I thank you so much for being here today.

We tried to and did um exhaust our regular BOC meeting agenda.

My name is Nicole Messiah, and I have the distinct honor and pleasure of serving as your District 3 County Commissioner, but also the chair of PECS planning economic development and community services.

I serve alongside my other colleagues, that's Commissioner Ted Terry from District 6 and Commissioner Michelle Longspears from District 2.

We are going to be joined by our committee members, and we'll see if other um colleagues will join along with.

If you've had a chance to review the minutes, please um I will entertain a motion at your convenience um committee members.

Motion to approve.

1828.

Second.

We have a proper first and second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you so much.

And that is approved.

Right.

And so we're gonna jump right on in with Mr.

Hines.

And if you wouldn't mind approaching um the podium, please.

Hey, good afternoon.

Great afternoon.

So this is agenda item ending in 0191, all commission districts, and that is um to appoint Mr.

Hunter Hines to the Doraville, uh Shambly Doorville Community Improvement District Board.

Thank you so much for being with us here today.

Just a couple of brief questions.

This is a CEO 13A uh appointment.

I'm sorry.

Okay.

All right.

So just wanted to make sure this is clear for the purposes of the public.

CEO 13A uh appointment, and just very briefly, Mr.

Hines, um, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your including your prior professional experience that has prepared to uh prepared you to engage with the community stakeholders and local business leaders in and around the Shambley Dorville um CID board?

Sure.

Um I'm I have over 15 years of experience uh in airport management working in different uh different capacities with different um different uh counties, cities, uh authorities, and um so through that, you know, I've worked on uh many different projects, dealing with lots of different uh municipalities and uh governments to uh uh working working through different projects, uh working with different different businesses, um and um uh real estate owners and uh owners of different businesses across uh Georgia and Alabama and so that's that's kind of my background of you know kind of um uh uh dealt with uh a lot of different matters from uh planning and development and project uh coordinating and construction uh management and so that's that's my background.

Thank you so much for sharing.

And as an appointee, uh, if appointed to the Chambly Dorville CID board, what would you identify as your top priorities for promoting responsible growth, fiscal accountability, and long-term sustainability within the uh the CID area?

Um mostly just working with uh the local businesses and I'm I mean through through the CID, uh, you know, representing uh different uh commercial real estate and uh business owners.

I think that they they represent over a hundred different uh business owners in the area, and um you know would like to to work to help foster um you know sensible growth and um uh the development uh you know throughout throughout the the region.

Thank you so much, and I know we're in a bit of a time crunch here.

Again, thank you for being um to be able to be flexible for um being here with us today.

With that, I want to open it up to my committee members, um Commissioner Longspears.

Um thank you very much, madam chair, and I'm delighted that you're being considered for this appointment.

Um I will ask question number five if that's acceptable to the chair.

Okay.

Um what do you see as the most significant opportunities and challenges facing the Chambly Dorville CID?

How would you collaborate with other board members and partner agencies to address these issues effectively?

Um well I'm uh I will be I will be learning uh kind of on the fly.

So um, you know, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to dive in and learn what the the different uh opportunities that um that that there are with the CID board uh working with fellow board members uh and kind of giving my experience through you know working with the airport, working with the county, uh the airport is a um a large uh economic driver, so um I think that is one of the desirable uh aspects of um you know the the consideration um of of the the other board members uh for my position on the board as well as the the county involvement thank you um and I do have just a follow-up question that's actually not on our list.

Um so the footprint for the Shambly bless you the Shambley Doorville CID that includes PDK does it?

It it it is in in that uh that footprint, yes.

All right, how about assembly?

That I do not know.

Okay.

All right.

Um thank you so much.

I'll just do my own homework, yield back.

Thank you so much.

Uh Commissioner Long Spears, Commissioner Terry.

All right.

Um Director Hines.

Um next uh pre-approved question.

Uh how do you plan to leverage your expertise to support the CID strategic initiatives, such as improving transportation and mobility, enhancing public spaces and fostering private investment that benefits the CAP County as a whole.

Uh I mean, once again, just going back to uh the the involved well, I mean, working working through the airport, different projects.

We've we worked through a lot of different uh similar uh similar projects.

Um, and you know, I've got uh a lot of different um uh experience working with some of the local um local jurisdictions that that surround the the or that is inside the uh Shambley Dorville um uh footprint and so um I've had the opportunity to work with a lot of different different people on different projects and I believe that I'll be able to use that experience to further um give give that give that experience to to the board and uh helping in whatever ways I can thank you so much, Mr.

Hines.

Um do you have a follow-up question, uh Commissioner Terry, Commissioner Long Spears?

All right.

With that, thank you so much, uh Mr.

Hines, once again, for being here with us today and uh traveling nurses.

All right, thank you.

Thank you so much.

The next uh appointment is agenda item 0246, all commission districts to appoint Ms.

Trisha Weaver to post three of the development authority of the Cab County Post 3 of the residential care facilities for the elderly authority and post three of the private hospital authority.

Thank you so much, Ms.

Weaver, and welcome here again to PEX.

Yes, um, and if do we have questions?

Janet, thank you so much.

Appreciate it.

And those are being distributed to us now.

Thank you so much.

Again, thank you so much um for coming and being here with us, Ms.

Weaver.

Uh, can you please tell the committee a little about yourself and briefly describe how your previous experiences qualifies you for these boards?

Certainly.

First of all, thank you so much for allowing me to be here today.

I think it I consider it an honor to be here and do not take this um opportunity lightly.

Um I am Trisella Weaver.

I am currently serving as the Chief of Access and Opportunity with the DeCap County School District.

But more importantly, I've been a resident of DeCap County for over 50 years.

I am a graduate of the Capp County School District.

I started college in DeCab when what was then known as the CAP community college, and then after completing college, I came back to work in our county as an educator.

I have served as a teacher, an assistant principal, a principal or regional superintendent, and I currently serve as a chief.

And one of my main goals is to make sure that we put systematic processes in place to eliminate any barriers to our student success or having access success based on their zip call or where they show up into the space.

And so I have spent over 35 years working to make sure that our scholars who graduate from the DeCap County School District have an opportunity to either enlist in the military, enroll in college, become entrepreneurs, or to go into employment.

But more importantly than that, I also work in my community.

I've been working on our community for as long as I can remember, working alongside our faith-based organization, our civic organization, our community, or our elected officials, such as yourself, but making sure that the CAP is a great place to live, to work, and to worship.

And thank you so much for that.

I really appreciate it.

And you've also answered one of the questions in terms of a goal or a priority that you would see yourself being able to promote while on the board.

I'll just briefly ask you then what role do you think stakeholders and the public should play in shaping large development projects and what tools if you're uh if you're um confirmed, if you will, uh, would you think that the board members um should use to solicit community feedback and ensure that it influences authority um authority priorities?

So I think when you're working in communities, you cannot work apart from the community.

It must be a collaboration.

And so you must go out and hear from the people in the community for what their needs are, um, and then you work to provide those needs.

And so I'm a big proponent of giving voice, but not just necessarily the voice that you will see that will come to the mic at different meetings, but how do you go out into your communities to listen to those people who I consider to be whisperers?

They may be our grandparents in our um community who may have some um technology issues and cannot log in to hear some of the things.

They may have transportation issues, they may have language issues or um those type of things.

So I see myself as going out in the community, making sure all of those voices are heard or and are considered when we're considering making um commitments in those communities.

So you can't live apart from the community.

You also want to use your different vehicles, such as your faith-based organization, your civic groups, they have meetings, they are out in the community and making sure that we lift up that voice for them to hear.

So not just the loudest voices, but every voice is given an opportunity to weigh in on what's happening in their community.

That gives them a sense of ownership, it gives them a sense of pride in what is happening in the CAP.

