioners to support just the the basic maintenance. It's basically the same cost as the other cemeteries.

We're just mow mowing and blowing basically just to keep the weeds from overgrowing the cemetery again. That's for the Thomasville Cemetery site. And then I'll have a second motion, madam presiding officer, after we're completed with this one on the Anderson Cemetery Site.

Thank you, commissioner Davis Johnson, for your first opportunity to speak.

Thank you. And I could go along with that amendment for maintenance, not abandonment, because abandonment has not been defined by anyone right now. But you if we know it needs maintenance, I'm good with that and with the list okay did you

I certainly don't want to interrupt you commissioner but madam chair I would like to be recognized when this commissioner is done

I will recognize okay

I see the list of properties that need the maintenance. I don't see the I don't see the districts that they're in. So we can add those districts so that we can identify what districts we're looking at. And also, if we could also distinguish between whether these private cemeteries that are receiving because to get a plot, I'm assuming you have to pay for except for the county having to to pay for certain plots. So if they're private and while you're here, if they're if any of them are private and you can let me know.

If any of them are private and receiving monies for the burial plot, then why would DeKalb be responsible for the maintenance unless DeKalb is getting a portion of that money from whomever own the cemetery plots. Okay. That's that's my I'm finished.

Okay. Thank you, ma'am. I'm good. Attorney Phillips. Yes,

please. Just in an effort to help, we have, in my opinion, began a robust discussion about some of the technical nuances around abandonment and how the county may come to maintain certain cemeteries. So I would just offer to commissioner Terry, in an effort to help, perhaps your friendly amendment could be to add cemeteries, provided they qualify legally for the county to provide the maintenance under the term of this contract. And I understand there may be others that will be considered, but that can be our stated criteria publicly. That law will look at whatever this board wants addressed as a cemetery the county will maintain, and we'll make sure it meets the legal requirement.

Because it's not just abandonment, there may be another criteria that we're able to identify.

Thank you for that. I'll accept that in the friendly amendment.

Okay. All right. You yield it right, Commissioner Davis Johnson?

So, friendly amendment So that friendly amendment is for maintenance, not abandoned cemeteries, but maintenance where there is Do if I may?

Yes, please.

I would state the amendment provided this is sufficient for commissioner Terry. It's his motion. The friendly amendment is for the stated cemetery for maintenance for the term of this contract, provided it meets legal requirement. And we will look at that. Okay. Okay.

Thank you. I'll yell back.

Thank you. Commissioner Bolton for your first opportunity and then commissioner Messiah.

Thank you, madam Peo. And I appreciate you addressing that county attorney because actually my questions were in line with what commissioner Marita Davis Johnson was just alluding to. With the list of those properties, I'd like to see or I'd like it to be distinguished which ones are commercially owned versus nonprofit. My understanding is that if it is under the authority of a nonprofit, we're not collecting taxes on those. But if it's commercial, we are.

And the reason I'd like to see that because if they are commercial, if we're maintaining those, can we apply a lien to recoup some of the funds that we're expending in order to maintain those spaces? So, if we can add that as well to that document, whether they're commercially owned or nonprofit. Okay. Thank you, sir. I yield back.

Thank you, commissioner Massiah, for your second opportunity.

Thank you so much, madam presiding officer. And so, yes, thank you interim county attorney, for making sure that we add in that additional language because, I mean, things like lien, I would be apprehensive of us just cleaning up and attaching a lien, obviously, without proper notice. So, I mean, this is property ownership. And each typically, when someone buys a plot, they own that particular plot. So there's an opportunity to provide notice to several individuals that may have an interest in that piece of property.

So the other thing that I would like for us to put in place as a county is to ensure that we have a process prior to going in and saying we're just cleaning up the property and especially where we might consider attaching some lien for the cleanup of that property, that we actually identify clearly a process and a procedure that we intend to take. And I could appreciate that some cemeteries, they get over overrun, and it becomes a bit of a challenge. But identifying whatever property it is, how long it's been in that particular state where it needs to be cleaned up, what processes that we have in place, what steps we actually took in order to notify those that may have an interest in that property in participating in the cleanup, making sure that they have sufficient notice, which is a very, again, important requirement before especially us as the government go in and do anything related to private property. So making sure that notice exists, the procedure exists, and then cleaning it up. But wrapping it in and rolling it in to clean up of other properties, I think, will be outside of what we should be doing here, and I appreciate the additional language.

With that, I yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Patrick, for your second time.

