Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Good morning everybody and welcome to the August 11th Board of Commissioners meeting. I am Presiding Officer and District 4 Commissioner Shakira Johnson. Welcome back. We have been on recess. I hope all my fellow commissioners got some time off and got a little refreshed. We have a shorter agenda today so hopefully it won't be too bad. We will start with our inspirational speaker, Ms. Amaria Brown, if you'll start making your way to this front podium, and I'll read your introduction. Good morning, ma'am. I am pleased to introduce Ms. Amaria Brown, whom I've had the pleasure of meeting at the D

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

I pledge allegiance to the flag. of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all you'll join me on the floor for some proclamations

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

Well, that was a strong good morning. Thank you very much for doing that. I'm still catching up from our few days off that we've had. We have a couple of important people here today. I want to say that my notes are not ready because the internet's not working. But Sarf, please come on down. And if you don't mind, first of all, yes. Yeah, nice to meet you, too. So my notes are not ready, so I'm just going to wing it. But I am going to say, first and foremost, you're a District 1 DeKalb County resident. And we are grateful for you, first of all, choosing, and your family choosing, DeKalb County,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reclamation. Okay, so if any of y'all out there are Gen Xers, you will remember WWF Wrestling Night, Hulk Hogan, Mean Gene Oglin. The next person I want to call down is Larry Schleifung. Come on down, please. While Larry is making his way down, I wanna say that Larry is the person who has represented District 1, I believe, for 21 years. Come on down there. At the AAB Advisory Board. That's the Airport Advisory Board. He is an engineer, a pilot. He owns some really cool cars. He's a generally good guy, and he likes Mexican food at La Botana in Chamblee off of Savoy Road, in case you're interest

Elaine Boyer, pardon me. I've never actually met Elaine before. But thank you for your service. Thank you for your knowledge, your expertise. I appreciate your updates when you send them to us. Just in case anyone forgot, there were just over 2,000 noise complaints at PDK last month. and about 1,000 of them came from one person. And then three people accounted for 1,600, I think it was. Five people. Five people, pardon me. But Larry provides a lot of information, a lot of understanding about the airport, even as a city planner coming into this job. For all the things I knew, I knew nothing abo

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

Just one thing. Let's do the clap. So Larry is very tenacious, and I had asked Hunter, the airport director, Hunter Hines, to do some research discreetly, get me a bio on you so that we could put something together. And he reached out, and then all of a sudden you're like, hey, why is Hunter calling me? why is hunter asking all these questions about me what's going on i was like i don't know hunter you know he's a he's a good guy but i don't keep up with him you know he's his own man but um but that's what was going on in the background and uh again larry truly you know um i'm grateful for you

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

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

Thank you, ma'am. Do we have any left over from the last meeting?

Thank you, Mr. Binney. Next speaker. Cheryl Dudley. Ms. Dudley. Ms. Dudley. Okay, I don't see Ms. Dudley. Ms. Mangum. Gina Mangum. Gina Mangum. Good morning, ma'am.

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

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

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

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

Thank you. Jordan Moses. Jordan, good morning.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So just to clarify before we go with the vote, we said we had time for one and then you're saying two more. So we would have three speakers from today. Okay. And that is seconded. Do we need to hit our buttons, which are not up yet? Okay. So that was seconded by commissioner Davis Johnson. Okay. All in favor, show of hands. Let's do at least three more. Thank you. Pat call. Good morning, ma'am.

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

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

Thank you, ma'am. Our first item is under finance. That is item 2026-0941. We are on top of page 3. Home Rule Ordinance to Amend the Pension Code of DeKalb County, Georgia, 1962, Georgia Laws 3088. as amended to add a death benefit for beneficiaries of certain planned participants who die in the line of duty as officers, employees, or deputies of DeKalb County on or after October 1st, 2026 to confirm that no participant can add, replace, or remove a designated joint annuitant after payment of pension benefits begins and to provide for compliance with certain updates to federal tax law. Good mo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. Motion to defer this item for 30 days and with the IRPS chair's permission to appear in IRPS. Also, please forgive me. The motion is for a substitute that I am now passing out to everyone. Yes. Motion to defer the substitute for 30 days.

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

Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. My office has been working in partnership with Rachel Handler, with Georgia Equality, and Steve Parker with the DeKalb Democrats on updating and amending our NDO. The NDO passed a few years ago, I believe with full support of this commission, but one of the areas that was left out was around housing. And so we have prepared an item which appears on the agenda. But more importantly, I did distribute to all of you the substitute, which is, while it's not in the color red, but the red line version of the item. I think... I think that it will certainly be a robust co

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

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

Thank you so much, Commissioner Davis-Johnson.

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

Yes, ma'am. So this right here, did you pass it down? Yeah, I did. Okay, so the red line version, while it's not red, it's purple. But this is actually the red line version. We can email it as well. It looks kind of purple to me. Blue, purple, I don't know.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. And I think just a follow-up. So after the PECS committee meeting, it'll be referred to the FAB meeting. But we'll be happy to take it in order. So whenever it's out of PECS, we can take it in FAB.