Thank you so much again for your response and your willingness to serve on this board and your um service as an educator.

Thank you again, Commissioner Terry.

Any questions you have?

All right.

Great.

Thank you, Dr.

Weaver, for your service to DeCab County Schools.

Very happy.

Very glad that we will continue to have a member of the school system on DeSide DeCab because y'all are very important to the future development and uh job opportunities for our young people.

Um so this is just a standard question.

Do you have any financial or personal interest that will prevent you prevent your attendance or discuss discussion on any matters coming before the development authority?

No, not that I'm aware of any.

No sir.

Okay, great.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry, Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you so much, and a pleasure to meet you.

We appreciate you being here with us today.

Um, my question is how would you utilize your position on these three boards to work in tandem to address socioeconomic and health disparities across the county?

So, first I think I see myself as a strategic thought partner coming from the educational arena.

There are some things that we could bring through thought partnering with other members of the board that may not have been thought about.

So, for example, career opportunities and career paths that we have in our district that may lead to the economic development in our county.

So the first thing I can see see myself is a thought partner.

I also see myself as an advocate for voice.

I think we talked a little bit about it before, but also making sure that I'm advocating for everyone in our community to have a voice and that they're heard and that they're seen.

I see myself as weighing in on possible policies that may come about that our board may have to consider and providing perspectives as it relates to that.

And then just being um bringing my lived experience in DeCab for over 50 years.

Um I've been here when you know South DeCab was the hub of our district and and and North DeCab Mall and and now North Lake Mall, all of those things.

So I bring that historical perspective, and so I would think that my history in this district will lend itself well to serving on the board.

Thank you so much for uh detailed response.

Yes, I think you so much.

Uh Commissioner Long Spears, and I don't want to keep you any longer than necessary.

Um do appreciate you, Dr.

Weaver, for being here with us today.

Thank you for your patience.

I know we were a little tardy in get it started.

And again, thank you for your willingness to serve.

I appreciate the opportunity.

Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.

Thank you.

And with that, we so that we will we can get into some of our other agenda items.

Just want to circle back very briefly to agenda item ending in 0191, and that is the appointment of Mr.

Hines to the uh Chambly Doraville Community Improvement District Board.

I'll entertain a motion.

Motion to approve 0191.

I have a proper first and second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you so much.

And we have with us today.

Um Dr.

Ferguson, I was gonna say Director Ferguson.

So still the same, just our chief housing officer, thank you so much, who is gonna give us a status update on our comprehensive housing plan.

And we also have a um just planning sustainability along with yes.

All right.

Enterprises uh joining us as well.

Thank you so much for being here.

And with that, take it away.

All right, thank you.

Uh thank you very much, uh, commissioners for your time this afternoon.

So uh you asked me recall, you know, during 2025, uh, the Board of Commissioners approved a comprehensive strategic strategic housing plan you know for DeCav County.

And you know, after a procurement exercise, uh the consulting team of Enterprise Community Partners as well as Sycamore Consulting were selected to begin that endeavor.

So that effort kicked off in November uh 2025, and we're here today to give you an update on the current status and how that work has progressed uh to date.

So without further ado, uh I'd like to bring up the team from Enterprise to address themselves.

Also, I should mention that quarterbacking this effort is our team from uh planning and sustainability, and they're here as well.

Thank you so much.

I did see Ava in the back.

Thank you so much and welcome all.

Madam Chair, would you like us to ask our questions as they come up or at the end of the presentation?

We'll let them get started and then determine a good place to sort of get in and thank you so much.

All right, sounds great.

Commissioners, thank you so much for this opportunity to share with you about the work that our team is doing to support the CAB County with its first ever comprehensive housing plan.

We are so honored to have this opportunity to support you all in this work.

So I'll drop a little bit into our team since this is our first time meeting today for most of us.

My name is Vithia Palmer, and I am so fortunate to be the director of housing solutions with enterprise advisors.

We are a mission-driven consulting team that works with communities like the Cav County across the country who are really committed to realizing their housing visions.

We've worked on housing plans, including with folks like Prince George's County, Maryland, Toledo, Ohio, Asheville, Northwest Arkansas, all scales, but all communities like yours who are really committed to serving your residents well.

We're also really grateful to have the Enterprise Southeast Office as a part of our project team as well.

Some of you may know Beth Stevens or Dr.

Christy Cade, who lead our work in the Atlanta area, and so we are really grateful to have their local perspective to supplement the national work and experience that we have with housing plans.

Additionally we could not be more excited to have Sycamore Consulting on our bench as part of this effort.

You might know them from a number of different efforts going on at DeCab County right now or in recent years.

I'll be turning it over to my colleague Madison and a little bit to share more about the engagement work that they've hit the ground running with.

I'm gonna give a quick overview of the comprehensive housing plan, though I know you all are deeply intimate with this, so I'll keep this very short.

But for those who don't know, uh the Cab County's 2050 Unified Plan does not have a housing component to it, and so this is gonna be rolled in to the comprehensive house or to the to the unified plan.

So this isn't a standalone document.

This is ultimately something that will get rolled into the the county's guiding vision.

This is a way to coordinate efforts, leverage investments and policies that you all will be making as commissioners, and also really driving toward equitable housing uncomes across the housing spectrum.

So, what is a comprehensive housing plan?

It is an actionable living document that is meant to be a map for not only the Board of Commissioners, but also stakeholders in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

It's meant to be a way to bring stakeholders together to unify around a goal and strategies, a clear shared vision.

In our approach, we also see this planning process as a way to build the capacity of the ecosystem itself.

This isn't just another planning exercise or another study.

This is a way to unite stakeholders and increase their capacity to do work in a more strategic, intentional way.

I'm not gonna belabor any of these points.

I know you all know the housing market well.

I know there's been recent studies that we're gonna be updating some of those numbers around, but we know this moment calls for this plan, and we appreciate your leadership in moving this plan forward.

I'm gonna stop here for a moment.

Um since we haven't, this is new to you probably.

As our team, we have a two-phase approach.

The first is discovery, understanding what's going on, how residents are thinking, what the numbers are showing.

We know that housing markets are dynamic, ever shifting, ever evolving.

And so we started by understanding what programs already exist, what resources are there.

We've been working really closely with county departments, decide to cab the housing authorities to understand what they're already doing, what tools are ready around the table, so that we can figure out where there are gaps.

We're also deep in the data analysis right now.

Uh the Census Bureau just dropped its new American Community Survey data.

We're also working with data straight from your departments, Atlanta Regional Commission, the state of Georgia, to really help build out a big picture.

But the story isn't complete without resident voice.

So I'm gonna be turning it over to Madison in a second here to really dig into our stakeholder and resident engagement approach because it's so important that we ground truth what we're finding in the numbers with the lived experience of residents across the county.

Thank you so much.

And if we would um just take a quick pause, Vivian, right there before you bring him on to see if there's any questions by committee members.

All right, all right.

So Madison will be talking about that, but then as we move into the second phase of things, we'll jump into planning.

So that's where we'll get into real goal setting, really figuring out what tactical strategies that the county can deploy and creating a five-year action plan.

So this isn't a set of recommendations, these are gonna be uh actions that stakeholders are committed to advancing together.

So with that, I'll turn it to Madison.

Thank you.

Hello, committee members.

My name's Madison Davis.

I'm from Sycamore Consulting, and I'll be talking through some of the public engagement we'll do.

I'm sorry, you said Addison?

Madison.

Madison, I just wanted to be certain.

I'm sorry, um, Commissioner Longspires did have a quick question.

Is it for Vivian or Madison?

It's the two-phase approach slide, slide eight.

Yes.

All right, thank you so much.

Um I'm just wanting to be clear and forgive me if you stated it as always going through and highlighting some of the points that are in the presentation.

