Planning Commission - Special Meeting

Good afternoon. Can you hear me?

I prematurely announced that the meeting would be delayed until 6:15 because Mayor Prom is stuck in traffic and she just announced that she has the clearance to go ahead and start the meeting remotely. So you take your faces, we can get out of the way and let the mayor pro Tim open the meeting if she is online. That's my public service announcement. He's not on yet online.

Good evening. Communications. Are we ready? There's a thumbs up for you.

Thank you. Good evening, Stone Crest, and welcome to this special call meeting. Today is May 18th, and the time is now 6:10. And I would now call the meeting to order. Madame City Clerk, can you please be so kind and do the role for me, please? Sure. Good evening, Mayor Jasmine Kbble. Mayor Pro Tim Tara Graves here. Council member Terry Five, present. Council member Alicia Washington here. Council member George Turner here. Council member Carisha Smith, present. Cor.

Thank you so much, council. After reviewing the agenda, are there any proposed adjustments? Well, it's a special call meeting, so I do apologize for that. First on the agenda is for decision, approve and propose advertise 2026 milit rate of 1.257 mills. presented by deputy city manager and the finance director Miss Franklin and Mr. Ed Walls, our financial advisor.

All right. Good afternoon. Thank you, Madame Mayor Pro Tim, Mayor Council. Uh we are here at the beginning of a uh prescribed process by uh state law and tonight we're asking council to approve a proposed advertised millage rate. This is not the final millage rate. Yes. Can you hear me? Uh yes. Point of order. Um, legal on the line. They are. Yes. Up here, sir.

A part of this is the public hearing. At what point do we enter into public hearing on this matter? Before or after this presentation? After the presentation. Okay. I apologize. I just didn't see it on the agenda.

Thank you very much. Okay. So, uh, the city manager's office is recommending keeping the millage rate the same at U 1.257 and, uh, we have our financial advisor, Mr. Wall, here. And we've also shared with you that, uh, finance has, uh, a recommended number uh, based on a spreadsheet and an analysis that uh, that they performed. And so we'll discuss both. Ultimately, it's up to the council to decide uh the millage rate. And again, um this is just the advertised millage rate. It is not the final millage rate. And the advertised millage rate is the ceiling. So uh later in June when you approve the millage rate, it can't be higher than what you advertise. And uh the advertisement uh is scheduled to appear on the 28th of this month.

All right. Thank you very much. Can you hear me? Am I talking in the microphone right? Great. Yes, Mr. Wall. I can hear you. But before you move forward, I see Miss Thompson have her hand. Thank you. Um Madame Ripple Tim. And just for clarification, this meeting will not be a public hearing. Correct. The public hearings are going to be upcoming. Yes, that is. And these this meeting will just be to address the um proposed advertised mill rate. Yes, ma'am. Okay, understood. Thank you. And um Councilman Turner, did that answer your question? That's why it's not on the agenda. Thank you very much. You're welcome, Mr. Wall.

Thank you, Madam Mayor Tim. Miss Thompson, we're expected to ask for a motion to second and approve whatever millage rate they want to advertise tonight. Right. That is correct. It's for a decision. Okay. Thank you, ma'am. Is Miss Is Miss Franklin on the call, sir? I'm I I do not see Miss Franklin on the call.

Okay, good. So, I was going to let her make a presentation that these numbers we're presenting are her numbers, but uh if she's not here, I'm going to present them. And so, for you all, for mayor counsel, did Mr. McCoy give you this one sheet of paper? And so, it's the various options that you all have before you. And so, I'd like to start with the roll back rate. You have before you the 1.238 millig rate for the roll back. Remember we talked last week how that roll back is calculated. Properties that are subject to homestead exemption. As they go up in value, we have to advertise a roll back rate that rolls back the amount of money that you would collect from a millage rate so that the cash money that that homestead property would pay is exactly equal to what it was the previous year. And so you didn't have much of a growth in the tax digest, but whatever the growth is by any amount, you have to calculate this roll back rate. And so Miss Franklin has calculated a roll back rate based on the reassessment of homestead properties. You have here 1.238 mills. I got an update this morning that the millage rate roll back rate is 1.227, just a little bit slightly less than that. And so I'm going to talk about 1.227 227 assuming that the last number that I got is the one that is most current. So if you all got a pencil or a pen, strike through that 1.238 and make it 1.227 and the amount of the levy for that is 2,880,000 whereas on your sheet of paper it shows 2,912,000. So now we're talking about a roll back rate of 1.227 227 that would raise 2,880,000. The next line down is your current millage rate, the millage rate that it