Yeah. Thank you, madam presiding officer. I appreciate a lot of the dialogue and conversation that's happening right now with this topic. Something that hadn't been mentioned or reminded was when we were in committee about this. There was a discussion of staff putting together a GIS map available on the county website that has a list of these abandoned properties. It addresses a way to find out what district they're in or super district they're in. And obviously, when you click on it, it'll have ownership information from the tax assessor's office. So I just wanted to add that in for people's memory. Thank you.

Thank you, commissioner Davis Johnson, for your second opportunity.

Okay. And county attorney Phillips. Yeah. My next question is a follow-up from commissioner Bolton's statement, and that is, are nonprofit cemeteries exempt from maintaining their properties? Because it's my understanding, even with nonprofits, you have to purchase that lot.

And so are they exempt from maintaining the properties that they own? Commissioner, with all due respect, I'm gonna beg your indulgence and get back to all of you with an opinion about the circumstances under which the county can legally maintain a cemetery. We are now into the weeds of a legal analysis that I would prefer to provide in writing to all of you, so that you can digest it together. I hope you'll accept that. I will. Thank you.

Thank you. Commissioner Bolton, your second opportunity.

And I just wanted to clarify with the suggestion of that lien. It's not to impact those who have already purchased a plot, similar to having a lien on your home where transactions are limited. You can't sell your home until you've addressed the lien on that property. So if we can look into whether that will prevent the sale of land or plots of land property until they maintain the space. So, that's what I was looking to do, ensuring that they can't continue to operate business as usual if they're not maintaining that space.

Thank you, Commissioner Bolton. Seeing no further request to speak, we do have a motion on the floor that was friendly amended by the language added by Interim County Attorney Phillips. So, we're ready, please open machines for the vote. That motion carries. Thank you.

I have the follow-up motion for the other site.

So but it's still under this one? That's what's

It wouldn't be under this contract.

Which item were you going to attach it to?

No item. I can read the motion.

We don't need don't we need it attached to something? Attorney Phillips.

I I haven't heard commissioner Terry's motion, but in order to make a motion, you would need an agenda item. And from that item, the motion would be made for passing the agenda item. We can submit it. We've had this discussion, commissioners. We can submit the agenda item later today so that the clerk can get it in the minutes. But my issue is, if this is being walked on, we ask you not to walk on an item and vote on it at the same time.

Yeah, I would

If you're simply adding an item, the process would be procedurally motion to add an item. You would vote on that. Then you would add your item and defer it for a vote at a subsequent meeting. And of course, again, the agenda item would have to be submitted to the clerk in a timely fashion to be added.

So, respectfully Commissioner Terry, I would request that you create the agenda item and let's do the normal process, so that we're not looking like we're adding and voting on something on the same day because we have had complaints on

that. Okay.

All right. Thank you. So now I think we are middle of page 11. Mhmm. The parks and rec item, item twenty twenty five dash one seven six zero, Commission Districts 2 And 6, Park Pride Atlanta Inc, and 5 $50,000 grant award to Fraser Rowe.

I have a motion to defer that agenda item to the April 28 VOC so that it can be heard in PEX today.

Thank you. Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you. Seeing no request to speak, please open the machine for the vote. That motion carries. Motion to defer carries. We are under watershed management items. These are PWI items. Item twenty twenty 36, Commission District two, four, and six, intergovernmental agreement for paving of S R 10 U S 278 between DeKalb County, Georgia and the city of Avondale States, Georgia.

Move for action.

Yes, sir. Item twenty twenty six dash zero five six eight, commission Districts five and seven, agreement for the construction and financing of sewer upgrades with the company, and we were to get that company name in there, with contribution of $682,000.

Move for action. Madam presiding officer based on the recommendations of PWI agenda item 26 Dash043626Dash0568. Motion to approve.

Thank you. Is there a

second? Second.

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

Yes, ma'am. And for the record, if we could just have someone speak to who the company is for May.

Thank you.

Yes. Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer and to the commissioner's direct question. Thank And it's further in the agenda item, but it's Westbury Family oneLP or dash LP Limited Partnership. Westbury Family.

Thank you. I yield back.

Thank you. And thank you for the question Commissioner Bolton. Seeing no further requests to speak, please open the machine for the vote. Motion carries. Top of page 12. Items for decision by the board. These this is a district one item, item twenty twenty four dash one two three seven. All commission districts request for the director of planning and sustainability to amend the DeKalb County nuisance ordinance to add a closure of chronic nuisance properties ordinance chapter. Missus Peckx.

Yes. Thank you, madam presiding officer and madam chair. I believe the conversation we had was deferral for thirty days to see if we could work out some issues on this one and the next item as well. So I'll make a motion to defer 20 four-twelve 37 for thirty days back to BOC.

Thank you.

And I I have a second, and just a brief request to speak, madam.