Um, so task 11, 12, 1, 2, 3, and so on.

Looks like you have them separated out between discovery and planning.

Um, do these align with a month or yes?

So the numbers across the top are actually the months.

Okay, so November.

And then the tasks are the rows.

Okay, so 11 was November, obviously of last year, since we're in the midst.

Of the process.

And then the community participation is thankfully the almost the entire time that makes me happy.

Um, so we could oh, the map of existing resources.

So if that's under number one, that would be January.

Have you sent that to us yet?

We haven't submitted an actual like polished public-facing deliverable around that, but we have completed the resource, uh, research rather that helps us understand for our internal team that will be helping us shape the rest of the um analyses that we're doing.

So can we expect to receive that this month?

That is something that we can share with you, yes.

Okay, and if I could just really briefly, um, I think that's uh either uh Ava or Dr.

Ferguson.

Oh, that's their thing.

In terms of um being able to get that um that information.

Thank you.

That's the only one that actually stood out to me because I just didn't recall.

I just did a quick search and didn't see it.

Um, everything else looks like we're on track.

Thank you.

Great.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Long Spears.

Commissioner Terry, do you have any questions?

Okay.

All right, Madison, go right ahead.

Thank you very much.

Um, I just want to give a brief overview of what our community engagement strategy is.

Um, we ground our philosophy and having a transparent process that's easy for residents and stakeholders to engage with.

We also pride ourselves on being inclusive in our process, both in terms of having in person and digital engagement means, but also creating strategies that target some of our underrepresented communities within the county.

Um we want to make sure that our uh engagement efforts are both tailored to getting broad um perspectives and a high-level overview of the uh housing ecosystem, but also having opportunities to dive in a little deeper and be more focused in um what we're asking from people.

Um as a part of that, we want to make sure that our process is flexible throughout the throughout the um planning period um and so that the um the process itself can reflect the priorities of the community members.

Um gonna give uh an overview of what we've been doing so far.

So in November and December of last year, we were working on our public involvement plan that we submitted to the county.

Um and then last month we started our stakeholder engagement.

Um so we went uh we convened our housing working group for the first time that's a part of this process that we'll be and we're meeting with them three additional times, and we also met with the housing round table in order to speak with um stakeholders both working directly within the county, but also those who are situated in the county, but maybe not actually a part of the government itself.

This month, um, in addition to coming before the board here, we're launching our project website and starting coordination for our first public meeting series that will be next month.

Uh we're planning to have five meetings during that series, uh, one in each of the commission districts in order to geographically distribute where we'll be meeting residents.

Um and then we'll be going into um a synthesis phase.

Um for part two of the uh uh for phase two of this planning process, um, we'll be coming uh back to the community in order to hold focus groups.

Um we haven't determined exactly who we're gonna speak to in those focus groups because we want to have some time um to engage the community in our um in our public meeting settings to see who we haven't been able to reach um in order to make sure those are targeted um and make sure we get to all the segments of the community.

Um then we'll be meeting with the housing working group, as I said, a few more times, and then going back before the community at the end of summer in order to present our findings.

Um at the end of October or or in some time in October, we'll be coming back before the Board of Commissioners in order to uh review our findings and ask for final adoption.

And I'm gonna pass it back to my colleague.

Thank you.

Great.

I won't touch on these too long, but really just wanted to share with you a little flavor of the type of research that we're doing in this phase.

So this is a set of priorities that we pulled with members of the interagency housing council.

We had 17 folks representing different agencies, authorities, and departments in our first meeting with them.

And it was really interesting to see the priorities that emerged from them.

Removing uh barriers to development, increasing home ownership opportunities, preventing reducing homelessness, building rental housing for low and moderate income residents.

I don't think any of those are probably surprising to you.

I think it did surprise me a little bit that uh the barriers to development was the number one thing that came up with that group of 17 uh departments and agencies represented.

So those are the types of conversations that we're having with our public sector folks, and then expanding to our broader stakeholder network.

So we had our first meeting, as Madison said, with the DeCab Housing Roundtable.

Here's some themes of our first conversation with them.

I want to touch on just a few of them.

Things they want to see different are increased collaboration.

Like I said, that's part of what this process in itself is really strengthening the network through groups like the interagency housing council and the working group, and then also highlighting the need for a sustainable and sufficient local funding.

So efforts like the bond, the housing trust fund, new efforts to create dollars and uh be able to leverage the resources that are coming from other places is something that is very top of mind for stakeholders as well.

So it's also just one map of many I could have shared today, uh but looking at the age of housing as well as um the types of housing, costs of housing, location of housing, really getting a sense of of what that means for policy recommendations too.

Any uh could pause just really quickly, Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you so much.

Um y'all have made some awesome progress.

We truly appreciate that.

Just a couple of questions before you continue with the presentation.

So um I understand that you're and you've reached out already for each for us to each host, each I guess district-based commissioner.

So the five of us.

Yes.

Hopefully, in partnership with our super district commissioners, and commissioner Terry's about 98% of my district, D6.

Um so the plan is, I guess, for us to hope the host uh an event of a group, what are we calling it?

A uh the community forum.

A community forum, thank you.

A community forum in our district.

Is that in person or Zoom?

Yes, in person, right?

So these will be in-person meetings.

We're working right now to finalize the venues.

Um so we weren't won't be able to um communicate that in this setting, but we do have the dates confirmed and we've started creating postcards, uh, save the dates in order to share some of that information with community.

So I asked this same question of Ms.

Rachel Bragg regarding the zoning rewrite process.

I'm just putting myself into a resident's shoes.

What would make me show up to this meeting?

So how are y'all promoting this?

Are are you any fancy, exciting tagline?

You know, how are you gonna get people actually to get in the room and share their perspectives?

And not um no echo chambers, not talking to the choir, but people who live in our community that have kids and go to work during the daytime and you know, busy with sports on the weekend or you know, go into their book club or whatever it might be.

How are you going to appeal to folks in our community to actually show up, attend and provide input at these meetings?

What is your marketing strategy or promotional strategy?

I I appreciate that question.

So as we finalize the details around this particular meeting series, we're going to tap into our PTA networks, our faith, our face-based groups, in order to uh establish a connection, not just with us, but with someone that they already have a rapport with, being the community members.

Um and that way we're hoping that people will hear about it, and because housing is so as uh more directly tangible and more impactful than say zoning, which can be a bit more abstract about how it impacts residents.

We're hopeful that we'll be able to galvanize the community members to come um talk about their neighborhoods.

All right.

So you're gonna host one community forum in each district.

Yes, ma'am.

And as a part of that, uh we're also inviting the super district commissioners to attend any of the ones in their district as well.

Okay, fantastic.

All right.

Um the next question I have is uh and I'm not sure who to ask this question of is on the housing priorities slide, slide 14.

Looks like the top four are in green and the bottom one, two, three, four, five, six, seven are in blue.

Yes, ma'am.

What is the distinction there?

So um so we we're we really just wanted to focus on what some of those top priorities were when we were in um the housing working group, we did a polling exercise, um, followed by a pretty robust discussion around why people rent things these ways.

Um but this is ultimately just the result of the polls.

We wanted to bring attention to those top fours by while recognizing that all of these are priorities for the community.

Okay, thank you very much.

And then lastly, and I'll wrap up because I know we have to get through this presentation and our agenda.

Could you email me by Friday a list of the I guess categories and or stakeholder groups you're looking to reach out to to help promote attendance?

I just want to make sure that as a district two commissioner and as the super district six commissioner, uh if his engagement in the district two um event, our community meeting, that we do what we can do to um promote and encourage attendance.

So if you would just please um let's say by close of business this Friday, you know, send us who you're trying to attract and we can do what we uh how we can support on the back end.

Okay, and I really appreciate that.