was last year, 1.257 based on the new 2026 tax digest. That levy would be 2,956,000. And so the difference in the roll back rate versus your current 1.257 257 milligrate is $70,000 and so 2,880 minus 2,956 is 70,000. The proposed rate that Miss Franklin had based on her assessment of the 2027 budget was 1.515 mills, which would be a a a millage rate increase. And that levy is 3,563,000 which is a difference of about $63,000. And then she says a budget balancing rate of 1.4616 mills is 3,438. So let's talk about what your decision is before you. If you adopt any millage rate that's higher than the roll back rate is 1.2 227 mills. Under Georgia law passed in 2001 called the truth and taxation law, you have to advertise a tax increase because you're levying a millage rate higher than the roll back rate. So the question number one, do you all want to levy just the roll back rate of 1.227 mills? Question number two, if you want to levy the current rate 1.257 257 mills, then we would have to advertise a tax increase. If you do the 1.227, you just approve it and there's no no ads, no advertise tax increase. You may

want to do the 1.515 mil. As Mr. McCoy pointed out to you, tonight is not the final millage rate. It's the millage rate you advertise. And you when you come back after all the advertising and the public hearings, you can always adopt a lower millage rate, but you can't go higher than what you advertise. Or you can take this fourth option, 1.46 mills. And you can see the difference in the in the amounts is being collected. And keep in mind your general fund budget of which property taxes go into is about $19.5 million. Just round it up and say 20 million. So this this property tax levy I of all my clients across Georgia, your millage rate's the lowest millage rate that I have as a client at 1.257 mills. And so your property taxes only represent about 10% of your overall budget. Most places as high as 50%. That's it. Madame Mayor Pro Tim, I'll open it up for questions. Council, do you have any questions for Mr. Wall?

Tim. Yes, Councilman.

I think they've made it clear, at least this has come clear to me, but the thing that has not been made clear, and I'd have to get it from our finance director, is this um proposed rate uh 1.5150. um the justification for it. I understand the others and I have an opinion, but um since she's not here to give um explanation, uh I think that it would be in my judgment wise to take the higher and look at lowering it as we go along if it becomes necessary or if the explanation doesn't justify this 1.51 proposal. So, um I believe I understand what's been put before us and uh the next step is to recommend a rate to be advertised and that's just my comment. So your rate you're adjusting is the proposed rate by director Franklin

since if we take the lower rate and we discover that her rate was probably the more prudent rate to select we cannot raise it later. But if we take her rate of which is the higher and decide later on well it's not necessary we can go with a lower rate. So I'd rather go with the safe rate and that's go high so we can come low. But if we go low we can't go high. Okay.

That's just my personal opinion on it. Council, any other questions for Mr. Wall? Yes, Councilwoman Smith.

Um, I have a question as it relates to the recommendation that came from the city manager's office versus the recommendation that's coming from uh our finance director. Um, Mr. McCoy, is there uh a reason why city manager office and finance uh department recommendations are different?

We had a discussion about this and uh um and so um we decided to stay with our respective recommendations. Okay. Meaning you all couldn't come to a um a resolve on it. So the recommendation from each of your office differ based on what we're seeing? Yes. Okay. Do you withdraw, Councilwoman Smith?

I do. Thank you. Councilwoman Washington, did you have a question as well? Yes. Thank you, Mayor Pan. I just want to find out, is the budget balance rate an option? Because I heard what Councilman Turner said as far as choosing the higher and we're able to still go low if that's we wanted to do, but is the budget balancing rate optional, too? Councilwoman Washington, who you who are you directing your question to? Well, since we don't have the um our CFO here, I guess I'm addressing to our to the Mr. Wall.

So, um she had written in her email uh to me. I don't know about Mr. Wall. I hate to interrupt, but we're having a hard time hearing you.