You have the floor, commissioner Messiah.

Thank you so much. Again, these two agenda items, they have been on our agenda. Unfortunately, they were vetted out as well, you know, as we need them to be to get them completed. And we were having robust discussion in terms of ensuring that we meet the the legal mustard, if you will, working with legal and others just to make sure that we're making the most impact. So it is not kicking a can down the road.

It is very much wanting to make sure that as we are passing agenda items that they are as thought as well thought out as possible. So thank you so much Commissioner Patrick for allowing us the opportunity to do so with these agenda items and continuing the discussion. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Seeing no other request to speak, please open the machine for the vote. The motion to defer carries. Bottom of page 13, item twenty twenty four dash one two three nine, an ordinance to amend the code of DeKalb County, Georgia as revised 1988 chapter 18 article three, property maintenance to establish minimum standards for vacant property, required property owners to apply for a board up permit and for other purposes.

Again, madam presiding officer, madam chair, thank you for letting me motion on this one. Again, defer for thirty days back to the BOC. Hopefully, we'll have these conversations and get this wrapped up one way or the other for these two items.

Second.

Motion and a second. Please open the machine for the vote. That motion to defer carries. Skipping over to middle of page 15, district two item, item twenty twenty six dash zero three eight five, all commission districts, a resolution of the governing authority of DeKalb County, Georgia, urging adoption of the unhoused support and services plan, establishing implementation expectations and accountability and for other lawful purposes. And there is a substitute on this item.

Thank you very much, madam presiding officer and our HEX chair. It's a motion to approve the substitute for item zero three eight five with the request to speak.

Is there okay, second by Commissioner Terry. Commissioner Long Spears, you have the floor.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. So substitute is being distributed by Ms. McGraw right now, and the only change from the last substitute, which included responses back and suggestions from both directors Ferguson and Mitchell, This new substitute adds Commissioner Ted Terry as a sponsor, a cosponsor of this item. Thank you very much, and I yield back.

All right. Commissioner Messiah has requested to speak.

Thank you so much. And if you would indulge, I wanted to just briefly touch bases with Director Ferguson, with Doctor. Ferguson, if we could, because I believe there were some other tweaks that were expected to take place in this particular item. So if they could and director Mitchell as well. So if you could just briefly, you know, speak to that because I wanna ensure that that was that had been done and it is at a place of satisfaction where the administration hereby has an opportunity to properly execute this as expected.

And so thank you so much, gentlemen. And so, did you have opportunity to review the substitute?

Yeah. I'm just double checking and make sure it was the last round of changes that I sent around. I think the one thing that may be missing from this document is to make sure that convening of the stakeholder group is going to be led by my office, the chief housing officer. And that any reporting of findings of the working group and how they get incorporated into the comprehensive plan also flows through my office as the chief housing officer. The way the language currently rules, it says the chief executive officer or designee.

I just want clarification that that was all going to flow through the chief housing officer.

Okay. And so, it your contention that's not made clear here that there needs to be some other tweaks to language?

Yeah. Because when you say or designee, it's just a little bit, you know, ambiguous on who that designee is. And so, just for clarity purposes, you know, we wanted to include the chief housing officer as the designee.

I understand that and I completely agree that it needs to be made clear. I yield back.

So question before we go down the comment list, commissioner Long Spears, we could table this, make the tweak, and come back before the end of the meeting?

Or we could just accept that as a friendly amendment if that's the only change doctor Ferguson has. So I believe, sir, you're referring to the be it further resolved that the chief executive officer, and I think you want it to stay there, and chief housing officer

Yes. Chief

housing officer. Of or designees

Yes.

Is respectfully urged to consider the recommendations. Recommendations. So So I I am am I am absolutely in support of that friendly amendment. Okay.

Commissioner Davis Johnson, you were next.

Mike. Good afternoon. I mean, morning. We still have morning. Good morning. If this is the first that you are seeing this, I would like to put it at the end of the meeting to give him an opportunity to review it and make sure that what we talked about, what we have talked about, what your intentions are are in it rather than just strolling through it right now. Yeah. I'd like for you to take time and make sure that everything is correct

Yep.

And then vote on it. So I would suggest that we hold this to the end of the meeting and come back.

Motion. Okay.

Yeah. Someone would have to make a substitute motion if that's

Then that's my substitute motion.

Second.

All right. We have a substitute motion to table to get make sure there is clarification on the substitute. We will, if you'll hit the button, Commissioner

Davis To the end

this Yes, we'll bring it back up. But we will continue down the discussion. Commissioner Bolton was next if you yield Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Oh, I'm I'm good.

Okay. Commissioner Bolton.