Yeah, we'll definitely do that, Commissioner.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you.

Um so on this slide, real quick, um, that's just an early insight.

The community is gonna weigh in, so these priorities might change.

Yes, that's correct.

These are just findings from the public sector leaders who are in this meeting.

Okay.

And then would you we be able to share the interagency housing council, like who who all that was?

Yeah, I'll turn that to Dr.

Ferguson.

Okay.

Well, you can just send it to me.

I don't need to like get a whole thing on it.

Um just curious.

Um slide 16.

You referenced lead-based paint, um, housing needing repairs, accessibility modifications, and then you know, lead paint.

Um I think that y'all should also consider uh the state of weatherization and insulation.

Um, because I think what we're kind of really getting at as one big part of this larger study is just affordability.

And so um when I look at this map and I see all these houses built before 1979, I'm thinking they don't have insulation, they didn't they don't have good caulking, they probably have an old HVAC, they probably have single pane windows, and so all that heat and cool in the winter and the summer is leaking out and their energy bills are really high.

Um and I know for a fact that we can save residents thousands of dollars um a year on the energy bills just by doing some of the low-hanging fruit of energy efficiency and weatherization.

So I would add that, keep that in in mind, because I think that's gonna also be an important part.

Um then um I would like to suggest on slide 18.

Um so what would help me out as a super commissioner is not that I'm invited to the meetings, because then it makes it seem like I'm just like, you know, another uh a third wheel or a fifth wheel, what do you call it?

Um and so it might be advantageous to have some co-branding.

Um Zach, I know the CEO's done that with like um the food distributions, right?

Like we do them in all these locations, but we brand them with the district commissioners to just so so when we send it out, it's like, oh yeah, come to just you know, on March 19th, district, you know, one, and then because district one has six and seven in it, just go ahead and include me and Ladina, you know, in the marketing.

So it's just very easy that's like everyone's um you know working together on the same um on the same date, and then that'll help us get the uh word out to our list.

Okay.

I actually appreciate you saying that it'll be a lot easier to get people to show up since they'll see familiar faces.

So thank you.

Yep, great, thank you.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

Please continue either medicine or Vivian, please go ahead.

That was really our uh presentation there.

We jumped into these last slides you got got ahead of us with the community meeting.

So really appreciate y'all's excitement around these.

Excited to partner with you and getting residents engaged in this process.

Fantastic, Commissioner Langspears.

Thank you very much.

And I realize we did jump to the end of the presentation.

I guess that helped move us along, right?

Um, the one thing I didn't see in this, and it's probably just not spelled out, and this may end up being more of a Dr.

Ferguson question, is um is there an intention to talk about the different housing tools, such as a land bank or land trust, or is that not what you're considering part of the project?

A hundred percent yes.

Oh good.

Okay, so as we get into that planning strategy identification, that's where you'll see those show up.

Okay, so you're just going to educate citizens on what they are.

I mean, you know, last year when we were discussing the land trust and the land bank, it was just constantly interchangeably using those words, and it became confusing because they sound alike, you know.

And then we also had the um affordable housing trust, and I think we took the trust out and called it affordable housing fund just because of all the confusion that was created.

So I'm hoping, and I know that you'll do this when you guys do make the presentation and you are educating community members is to just advise us and them, you know, how each of those tools can positively impact current housing and the future of housing in DeCAP.

Absolutely.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much, uh, Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you so much for all of the work that you're doing.

Very excited and looking forward to uh continuing this uh this trail of providing a great addition to housing in DeCab County.

So thank you both.

Great.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Dr.

Ferguson, thank you.

All right, thank you.

Uh and thank you, Commissioners, uh, for the effort now.

Yeah, I got something.

Yes, uh related to the housing fund concept.

Right, yeah.

Yes, so while it's um, you know, uh I guess waiting uh to load uh you know, thank you, you know, you know, for this opportunity.

So you just heard from you know, enterprise uh community partners as well as Sycamore regarding the status of the uh comprehensive housing plan.

And um within that uh presentation and conversation, you heard them mention you know, tools, resources in order to you know advance you know the county's goals regarding you know housing opportunities.

So I'm here uh today, you know, to give you a brief overview of what we want to introduce as one of those tools to advance housing opportunity in DeCab County, and that's the housing investment bond.

Um so you know, earlier uh this morning in the board of commissioners meeting, you um you know, heard our uh director of budget TJ mention uh that you know they were seeking a millage increase to address a variety of different issues, including housing and the homeless.

Well, being supported by those efforts is the housing investment bond that we're proposing.

Um so last fall uh the board of commissioners approved the establishment of the affordable housing fund.

We want to essentially add a shot on adrenaline, you know, to that affordable housing fund by having dedicated funding out of the general fund to support affordable housing.

And with that, we that provade uh really creates um a funding structure for us that we can use to support a bond issuance.

And so why do we want to do a bond insurance?

uh the board of commissioners approved the establishment of the affordable housing fund we want to essentially add a shot on adrenaline you know to that affordable housing fund by having dedicated funding out of the general fund to support affordable housing and with that we that provade uh really creates um a funding structure for us that we can use to support a bond issuance and so why do we want to do a bond issuance well the affordable housing fund provides us an avenue for recurring funding on an annual basis but what we really need is an injection of capital you know up front so that we can you know add capacity add investment in the near term uh to our housing and housing opportunities so uh if you could visualize it yes you're looking at so um so if you can visualize it what we intend to do uh with uh the funding and the proceeds which we anticipate will be roughly about a hundred and fifty five million dollars when it's all said and done which also we believe represents the single largest investment in housing by a county um you know that we can find we're still doing the research you know for here in the state of Georgia but we think it'll be you know a significant investment and it also sends a uh signal to the market and the region of how important uh that housing is and housing is to the CAB County especially for the betterment and the welfare of our residents um so we intend to use those proceeds to you know really create uh a number of different housing programs designed to add capital to the uh housing ecosystem to provide resources to residents to increase home ownership as well as to preserve uh home ownership through owner occupied rehab uh as well as to develop uh provide dedicated resources uh towards addressing homelessness and the underhoused so we've you know developed a menu of those uh different programs we're actively working um you know with our partner agencies and departments our department of community development decide to cab our land bank authority uh as well as other departments in the county as uh county as we structure uh you know these programs and our goal is to come back before PECS where we'll then discuss kind of detailed parameters and guidelines around those programs and how we think they'll be uh effective and produce tremendous outcomes uh here in DeCab County so when um the body you know the board of commissioners approves the budget that gives us the green light to move forward that with this funding plan and you know if successful we believe that we'll be able to create over and preserve over 1000 units in DeCab County using these resources and it'll really generate you know which is the magic of leverage uh in real estate over a billion dollars in investment so it'll create a significant impact here in the county towards our housing efforts so we really appreciate your support on this effort I know I've had one-on-one briefings with several commissioners I have some uh also scheduled tomorrow and I'll be able to answer you know you know questions in detail um but if you have any preliminary questions at this point in time I'm glad I can remember so much of this from memory if uh at this point in time I'm more than happy any questions you know that you may have I I personally don't have any had an opportunity to sit down and ask all the questions hammer out all the details that I needed to know at this time and with that I'm going to allow an opportunity to my colleagues to ask questions that they may have Commissioner Terry.

Yes thank you Madam Chair I might also did have a chance to get the briefing um so no questions at this time um but I do support the effort and I will second your thought about power of leverage um 100% there's a lot of um developers that are in the housing space affordable housing space that when the public subsidy comes in we can make projects happen that otherwise wouldn't have happened and that means more rooftops that means more economic development it means more job opportunities as businesses see that there's more people more rooftops in these areas which will only um you know rise the tide of what we're trying to get do for everybody thank you thank you so much and um actually we are the slides are up and yeah if anyone that wants to you know take a look at them uh Dr.