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

But question on that, Mr. FAB Chair, FAB meets first before PECS. So we're good with that? Okay. Just one? Open to it, but just want to make sure we're clear. All right. Seeing no other questions, please open machine for the vote. Motion carries for the deferral. Thank you. Now, under District 6 items, item 2026-1215, Super District 6 and District 2, a resolution of the DeKalb County Board of Commission to name the Collinwall Fine Arts Center Amphitheater in honor of Andrew Keenan.

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

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

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

Thank you so much, Madam Presiding Officer. I am absolutely delighted that we are proposing to rename the Callenwald Amphitheater in honor of Andrew Keenan. Andrew Keenan has been a leader in our arts community now for decades. He has poured his soul and his heart and his blood, sweat, and tears into Kallenwald. And I am so going to miss him terribly when he retires at the end of the year. But his spirit will certainly remain at Kallenwald. And I believe that renaming the amphitheater after Andrew is... more than appropriate in a way that we can really honor his contributions to the arts commu

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

Yeah. I don't have any problem with it because it's the amphitheater. I don't have any problem with it. But I would assume if you have a conflict of voting, you have a conflict of promoting. Is that a promoting? Yeah. Promoting this election. And I may be wrong, but I abstain from pensions. Sure, sure. And I don't advocate for pensions. So can I do that?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

second thank you so much please open machine for vote that motion to defer carries we are now under purchasing and contracting for the ops committee item first two together thank you ma'am item 2026-1121 change order number one to contract number one three 67915, light bulbs, fixtures, lamps, and ballasts for use by the Department of Facilities Management to obtain light bulbs, fixtures, lamps, and ballasts for upgrades under Health Center's project. Seeking increase in contract funds awarded to Summit Lighting Solutions amount not to exceed $1,111,163. Move for action. Thank you. On top of pa

Thank you. If you'll hit your buttons for me, please. Motion to defer by Commissioner Davis-Johnson, second by Commissioner Bolton. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Under Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Affairs, item 2026-1175, a resolution to commit to the implementation of park improvement projects for the purpose of and to authorize submission of applications for grant funds to Georgia Department of Natural Resources of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and for the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program Lake and Dam renovation projects at Exchange Park, located

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

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

Because all the ones listed were in Super District 7?

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

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

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

Thank you. Second. Thank you, ma'am, for your second. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Top of page 9, under Watershed Management, item 2026-1180, agreement for the construction and financing of sewer upgrades with PPFAMLI 750 Commerce Drive LLC with a contribution of $168,500. Yes. Motion to defer to the 825 BOC meeting with a prior stop at PWI. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Commissioner Terry for your second. Please open the machine for the vote. Motion to defer carries. Under Work Source to CAB, item 2026-1134, Acceptance of Multiple Federal Workforce Innovation an

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Okay, I'll certainly do that before the next reading. Okay, fantastic. All right, thank you so much, and I yield back.

Thank you very much, Commissioner Terry.

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

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

So I do think it's a little premature to recommend approval for the first read because we just received the packet in totalities for review. So I think it would be difficult for me to vote for approval because I've just received the actual red lines. It does look like in the memo that it is referring to, well, it says, Pages, yeah, so the very end of the memo, it says pages one, two, three, six, seven, eight, 11, 13, and 14 are capitalization changes. Yeah, I'm not seeing the, okay, here it is, page seven. So legislative resolution review and sponsorship process, new section added based on com

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

Thank you. First of all, I would like to thank Commissioner Spears for bringing initiating this step to amend the rules. I also appreciate, because it was a very narrow, I think, first step as to how we would amend the rules, but then all commissioners gave input and suggestions as to their recommended which made it so much broader and so much inclusive. So I would like to, well, I appreciate all of the effort that every commissioner put into this item to get it where we are today. Secondly, I appreciate your comments, Commissioner Terry. I think that you was probably the only commissioner tha

Thank you. Commissioner Terry, your second opportunity.

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

Okay. So I think one of the discussions was that if two commissioners are on a committee, they're not allowed to meet outside a public meeting to discuss, well, y'all say anything. I think it's just the committee. But I think you should send back around that memo, number one, because it does seem to indicate that two commissioners on a committee can never meet individually about anything that might be business of the county. Two, I think it was suggested that the way to work around that is just have staff talk to staff. And so I guess that's the technical way to get around an open meetings req

Are you asking Commissioner Davis-Johnson directly?

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

I will allow her to finish answering your question.

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

Thank you so much, Madam Pio. And I respect all of the work that everybody has put in. And I'm not certain, I haven't been to every single one of the meetings. Not sure why the in lieu of committee didn't make it in, but to the extent chair is amenable and the rest of my colleagues just want to air my support of making that adjustment as well since I had not shared that in the past. I'll say particularly when we were dealing with the housing a lot of housing agenda items particularly around the creation of a trust and reduction of square footage and a number of other things just realizing it w

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

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

Commissioner Long-Spears, Commissioner Bolton.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you, Commissioner Messiah. The machine is open for the vote. Motion to defer to the August 25th with a stop in PEX. That motion to defer carries. Attorney Phillips, do we have executive session today?

Well played, sir. Motion to adjourn. Second.

That motion to adjourn carries. Thank you, everybody.