For the for the record, can you or whether it's the proposals or even our chief housing officer. Can someone just iterate how this is, excuse me, different from the plan that we have for the day center that would provide many of these services? Or was this established originally to complement that? Because it it seems as if some of this might be duplicate duplicative, and I just wanna make sure we're not overstepping our boundaries by offering this resolution when there's a a strategy in place already.

Sure. Abs absolutely. So what this resolution, you know, really refers to is the homeless and the unhoused plan that was presented, you know, before the Board of Commissioners in January, January 2026. And what the resolution is intended to read that we would actually continue to work with the working group that developed that housing and the house plan. Work with them, go through the recommendations and make sure that there's a robust discussion around which recommendations are, you know, operationally viable, financially feasible, and legally permissible for us include within the comprehensive housing plan.

So, I've said it before this body before that, when you get kind of multiple different plans and strategies all around, You know, housing, you know, it's hard to monitor, it's hard, it's just difficult to execute, and it just adds additional confusion. So, to the greatest extent possible, we are trying to include the broad spectrum of housing activities under the comprehensive housing plan. And so, I look at this work and the body of work that's been done by the working group as being inclusive of that overall comprehensive housing plan that's currently underway. We just passed the midpoint, if you will, you know, for that plan that's currently in development. And so, we just want the opportunity to make sure that we take these recommendations, you know, lift them up, have a very robust discussion and see what feeds into the comprehensive housing plan.

But Commissioner Bolton, to your point, there are a number of recommendations that the group has put forth that we are very supportive of and have already started putting into action. So, one of the recommendations is that we need more day shelter service centers here in DeKalb County. And as this board voted, and you're well aware, we're currently actively pursuing our first day shelter center here in DeKalb County with plans, you know, shortly thereafter to pursue a second location as well. And then, are other initiatives in terms of outreach to extend the stay hotels, trying to enforce and support more transitional housing that are recommendations embedded within their plan. They were also intentional around trying to pursue as well.

So, the notion is to take this, you know, join this working group, if you will, bring them back together in conversation with county departments, as well as our other agencies. So, that we can really kind of vet through, we prioritize the recommendations and then lift those up into the comprehensive housing plan. And that's really what we're trying to accomplish. Not create duplicative efforts, but really augment the efforts that we're already doing.

Okay. And just to clarify what I heard is, there are strategies that are currently active or operational now, and this is to kind of codify holistically that plan, whereas those specific strategies that are being enacted will be under the umbrella of this recommendation.

Yeah. Exactly.

Thank you. I yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Terry for your first opportunity.

Did you say we're we're tabling this to the end of the meeting?

Mhmm.

Okay. I'll I'll wait.

You'll wait? Okay. Yeah. Commissioner Long Spears, your second.

Thank you very much, madam presenting officer. So I don't really feel a need to table this to the end of the meeting. However, if it's the will of this board to do so, so you have a little bit more time to review the document, I will support that. But before I move into a few comments, doctor Ferguson, did you I know you just did a quick peruse of this, but if you just please review it. And when we bring it back up again at the end of the meeting, if there's any other changes or amendments, just let us know.

Yeah. Absolutely.

Because we have, commissioners. I have worked in lockstep with commissioner or doctor commissioner, director Ferguson and Allen on the creation and specifically around the amendments to this resolution. And for commissioner Bolton to provide a little bit of background, we started working with a stakeholder group we called the Behavioral Health Stakeholder Group on developing a behavioral health plan goodness, I guess, a full year ago, a year and a half ago now. After they wrapped their work for the behavioral health plan, we then moved into the unhoused planning process. It was led by a lady named Ms.

Carol Dotson. It was a six month planning process. There were over two dozen stake stakeholders involved in it. And they ended up, at the end, delivering a presentation to this board advancing eight recommendations, which are on just very basic tip of the iceberg on Page one under the fourth whereas statement. So that's kind of the heart of the recommendation.

Certainly, there's a lot more language for those recommendations in the report itself that was distributed to you all back in January, and there was a follow-up presentation to it. So, the only change right now that you have listed, sir, is under the be it further resolved for to add the chief housing officer. I'm fine with If there's anything else, of course, let us know. And then in summary, I think the important piece here is that this plan, the unhoused services and support plan, will actually fold up and roll into the DeKalb County comprehensive plan. And that was a specific request of doctor Ferguson.

We did comply with that request. So I hope you all have a chance to review some of the documents between now and when we come back at the end of the meeting. Yield back.

Thank you, commissioner Messiah, for your second time.