Ferguson just more um for your FYI that they are there and then I'm presuming um because we're presenting them then our confidential not for public distribution um component is um is then waived so um commissioner long spears um thank you so much I appreciate that um uh awesome presentation it was sent yesterday and I really haven't had a chance to digest it but I will try to do so before our meeting tomorrow um I will just give you a little bit of a heads up though um I will have probably quite a few questions about the revised funding execution of 15 million annually dedicated to housing um if we could talk about just you know the rationale behind doing that versus the percentage based allocation and I'm not for against that I just think right now I'd like to understand it a little bit more.

Um I will have probably quite a few questions about the revised funding execution of 15 million annually dedicated to housing.

Um if we could talk about just you know the rationale behind doing that versus the percentage-based allocation.

And I'm not for or against that, I just think right now I'd like to understand it a little bit more.

Sure.

Uh absolutely.

So when you look at how the affordable housing fund was originally structured, there was a step up in terms of a percentage base of allocation, starting at 1%, then going to 1.5%, and then starting in year three at 2% thereafter.

Uh however, because the um affordable housing fund was funded under a resolution structure, that allows for let's just say kind of you know flexibility, uh, if you will, in terms of budget allocations.

And so in some years it could be that two percent, in some years it may be generous, it could be more than two percent.

Um, and then in other years it may be far low, far less you know, than two percent.

So, and asking for this to be included as a a budget item where it will be you know allocated, you know, each and every year, and the number 15 million dollars roughly equates to where we would be uh roughly in year three in terms of funding.

It provides that certainty of funding that we need in order to make sure that there's financial support to issue a bond.

And the reason uh why the kind of the logic behind you know 15 million dollars is not just because it's a number that we would eventually reach three years ago, but also um in terms of the bond debt service or anticipated bond debt service is roughly to be about 10 million dollars annually.

That still leaves us five million dollars on an annual basis for you know different projects and initiatives that come up on an ad hoc basis, and I can tell you with certainty they do come up.

We CEO Williams and I, as well as several of our colleagues were on a call this morning talking about a new initiative uh that we desperately need, you know, here in the county to serve you know homelessness.

Um one of the questions is going to be how are we gonna fund you know this initiative?

So that would allow us a flexible pool of capital that we can devote towards those initiatives, those you know, typical programs or projects that come up on an ad hoc basis annually.

All right, thank you for that explanation.

Um so just a couple clarification questions.

Uh the 15 million that you're proposing annually dedicated to housing would be from the general fund?

Yes.

Is that right?

Okay, thank you.

And then second question um for the eligibility and requirements um for the affordable housing fund.

Are you modeling it on City of Atlanta?

Because when Andy and I were working, you know, I'm the sponsor of that legislation.

I think I think in partnership with Commissioner Terry, um, we looked at um Atlanta, City of Atlanta, and I understand from um Andy that you have a great deal of knowledge on that.

Yeah, I know a little bit.

And then I did speak to council member Matt Westmoreland who gave us some ideas about changing some of the elements of when if you know when we adopted ours, which we did, yay.

Yes.

Um, but just I guess some of his learnings and lived experience with dealing with the city of Atlanta's um housing fund.

I think they're calling it the housing trust fund.

Yes.

But are you modeling it on that now that you've kind of taken the charge on this?

Is there another um jurisdiction that you're looking at, or are we just coming up with this based on your expertise?

Yeah, so um so we're kind of modeling the framework, you know, based upon that.

But right now, even as I speak, you know, I've had respective departments working on developing those guidelines.

And the intent is for us to come back to uh to PEX committee to socialize those guidelines.

But we're gonna come back to PECS committee after we've had a series of work sessions with different stakeholders, you know, whether they're developers or investors, you know, or residents, and we socialize those proposed guidelines and parameters with them as well to get that feedback, incorporate that feedback into what we produce, and then produce uh come back to uh PECS committee with a recommendation on what those guidelines are.

So there'll be you know ample opportunity between now and then for us to you know engage and have dialogue around what's appropriate, you know, for the CAB County.

And in some cases, you know, it's gonna shift our thinking uh a little bit.

Um but we think at the end of the day, we'll end up with some tools that would be really strong in terms of you know creating affordable and workforce housing and preserving it in the county.

Wonderful.

All right.

Well I'll hold the remainder of my questions until tomorrow.

Thank you.

Yield back.

Thank you so much, uh Commissioner Long Spears.

I appreciate that.

And looking forward to again, you know, the rest of my colleagues being able to have discussions, the additional questions that may come about, and you have an opportunity, Dr.

Ferguson, to come into PECS and present for the benefit of everyone to be able to hear just the exciting things that are going on and to answer any questions.

So thank you for all your work.

We know that you've had to get up to speed from zero to 120 in a very short period of time.

Um and came in on, you know, a little bit of contentiousness in trying to address this huge uh challenge, which is your level of you know, and your area of expertise.

So thank you again.

And with that, there are no further questions.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Thank you, sir.

I want to circle back committee members if we could to our um our appointments and we have appoint appointment and agenda item ending in 0246, and that's all commissioned districts uh to appoint Ms.

Trisha Weaver to post three.

Motion to approve.

Thank you with the proper first and second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

That's been approved.

And um if we could uh go ahead and jump in just a couple more things in our agenda, um, so that we can then be able to be respectful of our guest time that has another presentation.

But we have agenda item ending in 1706, all commission districts change order number three to contract number one three six three zero nine six cooperative agreement for public sector and education software solutions with uh related services source well contract number zero nine zero three two zero KZO N for the use by department uh planning sustainability and geographic uh information systems.

This contract consists of a back file scanning and documentation digitization services.

Uh this request seeks to ratify previously provided contract extension and increase the contract funds of the term through December 31st of this year, 2026, awarded to Kanaka Minolta Business Solutions USA Inc.

in the amount not to exceed 125,000.

Thank you so much, Ms.

Thank you.

Thank you, Stacey for being a good thing.

Good afternoon.

Great afternoon.

Yes for the GIS department just we just simply want to extend the contract to the end of the year, basically with no funds attached to that extension.

Thank you so much, just so they can do the work, right?

Yes, ma'am.

And thank you so much.

With that, I open the floor up for a motion.

Motion to approve.

Proper first and second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you.

Next is agenda under community development uh agenda item ending in 1820, all commission districts long local government agreement for the DeCab Regional Land Bank Authority.

Thank you.

And we have a presentation and director Mitchell, thank you so much.

Take it away.

I'll get afternoon.

Uh I've got about two slides.

I'll be very brief.

Uh it's uh representing the DeCAP regional land bank.

Uh the objective here is that the land banks and a government agreement with the city of Lythonia and also the county expired on 1231 of uh last year.

And uh we've been unable to get in front of you to be able to request an extension of that.

The proposal is in essence to uh increase the agreement out an additional 45 years.

The original contract was put in place in uh 2020 and it expired after five years, but the law allows you to go to 50 years.

And in the year 2070.

Uh and I know most of us will be here then.

So, but uh that's that's that's the proposal.

So I'd like for you to approve the land bank's ability to extend uh its perpetuity uh up to 50 years.

Thank you so much, Dr.

Mitchell.

I mean, Mr.

Mitchell, uh, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you.

Um are we okay with approving a 45-year contract?

Uh that's a long time.

It's a long time.

The law, the state law allows us to do that.

And the but practically though, does it make sense to have a 45-year contract with one city?

Shouldn't we just like see how it goes?

Well, the agreement is to have a land bank.

The uh idea is that uh land banks can only exist with a partner is a city.

If you don't have a city uh associated with the land bank, you have to cease and desist before that if you recall Decatur withdrew and we didn't have a land bank for quite some time.

So the essence of having the land bank exists starts with that.