I'm sorry. The tech fella got on me and said he if I didn't talk in this microphone, so I apologize. Thank you. She wrote in her email to me said um the current preliminary scenario reflects a proposed millage rate of 1.515 would generate an estimated net collections based on the preliminary budget projections. This amount would be needed to fulfill the projected property tax revenue budget and address the currently identified overall budget shortfall amount. I don't know what makes that up. And then this fourth number here, Councilwoman Washington, of 1.4616. I I don't know what drives that versus the 1.515. And so, one thing just to to put it a fine point on it, Councilman Turner, 1.227 is a roll back rate. If you if you advertise the 1.515 as a potential millage rate, the advertisement would say that the difference in those two numbers of 288 mills divided by the roll back rate of 1.227 that you would be advertising a 23.47% increase. So that's what your citizens will see.

Give me some dollar numbers. Um it'll be a mil 2,880 versus 3,563. So 2,880 versus 3563 $683,000 extra. And so that's okay as long as you can justify it, but we don't have any numbers to help you justify.

Yeah. I mean, I've had some discussions about it, and I don't see anything to justify it, but I'd hate for us to cut ourselves short and find justification after the advertisement. That's why I was suggesting the higher rate. But um if we come in at the uh current rate, we'll have to live with it. And so the the difference, but let me calculate it real quick. The 1.257 versus the 1.227. The difference there is $70,000 increase. Let's see. We would have to advertise an increase for that. 1.227.257. 257. That's um 0.03 ms. Divide that by 1.227. would be 2.4% increase.

Okay. So that your decision is 2.4% versus 23.4. Gotcha. You Thank you, Councilman Turner. Councilwoman Smith, I saw your hand was up. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim. My question was answered. I was going to ask with the at the 1.257, what would be our um advertised tax increase? And I got the percentage 2.4%. Thank you. I yield council. Any other questions?

Hearing none, I will entertain a motion. Mayor Pro Tim. Yes, Councilman Fi. I move to approve um the proposed advertised 2026 mill rate at 1.257 mills. Second.

Can you confirm that rate you um mentioned, Mr. Councilman F. Yes, ma'am. 1.257.

Okay. I have some readiness. I thought um Okay. The motion has been properly moved and second by Councilman Turner. Are you ready for the question? All those in favor of the motion, please respond with yay. All those opposed, nay. Starting with district two. Yay. District three. Nay. District four, yay. District five, yay. District one is nay. The motion carries 3-2. The proposed advertised millage rate is 1 257.

Yes, has been approved. Next on the agenda is the resolution for the Stone Crest Lonia Industrial Cid by Councilman Mint Turner.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim. This item is a resolution for the Stone Crest Lang Industrial Park C is one that has been with us for at least the last five years in terms of gathering the necessary data and organizing the potential um members of this C. And it's been a labor of it's been a labor, let's put it that way. And um we've had discussions about it in several of our committees. We've had discussions about it in our work session. And we had invitations to a lot of other meetings that surround other CIS as well as the potential for the C for the city of Stonerest. You look at the Stone Crest charter, you'll find provisions for the Stone Crest Lonia Industrial Park CD. And we have come to the point where they are somewhat doing what we are doing now and that is um determining how they will be taxed to support the C. And I mentioned earlier that there were some deadlines that had to be adhered to in terms of getting what needs to be uh put together to the attached commissioner and whomever else needs to have this particular information before they can complete the process. So um without the labeling it, you have in the package the resolution and it has been thoroughly vetted by our

legal department and uh what was that? When I hear a grunt, I'm thinking as an objection and um they're on the line as well. So, um, you've had this for quite some time. I shared it with you. Other members of the community have shared it with you. So, if you have any questions about it, I'll do my best to answer the questions. And, uh, if I can't, there are some folks here who I believe can assist with getting your final questions answered. Hearing none, then uh Mayor Pro Tim, if you could direct the city clerk to read the

mayor proim resolution. Yes, councilwoman Smith. Um I un readiness I have a well not un readiness because we're not voting but I do have a question for um Mayor Pro Tim and Meredis.