Thank you so much, madam presiding officer. Again, thank you for all of the work that you all have done. Doctor Ferguson, I know coming in, were trying to make sure that the county has a robust plan, and that it addresses all of the needs of the constituents, housed and unhoused here in DeKalb County. I wanna thank you again for indulging us in the way that you do sometimes, just knowing that you guys are the experts as to what needs to happen, when and how in your perspective fields. And so, I know that we will, at times, bring in folks to get a better grasp as to what's taking place.

And I appreciate the understanding and willingness to incorporate those things just simply make sense, so they're logical, that are reasonable into our plan, you know, being willing to pivot so we can make sure that collectively we are doing what we need to do for our constituents. With that being said, I want to make sure that there is sufficient time because it sounds like from my reading and understanding and in our extensive conversations that a lot of what's being proposed is already inside the plan. And so it is just a matter of certain things being built built out just a bit more, ensuring that you have sufficient resources and sufficient coverage to do what needs to get done. I want to allow you that opportunity, particularly since, you know, actually executing on some of these components would be under the guise of the administration. I'm big on working collaboratively and not duplicating efforts.

With that being said, take the time that you need to do what you need to do, and that is my position. I yield back.

Thank you.

The motion before us right now is to table this item to the end of the meeting. Please open the machines for that vote. I'm assuming that. Motion to table carries. You mean those? There's only six votes. Did everyone vote?

I carry.

You're abstaining, or is it not showing? No. Alright. That's fine. That's courtesan abstention. Top of page 15, item twenty twenty five. Thank you, gentlemen. Dash zero zero one five, all commission districts, an ordinance to amend the code of DeKalb County, Georgia chapter 16 pertaining to regulation of sound and for other purposes. This is also PEX.

We can, take the next one together as well.

So move for action.

Move for action. I'm sorry.

Thank you. On twenty twenty five dash zero zero one seven, all commission districts, a resolution to create an electric landscape maintenance device rebate program to encourage switching from gas powered landscape maintenance devices and for other lawful purposes.

Move for action, madam Peo. I have a motion to defer these items to the May 12 BOC with a stop in PEX on April 28, and I will comment as well.

Thank you. Is there a second? Is there a second for the motion to defer? Thank you. Commissioner Patrick, Commissioner Messiah, you have the floor.

Thank you so much. I appreciate it again. Items that need to be worked on and more in-depth. My understanding is, whether whether or not, the language that was gonna be used that creates the the issue that we have sometimes when we're dealing with some of these agenda items, if they're not, as clear embedded and thought through in terms of the ability to enforce it because any of the policies that we put forth, there's only as good as our capacity to actually, enforce them. And so we actually had a conversation.

I think chief Padrick and our public safety, director as well, just trying to wrap our heads around what is the best way to execute these particular, policies. And then in terms of speaking of the second item, the costs related to it, not specifically established. And so I'm just going to suggest to all of our colleagues as much as possible that we actually vet these things through, think them through, work through whatever department that we may need to, including and especially legal, and find out a particular cost if there is going to be one before we put them forth. That way, they don't drag along without all of the details that we need on the agenda. And so, with that, I yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Messiah. Commissioner Terry.

Thank you. I'll I'll just provide a recap of the PEX committee meeting which Commissioner Messiah chairs. So she was present when we went through all these issues. So I'm not exactly clear what she's referring to about the confusion or the needing to have more legal discussions because I simply posed a question to the committee members. Law department worked my office for over a year on this ordinance.

So thank you to the law department, mister Petty and mister Welch. And I and we we've grappled with a fundamental issue. Do we have a decibel level for noises or do we have a plainly audible regulation? And for the first year, we were going towards the decibel levels. At the PEC's committee meeting that commissioner Messiah was present for, chief Patrick and director Clark requested that we make the change in the proposed ordinance to plainly audible.

Simple as that. So I asked the committee members, please tell me what you would like. Do you support the administration and the cap police code compliance with the plainly audible definition? If the answer is yes, then we will make that change. And then we will be ready to act on this agenda item. So PECS committee members looking all at you right here. I'm waiting for your response. This is in your committee. I'm opening it up for amendments based on your recommendations. So that is the fundamental issue.

Plainly audible or a decibel level. Police have said that they would like plainly audible for nighttime noises. They don't wanna go into someone's house because currently the definition of of a nuisance noise is you can hear with inside someone's house. And people have reported to the police that they do not want officers to come into their homes because they may be targeted by people that might think they told on their neighbors. So not trying to get in the middle of neighborhood disputes.

Police have basically not been able to enforce noise ordinance violations after 11PM. And so therefore, it has caused a problem in addressing party houses and other type of issues. So they've requested plainly audible for the nighttime noises. Director Clark provided information to the committee that said that currently, the co compliance department has no decibel meters. So just keep this in mind, everyone who's watching at home, that we have an ordinance in DeKalb County that's been on the books for decades that has a decibel level for how we enforce sound and noise.