No, I understand.

The the partners can be added.

You can actually add more cities in the future but the uh agreement with them.

Okay so really Lithonia is just our check mark to say that we can exist as a land bank because you have to have a city yes as our dancing partner if you don't have a you can't dance.

We can have a dancing partner that's fair and you can add more cities.

Okay I mean as if the law department's okay with a 45 year contract I'm just I guess there's the only question would be like if a future city leader decided you know we don't like the land bank you know go kick rocks does this agreement allow us to change the city it allows you to change within that 45 year period the um provisions go like this if land bank is in existence and you want to add three cities the board does not have to approve on that the land bank has the authority to add cities as part of the contract is one of the last exhibits in the contract allows you to add cities with the voting agreement with the board chair within the land bank.

Okay.

So cities come on board you don't have to come back to the board to get permission.

But if the land bank doesn't exist then you have to come back to the board in essence why we're here too do other cities want to join you think do other cities want to join do you think my judgment yes I think Clarkson is uh as Jad new administration they would like to join there are others that will have to join and to make it is going to get out with our board to pursue presentations to get them to join okay great thank you.

Thank you so much uh Commissioner Terry Thank you.

With that I we have um exhausted any questions open up the uh for a motion motion to approve second all those in favor?

I thank you so much I appreciate it and thank you so much for uh being here's a second presentation of ready ready when you are oh this is a um an agenda item which we would like to get your permission to in essence purchase two vehicles uh give me one quick second let me go ahead and read out the agenda item and that's 2026-0228 all commission districts purchase of two vehicles for the community development department right ahead uh thank you commissioner uh the key punchline here is that it's no cost to the county uh the funds to buy these new vehicles are being paid with federal funds uh so that's the punchline we would like to have you authorize us to be able to buy two vehicles and uh the rational notes are going to come in the next slide uh and and they don't exceed in excess of uh 9000 just eighty nine thousand dollars they're actually two uh we need vehicles to supplement we currently have we have two vans uh and one GMC today but uh we we need more vehicles to accommodate uh several things one demolitions there's a need to travel to the demolitions we travel uh remotely throughout the whole county to execute demolitions there's a lot of back and forth for general contractors site reviews notice of proceed uh it's quite extensive with demolitions we also have to do environmental reviews every transaction everyone displaced uh in any dwellings there's a lot that goes on with environmental reviews so my endless has to drive around take photographs per HUT regulations to ensure that we capture everything for environmental reviews it's something we do that most people don't understand or see but it's a lot of mass paperwork and photographs that have to be taken so they have to travel around the entire 270 square miles uh squ within the Cap County also special purpose housing repair we have individuals that repair homes um our precious seniors have homes that are in atrophy we have a old housing stock so we have to get out and do what contractors to be able to facilitate that.

Last point is that we go to the cities we have twelve cities we visit with our corporate agreement I was at Stone yesterday now I don't drive these vehicles just to let you know I don't I'm not I don't have access to Rod these and all that.

So but these are for the employees within the county but we do have employees that have to go to cities to take on administrative contracts.

Also key point homeless individuals we have street outreach which we know and love and they have to get access to uh assess individuals that are on house subsequently make uh determinations and take them to shelters we have frontline as the shelter but we also have six other shelters that we tend to forget about they all are in the city of Atlanta which means that people we pick up we have to transport we also have to administer T B tests which is kind of interesting but they have to be administered before they admit it to a shelter.

So those are some of the justifications of why we need additional vehicles.

The two are displayed here one's the an equinaut which is about 30 thousand the other is the TIHO which is about 6000.

And that's our request.

Appreciate and understand um the need for um vehicles, particularly as the last presentation we saw, or at the last, I guess the one before the last now, um, at this point in terms of some of the older homes and where those were uh particularly located, and over the 500 and somewhat uh miles that we have here in DeCab County understand and get that.

So appreciate you for your presentation and your hard work and service.

With that, uh Commissioner Terry, um, I believe he had a question first.

Yes.

Um I see that the source is the HUD grant C D B G V.

That's the C V.

Uh it's a COVID uh reference.

Uh all the grants that came from HUD that were.

Okay, so this is like leftover funds that getting up.

Yes, gotcha.

Okay.

Um did did correct director Gordon recommend these vehicles?

Uh yes, he did.

The one of the other factors is that your permission allows us for the agenda item to be added to the fleet.

So I'll buy something, but you need to grant permission to be added to the fleet, which means you get a file, you got gas, uh first things repairs.

So he's approved he's in agreement with us, and he recommended these vehicles.

We met with him, and all the documentation actually uh goes back to Fleet.

And he he didn't recommend um electric vehicles?

Uh no.

We didn't get we got recommendations for those two.

We preferred to get a Tahoe uh and a Tahoe that is not kind of an electric form that I'm aware of.

Okay, but uh these were uh suggestions.

You want a Tahoe for transporting individuals?

It supplements the plane.

We have two vans that transport homeless individuals.

We also needed a more a larger SUV, the transport individuals as well.

So the Tahoe would go with the street outreach guys.

The uh Equinaut will go with the staff, those individuals that do the staff work, the professionals that run.

So they don't have any six-passenger vehicle that's electric available.

Um we didn't request electric because of other costs.

All right, yeah.

Well, I mean, you know, like trying to save the environment here, Director Mitchell.

You know, and and by the way, the electric vehicles have a lower total cost of ownership, so it actually would save us money if we went electric.

Because there's less maintenance on it.

Uh I'll also say that it's a little harder uh when I did my own search before I bought my vehicle to find larger vehicles that have the capacity for a charge to be able to do the the amount of traveling that I could summarize you guys.

No, I think they're like 300 mile ranges now.

I mean, you're not how many miles a day are they traveling?

Uh I could guess the man, I don't know the exact number of buttons.

It's not 200 miles a day.

They're all they're all over.

But is it over 200 miles a day?

It is a pretty lot.

So sometimes yeah.

I and I can imagine with uh not every day, but sometimes.

I could imagine getting up in the morning and having to travel wherever and meet the needs.

Um any other questions related to that and vehicle choice, Commissioner Terry.

I'm only gonna respectfully ask that we take that you know offline and send an email so we can go ahead and get through the rest of the agenda.

They definitely have a version of the equinox that's an electric vehicle.

Okay, I could look at that.

Again, and yeah, so anything else in terms of vehicle choice, I'm gonna ask um, particularly if it's gas or electric, we take that offline.

With that, thank you again, um director, for being here and for your axe for your questions.

Um having exhausted any particular questions as it related to the item itself, not necessarily which type of vehicle.

Um I will entertain a motion.

And then Commissioner Longspears did have a similar question as Commissioner Um Terry, but that was answered with Commissioner Terry.

So she did have opportunity to ask that question.

So thank you for your response because you addressed um her question as well.

With that, I open up the floor for motion.

Motion to approve.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Have a good afternoon.

Thank you.

Any opposed any opposed?

Aye.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Commissioner Terry.

Want to make sure you get your voices heard and recorded as well, sincerely.

Um I want to be able to provide an opportunity as well for um the agenda item, which is presently the last.

Um, but is you know what?

Let me let us get through a little bit more of this if we don't mind.

Um we have agenda item.

Okay.

Let's get it through um just one or two others, and then we'll go ahead and jump in.

We have agenda item 0120 presented by the um CEO, Commission Districts 1 and 7, intergovernmental agreement with the City of Tucker for pedestrian trail easement, public parking improvements, and maintenance responsibilities.

Is there anyone here to speak on that?

Thank you.

Uh interim County Attorney Phillips.

Sure.

Madam Chair, this is a an item that goes with the fire station that's built being built there.

There is a park, I understand, right next to it.