Yes ma'am. um as it relates to I just want to get a little bit of clarity or or would like for you to provide a little bit of clarity on um the CI and the membership the board as it relates to the CD and how the city um itself the council appoints members to this board as well. Could you explain that a little bit for clarity? that will be done at a different meeting but understand that there are going to be seven board members. uh five will be selected by um the C council if you for want of another term and two two members will be appointed by uh the city council and it's up to us to select them vet them and present them to the CI governing board and uh we'll always have those two members. I'm not sure as to the term of uh service, but I believe that will be taken care of as they develop their own bylaws and rules and regulations. Whereas we um have a member on the East Metro C, and I believe that term is for one year to be renewed at our pleasure. and uh we can perhaps have some input into the development of their bylaws and governing uh documents, but we have floated some names around. We did not want to make them public until all the council has had a chance to vet those two um potential members. But that will happen probably at the next council meeting. I will propose that to the mayor prom.

I want to say that is on the next um agenda. Okay. For us to select two members for the C board. And um just as additional points of clarity and you can say yay or nay. I'm correct or wrong. Um the CI does not cause any additional taxation on any citizens. Um it is a self-funded investment tool that's requested and supported by the commercial property owners who are within that C district.

You are correct. There are some there is some residential property within the limits of the uh C but no residential property will be taxed. This is a voluntary tax for the most part on the businesses in that district. None will be charged, no taxes will be levied on any residential property. None. And that is the case with all CIS throughout the metro Atlanta area. I'm not sure about uh other parts of the state of the country, but that is the same rule uh with CIS and that is regulated through the tax commissioner. tax commissioner will put that on the tax bill. How the commercial and industrial properties not on residential property. Thank you very much. And my last point is um the for the CI these taxes that they're levy levying upon themselves those taxes will be and can be used for infrastructure um security improvements mobility those type things in that area. Correct.

There's a whole list of uh things that it can be used for but it's called a C for a reason. It's community improvement district. They're about improving that district for their benefit. And as they benefit, the city benefits to have a industrial area that is upgraded so to speak and uh attracting new commerce and I see our economic development director in the audience. It's it's about economic development as well because as you improve the district, it's a win-win for all parties involved. And um I can get you a list of some of those things that u propose that they can do. But whatever they do, we have two members sitting on that board that would have an influence and input as to what they will decide to do. But it's all about improving the area and making it more attractive and more um beneficial to the community.

Wonderful. Thank you so much um Councilman Turner for obliging me. Um Mayor Pro Tim, I yield. Is that question from the attorney for me or for the mayor pro Tim? I was um thank you and madam member Tim. Is it okay if I make a statement? Absolutely.

No, I was just going to add on to what Mr. Marmeritus was saying um in regards to how a C kind of impacts a community. And I'm not going to get too specific because I don't want to say um that attribute something that we've seen in like our you know the metro area to a C and it wasn't. But where you see a lot of um anything from street improvement, which is obviously very um you know um something that addresses infrastructure to um you know um you'll see some creative street markers and um kind of creative um implementations put in a particular area. A lot of that is done by the CD. um they they come together and they try to make neighborhoods their own and they'll have that creative touch to the community. So you'll see it you'll see the C demonstrate its power um in things like infrastructure but also in you know um placards and signs and you know when you drive into like downtown Atlanta you'll see really colorful signs. A lot of that is the CIS um that are that's putting that money into that type of work too. So,

and if I might had, and I've said it several times over, my first introduction to C was a Dunwy situation where a young lady was assaulted when she got off of a bus in the U Dunwy uh perimeter mall area and the businesses and the um commercial area got together. They hired private security. They hired someone to help physically clean up the area. and they uh came together to pull their resources to make it a more attractive and safe area in which to do business. And if you look at the way it has grown now, that is the way it started out. It started out very small. Uh and over the years as they've had support from the cap county and from you uh as as as you shop in that C area, it has grown and developed to become what it is now. And the same potential is here in Stone Crest, you want more security. Well, if they pay for some of that security, that means the um public safety can spend more time in areas that we designate. And the same thing with uh cleaning up area. Now we have uh a a code enforcement and they're doing a good job, but if we get some help from another division, it only adds to what we're doing. This is an add ad add ad to what we're trying to achieve. And it's I can only see a good thing coming out of it. So, I'm sold, been sold since day one, since it was put into charter that we needed to do this. And I think you'll see and realize and appreciate a great benefit from it. That's it. Mayor Pro Tim, unless there's other question for me.