We currently do not have decibel meters. So, ask the question in your mind, how do you enforce a law when you actually can't even provide the equipment to enforce it? Alright? Simple as that. So I'm good with moving forward plainly audible. The police department code compliance said, let's give it a shot. If it turns out plainly audible is not as effective or we need to go back to decimeters, there's basically two options here, commissioners. Plainly audible within a 100 feet of the property line or a decibel level. So that's where we're at. We can move on this as soon as the next PEX committee meeting and the committee members wanna make a decision.

I'm open to either. It seems like plainly audible is the preference for police and code compliance, so I'd suggest we go forward with that. And maybe I'll just maybe I'll just do it this way, without any objection. So you only have to say anything. If you don't say anything, we'll move towards the plainly audible. So, madam chair, next time this comes before your committee, without objection, we'll make the plainly audible change. Right? County attorney Phillips, we can do that. Yep. He's nodding his head. We can do that. And then you'll have an agenda item that you can act on. And I'll pause for any objections. Okay. I'm seeing none. Thank you. Okay.

So we have commissioner Long Spears has requested for her first opportunity and then commissioner Patrick for his first.

Thank you very much, madam presiding officer. I am in support of both of these items, zero zero one five and zero zero one seven. I feel that they have been reviewed, amended, vetted, and then wash and repeat over and over again. So thank you, law department. Thank you, mister Williams, as well for your feedback, and certainly to chief Patrick.

If plainly audible is what chief Patrick, our chief of police, is suggesting and what they feel comfortable with, I am certainly in support of that. I do have a question, question, though, though, that commissioner Terry just brought up, mister Williams, regarding the decibel meters. That's an interesting, comment that he made that we've had this on the books for so long, and it was actually looking at the decibels, but we don't have meters. Did we used to at some point? And then they broke and we never replaced them.

I think the issue may be the number of meters and having each unit who may respond having a unit, having a meter. So I believe there are a handful of meters in our system, but they do require a certain amount of maintenance and upkeep, especially if they're going to be distributed to any car that may need to respond. I think that's in large part why between the police department or chief Padrick as well as director Clark like the plainly audible because it doesn't you don't have to deal with the other issue.

Understood. Okay. Well, if it goes that direction, fine. If it does go the other direction with decibel, the sounds where we're trying to track it that way, I would certainly think at that point, it might be worth revisiting to ensure that it's in everybody's vehicle so that we can comply with that law.

Of course.

Thank you. Alright. Yield back.

Thank you. Commissioner Patrick.

Thank you, madam chair. Because I was at that meeting too. One of the things I had asked for was data frequency of these noise complaints that come in, location of where these noise events come in, and that's what I'm still waiting for. And so if that's going to happen at our next committee, which I believe is either today or whatever the next one is, that's what I'm looking for. And I appreciate our staff from the planning department to the police department, but our responsibility is to be able to double check and verify things so that our residents are comfortable with the ordinances that are put in place.

And so that is I don't have that information either. But when you're up here sort of trying to berate us and then move in a direction that you want us to go, the opportunity is is you need to realize all of us have to answer to our residents. That's my obligation. Thank you.

Commissioner Bolton, I think you were first and then commissioner Davis Johnson.

Yeah. I I don't think this takes a whole lot of back and forth. You said we don't have the equipment, so we can just put it in the budget to purchase it. A a decibel meter could be as little as about $50 as opposed to if it's just audible. Now we have to make sure everybody's hearing is consistent and at the same level. So now we're making everyone get hearing exams. So if we're sending them out to see if it's audible, we're consistently getting the same result. Well, we could just get a desk a decibel meter. They're not that expensive, but consistency is key. Residents like to see consistency.

They like to see data. They like to know that there will be no bias in any result or solution that we're offering them. And we could just put it in the budget to buy decibel meters. I I don't see what the big deal is. I yield back.

Thank you, commissioner Davis Johnson.

And, you know, I would I think I support both of these commissioners what they stated. I think that you talked about the data and you talked about the readers. And I think that both are consistent. I tell you, I haven't had and my office can correct me to meet you speaking, can correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't had any complaints about I haven't had any complaints on this. And I think that some form of data is what we've received from my commissioners.

I mean, what we can receive from constituents. Now I can give you my data, and I have none. And that's one place to start. If there's a problem, a big a huge problem, we can start with the complaints from my commission offices. And I haven't received any.