The easement granted by the county to the city will facilitate a trail that will go right next to the fire station and the parking lot will facilitate some additional parking so the public who's going to the park, not necessarily to the fire station will be able to go, and it's a partnership with the city of Tucker.

We will work out maintenance and we're working out the fine details to get that contract completed as we speak.

Thank you so much.

Do you have any questions, Commissioner Terry?

Okay.

All right, seeing none, open.

Motion to approve item 0120.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Thank you so much.

The next is uh from um parks and rec that's agenda item ending in 0231, Commission Districts 5 and 7 to approve a tree trim easement between DeCab County and uh DeCap County and Georgia Power for easement at 1116 Rock Chapel Road, that's in Lithonia, Georgia, 3002, parcel ID number you can read for the amount of 12,396.

And uh great afternoon.

Yes, and before Mr.

Bass speaks, I'd like to introduce our new parks and recreation director, uh, Christopher Bass.

Um he's been here all of 24 hours.

So I think he's he's on top of all of the issues.

Um but no Mr.

Bass uh comes to us from uh is it Douglasville?

Douglasville, um, did an outstanding job in their parks program there, and we're glad to have them on our team.

So thank you.

And um just very briefly though, um, if we could have Paige, if you don't mind, if you can go out to the podium.

Because I, for one, um, and particularly being the um PECS chair, want to tell you that I sincerely appreciate all of the work and everything that you've been doing.

Um, being interim isn't always easy.

And you know, when we had that vacancy, nothing, the ball got dropped.

You continue to roll with it and do what you had to do to make sure that our parks and rec department and the cab county, um, everything was well met and all of the needs of our constituents.

So thank you for that sincerely.

Thank you so much.

It's been a pleasure.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Good evening, Madam Chair.

Um, so really quick, this item um is a uh to approve a uh tree trim easement between the CAP County and uh Georgia Power for uh tree trimming and clearing at um Rock Chapel Park.

Um, and in this, the county will receive um 12,936 dollars for this easement.

Thank you so much.

And we also are joined by uh Commissioner Robert Patrick from District One.

Thank you so much for joining the committee.

All right.

And so is there anything else you'd like to uh speak to that um about it or that's it?

That's it, yes.

All right, thank you so much.

Commissioner Terry.

Okay, and then I see the 12,936 is gonna go to the is that like a is there like a Rock Chapel Park like CIP fund or something?

Yeah for improvements.

That's correct.

So that 12,000 amount will go into an award that can be spent for improvements at the park, correct?

Okay, okay, very good.

All right, no further questions.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

With that, willing to entertain a motion.

Uh motion to approve.

Second, all those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Thank you so much.

Thank you again.

The next uh agenda item ends in 0165.

That's again human services.

Um that is all commission districts.

Change order number three, contract number one two nine four three seven nine, and change order number one to contract number two zero zero zero three five three in-home services for older adults, persons with disabilities, and their caregivers for the use by the department of human services.

This contract consists of the provision of the in-home services, homemaker personal care, and in-home recipe for the non-medical home and community-based services.

HCBS to older adults and persons with disabilities who reside in DeCab County.

This request seeks to increase the contract funds for CPA 129479, and that is for REM KICS Health Care Services Inc.

to allow for the progressing of outstanding October and November invoices.

This request also seeks to ratify purchase order number 5056985 and increase contract funds in term to home to, I'm sorry, to June 30th, 2027 for CPA 2000, Coastal Home Care LLC, DBA Help at Home awarded to Remkins Healthcare Services Inc.

and to Coastal Home Care LLC, DBA Help Home.

Total amount not to exceed 1,2727 even.

And I appreciate thank you so much.

Thank you, Madam Chair, and members of this PECS committee.

And last November, the board approved the original change order.

And so what this is seeking to do is uh for a purchase in action for us to be able to pay the last two invoices for uh for the last vendor and then to extend the contract with the current provider, have funds added so we can pay them through uh June of uh 2027 underneath the existing contract within our existing budget.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate it.

All right, and that's June 30th, uh 2027.

And just just offhand, can you share uh when the original contract was supposed to end?

The original contract was uh not to exceed one thousand uh one million two hundred thousand dollars.

All right, fantastic.

So we're gonna the last invoices uh the last two are thirty-seven thousand dollars uh for October and November of uh 2025.

Fantastic.

And and that was my point that you know only uh a slight hike, and I appreciate you sharing that.

Commissioner Chair, do you have any questions?

Uh yes, thank you, Madam Chair.

Just to understand the sort of the um the handoff for um help at home taking over.

Is are they just literally taking over the old contract?

Are there any new changes to it?

Taking over the exact uh the same exact contract.

Okay that was what that's what the board approved in uh in November 2025.

Gotcha.

Okay.

Rem Kicks no longer is providing that service.

They no longer they elect to terminate their contract due to personal reasons.

Is what it says here in the change order request form.

Um then so the number of seniors being served by this contract is gonna remain the same?

105.

105, okay.

So everything is basically the same.

Yes.

There's no changes, no change, there's no reduction in services.

No, no.

So they're just doing it for the same cost of doing business.

Exactly.

Okay, gotcha.

Um, and then remind me again, what's the so I know I think I asked this for RemKIS, but what's the the minimum wage or the average wage for the CNA's with help at home?

That's something that we have to go back and uh and check.

I don't really know their hourly wage offhand.

I know that's something that you raised and it's something we looked at, but it's underneath the contract terms of whatever they agree to pay their employees, not uh as you know their subcontractors and then our county employees.

Right, understand, understand.

Well, I really would like to see um individuals that are in that are taking care of seniors be paid a living wage.

Um so I'll be I have no problem approving this, but would like to have that that um minimum wage and or average rate because I imagine there are some more senior nursing assistants that might be paid a little more.

But just if you could help us understand what the the baseline pay is under this contract, yes before we vote on it at the next the full board meeting.

Thank you so much.

Oh, sorry.

That's it.

Okay.

And thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

And if need be, um, we'll put it on Commissioner Terry's bill if we need to have uh a bit of an increase there.

We'll let him take that.

Commissioner uh Patrick, do you have any questions?

Thank you so much.

Seeing none, I open the floor for a motion.

All right, yes, motion to approve item 0165 uh with that requested information.

Thank you.

Second.

Thank you.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you so much.

And uh we are at our close to our our last agenda item, and that is agenda item ending in 0178, all commission districts acceptance of FTA funds by 5310 funds from the Atlanta Regional Commission and the amount of $73,093 for transportation at no coast that at the cost of the county, excuse me, of eighteen thousand two hundred and seventy-three dollars and forty cents.

Uh thank you, madam chair.

This is an annual item each year uh human services uh request uh funding and applies for a grant from the Federal Transportation Authority for funds through the Atlanta Regional Commission for Transportation Services for those seniors age 16 and above that do not uh have access to modern mobility or 88 parish transit.

Uh so this grant uh that we were awarded, as I said, the annual item for this year would be $73,009 and fifty-eight cents with a required match of eighteen thousand two hundred and seventy-three dollars and forty cents.

Uh that matches already in our existing budget, so it's no fiscal impact to the Cap County.

Thank you so much.

Your honor, Director Scott.

I appreciate it.

You have any questions, Commissioner Terry?

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.

Just the um regards to the transportation app, uh DeCab Aging Database.

Uh, some of these funds will be used to enhance the app for new routing and scheduling for providers.

So is it is there do we have another vendor that is upgrade upgrading the app?

It's actually in-house.

Um you say uh IT is working on it.

Well, IT we have a staff person, he actually won a 2025 Innovation Award for DeCab County, Mr.

Jimmy Books.

Uh so it's an in-house app that was developed.

Oh, he created the app.

He won the award for this app.

Yeah.

Hey, all right.

Got the innovation award for 2025.

Okay, great.