Thank you, Councilman Turner. Any other questions, council? Mayor Prom, are we able to is it out of order to bring a member of the C um to the podium to kind of give us an a spiel? Not a spiel, but a um hitch. Let's say that. Are you referring to Mr. Wright that's in the audience? Mhm. Mr. Right. Would you like to come to the podium and share a little bit about the C? Ah, come on. You a guest in the house. You may as well pay um try to sell.

First off, I apologize because I left my regular glasses in the car. Mr. Wright, I cannot hear you.

I'm sorry. Uh I was apologizing because I left my glasses in the car, wore sunglasses in, and I can't see anybody, but I'm going to go ahead and address it. Um, this is something that I've been personally working with now for at least a decade, I think. And, uh, I'm really excited that we finally gotten to this point. Uh, we've got a good group of businesses that are excited to get working and um, I I appreciate the opportunity to to have you guys consider us. I hope that uh that u you will pass this resolution and uh and I look forward to working with you.

Thank you, Mr. Ray. Mayor Prom, I would I yield. Thank you, Councilman F. Madame City Clerk, can you please read the resolution? Sure. A resolution by the mayor and city council of the city of Stonerest, Georgia, consenting to the creation of the Stonerest Lonia Industrial Park Community Improvement District and for other purposes Tim. Yes, Councilman Turner. I move for approval of the resolution to establish the Don Crest Lonia Industrial Park Community Improvement District. Second.

The motion has been properly moved and second by Councilwoman Washington. Are you ready for the question? All those in favor of the motion, please respond with yay. All those opposed, nay. Starting with district two, yay. District three. Yay. District four. Yay. District five. Yay.

District one is yay. The resolution for the Stone Crest Industrial Stone Crest Lonia Industrial Cid has been approved. 5 to Z. That has concluded our agenda. Is there any Tim. Yes, Councilman Turner. Uh, with this approval of the uh C, uh, it's a photo op. Too bad you can't be in it, but we're going to have a photo op down front. Uh, we can do it. Must we do it during the meeting or can we do it after the meeting?

Well, let's see if it's a need for executive session and then if you want to um take a picture right before you go into executive session. Um before there is a need for executive session. Okay. I entertain a motion.

And and that brings me to some confusion. Do you want to do the photo op before we break for executive session or after? All right then. Um I'm hearing before, so I will hold off my motion until after. No, I'm just saying that we can take the photo when we break to go into executive session. Ah, gotcha. Gotcha. Mayor Prom, I move to go into executive session. Second to discuss person to discuss personnel. A second.

The motion has been properly moved and second by Councilwoman Washington. Are you ready for the question? All those in favor of the motion, please respond with yay. All those opposed, nay. Starting with district two, yay. District three, yay. District four, yay. District five, yay. District 1 is yay. The motion carries 5 to zero. We are now adjourned into executive session.

Thank you, council. I will entertain a motion to come out of executive session. Mayor Proim, you got it. Second. I didn't even hear the motion. Um, I will I will second. Uh, Miss Miss Smith's um motion motion. Mayor Pro Tim, I move that we um exit executive session and return to our regular um call meeting. Second. The motion has been properly moved and second by Councilman Fi. Are you ready for the question?

All those in favor of the motion, please respond with yay. All those opposed, nay. Starting with district two. Yay. District three. Yay. District four. Yay. District five. Yay. District one is yay. We are now We have now returned back to our special call meeting. Tim. Yes. Councilman Turner. Move for approval of the minutes from executive session.

Second. The motion has been properly moved and second by Councilman Fi. Are you ready for the question? All those oppo all those in favor, please respond with yay. All those opposed, nay. Starting with district two, yay. District three. Yay. District four. Yay. District did you say nay? Yay. Yay. District uh five. Yay. District one is yay. The minutes has been approved from executive session 5 to zero.

Mayor pro Tim. Yes. Councilman Fi. I move to adjourn this meeting. Second. The motion has been properly moved and second by Councilwoman Washington. Are you ready for the question? All those in favor of the motion, please respond with yay. All those opposed, nay. Starting with district two, yay. District three, yay. District four. Yay. District five, yay. District one is yay. This meeting is now adjourned. Everyone have a wonderful evening.