And everything that I received in my office is documented. So anyone wanna know what I have is documented. I can always go back to it, and I can tell you who said it and when. And so I think that's a good starting point for data is complaints from constituents because if it's something that a constituent doesn't like in the county, we'll hear from it, especially from mister Binnie Binnie.

Uh-huh. You

know? And so that's one source to start data. And any other source I would, you know, I would encourage, but also I'd like the the readers also if we're going to do this, you know, because some people don't hear like other people. And so I think that that's a good suggestion as well, so I go with the both of them. And I don't know if we're ready to hear it this evening because we haven't gotten the data at least from our commission officers. I hear back.

Thank you, commissioner Messiah. Messiah.

Thank you so much, Benapio, and I completely agree. I mean and just this dialogue and discussion in and around shows where we've had some issues related to this agenda item being set forth, but not being really properly vetted. Whatever you guys would like is not necessarily a response for us to make, a decision that is impacting all of the constituents that we're responsible for. And so sitting in that same meeting where I chair, I completely agree with commissioner Patrick in that there are additional information that we ask for so that we can make a well informed decision that's gonna affect our constituents, and that's the whole point. We wanna make sure that the decisions that we make are well informed, they're knowing, and we're not just making passionate decisions or putting forth legislation that we don't know where it's going or how to even get there.

And so that's why I had asked the chief. And it was also director Clark who had come up. My apologies. It wasn't our former chief that had come up to speak on what their thoughts were, literally putting them on the spot. My apologies there.

We're just trying to work through what's the best route. And in absence of anything else definitive, they're like, okay. I guess plainly audible is okay okay simply because they don't have the technology to do anything else, and they weren't provided with any other alternative. And I don't think that's the proper way to go into a activity that may end up dispatching several of our officers, utilizing resources with our officers and their time, potentially going into another budget expenditure. It just needs to be vetted out more.

So when my colleague says he's not certain about what the issue is, that is the issue and we need to take time to determine that. And that is also the rationale as to why this has been on our agenda for so long and why it's gonna apparently stay there and anticipate it to be heard in PEX on the twenty eighth per our last discussion to get that additional information. With that, I yield back to you, madam Pio.

Thank you, commissioner Terry, for your second opportunity.

Yes. Zach, is chief Patrick available?

Yes. Chief Patrick? And

so Hold on. Just gonna Patrick, they're asking for you to come forward.

Commissioner Bolton's comments about the decibel meters. And, you know, I'm just like I'm really just trying to figure out where y'all where y'all stand on principle because over and over again, you say we should defer to the administration. We should defer to the departments. But now you don't wanna defer to the departments. It's it's I'm I'm getting whiplash.

And it seems that it depends on who might be bringing certain agenda items forward where you have extra questions and concerns and we have to consider this. Imagine if you did this for all the other things that we have big issues on. The water customer advocate for instance, the resolution that was passed and we haven't even implemented those things that were related to the 10 by 10. In fact, the CEO said the resolution wasn't worth the paper it was written on. But to answer your question, commissioner Bolton, because we did talk about this, police and code do not want to maintain the decimal meters.

They have them. They don't wanna calibrate them. They don't wanna maintain them. They don't wanna they don't wanna deal with the bureaucracy of having a decimal meter. I don't understand it. Other jurisdictions have decibel meters, but apparently, they don't wanna do it. So, I'm going towards what the administration asked for. And honestly, this and commissioner Patrick and Davis Johnson brought up, who's who's complaining? Well, this started out as just addressing leaf blower noises. Alright?

But then when we started to do the research and vet all of the ideas and the things, commissioner Messiah, we asked chief of police, what's going on? We actually asked two chiefs of police. What's the deal with how y'all enforce sound? Chief Patric said, we can't do it. We just can't do it. And so we asked them what would be the best way for you to enforce nighttime noise violations? And he told us at the last committee meeting. In fact, he actually I believe, chief Padrick, come on down, please. Didn't you tell us that you do get complaints? Yes, sir. About noise problems.

The the nighttime. It's the loud party, loud noises, music, things of that nature. And historically, the the way the ordinance was written, we do not have the decibel meters within the parameters of those loud party or noises, and the ordinance has written that we have to be inside a sealed dwelling and hear that noise in order. So the complainant say, I'm not letting you come in and close my doors in my house. It's intrusive for them. They don't want us to do that. So then we're stuck. We go and knock on the the offender's door. Turn it down, please. Turn it down, please.

And that's basically our only enforcement approach. So the simplest way, again, we did a lot of research back 2019, 2020, looking at other agencies back to Athens Clarke County, which is what we modeled our recommendation after, which they have been very effective with their college dorms and college parties and things of that nature. So we looked at that approach as not only what they were doing from a law enforcement perspective, but a prosecution perspective. Again, the decibel meters, the calibration, the training, the maintenance, it becomes very complicated and then we end up in court. And if we don't have all of the documented training calibration and so on and so on, then that case is getting thrown out anyway. So the plainly audible is cost efficient and it's still prosecutable.

Okay. Can you can you say that again? Because other commissioners were talking to each other when you were saying that. Because the point of them asking the questions, commissioners, is I'm trying to answer the questions for you. And I'm I'm I'm a little struggling a little bit because I'm trying answer questions. Well, you were talking while he was literally saying the main

Commissioners, let's get on focus. They've answered the question, commissioner Terry. Is there anything else? The motion is to defer. So there will be continued discussion on this item.

Okay. But I just alright. Thanks for thanks for that. Chief Padrick, do do you get noise complaints?

Yes, sir.

Okay. Are they in only one district?

No, sir.

They're in all districts?

Yes, sir. Throughout.

Commissioner Patrick asked for data. And I see director Clark and director mean, y'all are the two that are in charge of this. Do you have data on noise complaints?

Yes, sir. We have it from the police department response. We'll get that out to you today.

Okay. So we'll get the so commissioner Patrick asked about complaints. Commissioner Davis Johnson said she has gotten no complaints, but I think we do have complaints in all districts. But we'll get that documented for you and you can have the data. But here's

the I have fundamental motion to call the question. Call the question.

Here's the fundamental issue

Call to question.

Is there a second on that?

Second.

We need to vote to see if we're willing to vote. So please show of hands for the call to question. Raise your hands again so they make sure the clerk saw. Okay, those against calling we're ready to go to the vote. That's what I'm calling for. Thank you. There was two opposed to that. So it looks like we are in favor of opening machines for the vote. So please open machine for the vote. The motion is to defer.

It's already in there. They just need to update it.

They just need to open the machine up. It's not open on our end. No. We're still seeing the motion screen, not the voting screen. Do we need to hit it again?

Commissioner Patrick, you were second. Okay. There we go. Motion to defer carries five to two. We are at the bottom of page 19, item twenty twenty five-fifteen 25, all commission districts, a resolution by the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners establishing a DeKalb County Water Customer Bill of Rights. This is a fab item. Is there a motion?

Yes. We'll be hearing this item within the next month. So I'll defer this to the first meeting in May. Second.

I see no request to speak. Please open my chair for the vote. Yes. To to defer. Motion to defer carries. Middle of page 20, item twenty twenty six dash zero one five eight. Super District six to approve a resolution to establish a decaf for the People AI tech dividend fund and fiscal stability policy. This is also FAB.

Yes. We're hearing this item today. So motion to defer for two weeks. Second.

A motion and a second. No request to speak. Please open the machine for a vote. Motion to defer carries. Now we're on page top of page 21, item twenty twenty six-two 18, all commission districts to establish regulatory oversight of blasting operations in DeKalb County through the adoption of a controlled blasting and safety ordinance to promote public safety, environmental protection, and community stability and for other purposes. Ms. Erps.

Yes, ma'am. On behalf of the Erps Committee, we did, suggest approval of zero two one eight, but it pending an update from law. I know there was also some information that needed to be added about the fees. Is there a substitute that is available for commissioners to review?

There is no substitute today. One of the fundamental issues is the impact of the noise ordinance on this ordinance So as until we get clarity, we're not gonna be able to give you final approval because of the reference to noise.

Understood.

And a few other things that I won't go into publicly. Understood.

Yeah. Because with blasting, I think that would be clearly audible, so we do need to make sure we go back and look at that. Alrighty. So, with that, what I'll do is, if the committee is amenable, go ahead and request a deferral of two weeks for item two zero two six zero two one eight.

Second.

Or a motion for a deferral. Second.

Motion and a second. Commissioner Terry, you have requested to speak.

Yes. Just a question for the sponsor of the legislation. So are you considering having a decibel level for your ordinance?

No. This ordinance didn't have anything to do with sound. We were just trying to be considerate of the legislation regarding noise that was on the agenda.

Okay. So this is the first that you've heard about there being an issue with the sound ordinance and this ordinance?

Repeat your question.

Is this the first time that you've heard about there needing to be an amendment to the sound ordinance to address your ordinance?

No. No. It isn't. Actually, that's what we were just discussing whether there would need to be a substitute because in the last meeting, we were considering noise even though this has nothing to do with noise.

Okay. And so the enforcement of it will have nothing to do with the the noise or sound of blasting?

The enforcement will have nothing to do with noise.

Okay. But the county attorney is is considering that be part of this legislation. Is that right?