Okay, so some of the funds will be for enhancing the app, so there'll just be some additional external costs potentially.

They provided the initial funding for that service, and it's something that we uh use to help our seniors get from point A to point B.

Okay.

And would you mind um before we vote on it?

I mean, this is great.

I appreciate you bringing it forward, and obviously we want to support it.

So uh would you mind just giving us some stats on how many um like trips are sort of taken annually?

This will provide um services to 200 seniors, and we project 3,046 trips for this fiscal year.

Okay, so 200 seniors that qualify or that just qualify.

They qualify.

Okay, that's because they're like in the MARTA mobility ADA paratransit sort of system, but they might this is just our trips.

We were for output mobility and ADA transportation.

Okay, but in terms of the 200 that qualify, or do they qualify because they are qualified for MART mobility?

They would qualify for our transport human services transportation services.

Gotcha.

Okay.

That's what this fund is.

And how do they what was so only 200 qualifying?

Well, 200 that requests the service, and that would they get to our system, yeah.

Okay, okay.

So 200 have been using the system right as funding allows.

If there's a lot more funding, then a lot more seniors can be so than any the dollar mountain.

Uh-oh.

Well, look who you're talking to.

Yeah.

Um well, if you could just share with us um, I mean, if there's a wait list or just to help us understand the demand, because I don't know if 200 is a good amount.

Maybe that's enough, maybe there's other seniors who would like to use it but don't know about it.

But we we assess everybody that uh that requests a service, okay, and and then based on the eligibility and the criteria, like I said, they would either be referred out some eligible for Medicaid transportation, but typically and um this is what we've been averaging about 200 of seniors that qualify for our services.

And as I stand here, I'm not aware of a long uh wait list uh of that magnitude where we uh don't have seniors that have access to transportation.

Gotcha.

Okay.

Well, um yeah, would love to for you all to share the DeCab aging database DAD.

Yep.

Who came up with that?

Rob Robert did.

Um just so we can help uh spread the word.

Yeah, thank you.

Thank you so much.

Um Commissioner Terry, and I was just briefly say to that point, I was um picking up tacos at Magic Taco and um ran into uh one of our employees that was driving the mobility uh van, and they share that you know there is a need and constantly full and for drivers and good vehicles, so that may be something that we can you know touch bases about online just to make sure you have what you need to continue to great work, and so thank you for all of the work that you're doing.

Commissioner Patrick, do you have any questions or comments?

Thank you so much.

With that, I would like to take a motion.

Motion to approve.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you so much.

And I also want to um just give a shout out um to our CIO, Mr.

Shelton.

Congratulations.

Uh that didn't skirt too far underneath for us to have to you know recognize uh the work that that you're doing.

So thank you so much for that.

Just wanted to give you kudos.

The last agenda item, last but not least, is uh Board of Commissioners Super District 6, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you so much for putting it forth.

That's agenda item 0104, Commission Districts 6 and District 4 to allocate 200,000 from the CIP fund to Georgia State University.

Go Panthers Matter Mata for the remaining uh the Stone Mountain Trail as a cultural corridor project for artistic crosswalks and path markings.

Thank you so much.

All right.

And and I'm sorry, uh we have Professor Um Fernando uh Robershaw from Georgia State, and then I probably got that wrong actually.

Uh, and then uh Director Singer might have some additional context too.

Well, I'll just say thank you, GSEU Panthers, for being here.

That's you know, there you go.

Is your microphone on so we can hear you?

Right.

Yeah, and then you can't.

All right, fantastic.

And go right ahead.

My name is uh Fernando Rochet.

I'm in my uh I'm an associate professor of art history uh at George State University, Premier College, and I'm a proud Clarkston and DeCab resident.

Thank you for the time to present connecting communities, reimagining Stone Mountain Trail as a cultural corridor.

Together, these project materials outline design work to transform a five-mile stretch of Stone Mountain Bicycle Trail from Avondale Estate's Martest Station through Clarkston into a vibrant public art destination.

I'd like to bring your attention to the map on the screen.

Located in pop-ups or a couple of the art projects my students at Perimeter and I have worked on for the past couple years, and this whole trail is the segment that we're going to work on.

At its core, this project does three things.

It recognizes its own mountain trail as a critical transportation infrastructure.

The project reframes it as a shared cultural space, and it will use participatory design to ensure that residents, businesses, and other key stakeholders become true shepherds of the work.

Instead of simply hiring professional muralists to impose a vision, we empower the community to serve as co-designers.

We are building a process that invites trail users and neighbors to co-author the trail's visual narrative.

The plan focuses on designing artistic crosswalks, path markings, and related trail graphics at key locations.

15 major intersections, 10 small restriping areas, trail entrances and parking lots, and two pedestrian byways.

The crosswalks will be deliberately scaled to create a continuous visual language along the trail, legible to pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and visitors.

Once the designs are complete, professional vendors specializing in thermoplastic applications and traffic markings will handle the installation, ensuring that the artwork meets all safety and durability standards.

The vision is ambitious.

But we're here to transform an underrecognized stretch of bicycle trend to a large landmark cultural asset that celebrates local heritage, enhances safety, and circuits community bonds.

Research from Bloomberg Philanthropies reports that well-designed artistic crosswalks can reduce pedestrian crashes by 50% and increase trail use by 30% when paired with strong community programming and clear wayfinding.

These designs will be more than visually interesting.

It's a proven strategy to slow down vehicles at high high traffic intersections, increase driver awareness, and make walking and biking feel safer and more inviting.

In the early discovery phase, we will form an advisory group, launch a website, social media presence, and host kickoff events across the three municipalities.

The next phase centers on design development, precipitary design workshops, community art walks, and a creation of digital models and renderings.

A third phase deepens and refines the work through Meet My Designer events and public art education and public art education series.

The final phase consolidates community feedback and finalizes designs and prepares detailed documentation for future installation.

Equity and participation lie at the heart of our methodology.

The Georgia State Design Team will not only act as distant experts but as partners and facilitators in a participatory design process.

Through surveys, listening sessions, and hands-on workshops in Avondale Estate, Scottsdale, and Clarkston stakeholders from business owners, students to elders, faith community leaders, and recent immigrants will be engaged as co-designers.

The team will develop toolkits, templates, and manuals with community members to make the research and design work itself a tangible benefit rather than just a means to an end.

Workshop participants will generate imagery stories, patterns that reflect their lived experiences, which the design team will translate into multiple iterations of each cross-hock tomorrow.

Community members will help uh review prototypes through in-person sessions, rank voting, sentiment analysis on online feedback so that the final designs generally reflect local values and narratives.

The project is designed so that people who use the trail and those who have historically been excluded from planning conversations can see themselves in the work and have multiple ways to contribute.

Senior personnel staff include me, project director, who will lead the effort and coordinate stakeholders and oversee the design quality, a part-time assistant director who will guide the decision team, a design team, and manage production after workshops.

Six undergraduate students will receive stipends to support outreach workshop facilitation, data analysis, and prototype design, ensuring emerging creatives gain meaningful paid experience and community engaged art practices.

Additional funds cover workshop materials, community event supplies, brand development, translation services, and media support, all along with the goal of equitable, multilingual and sustained engagement.

Taken together connecting uh communities describes more than a public art project.

I've outlined a comprehensive model for creative placemaking in DeCow County that could ultimately complement uh the county's trail master plan by coupling evidence-based safety improvements with deep inclusive community engagement and design practices.

The Stone Mountain Trail Corridor has the potential to become a living gallery, a safer mobility route, and a teaching lab for students and a shared civic asset that reflects the communities it connects.

Community members will know, and community uh community members today, this is more than just an art project.

It's an infrastructure improvement that prioritizes identity and safety and community ownership.

By the project's end, we will have co-design a technically rigorous roadmap to turn the trail into world class cultural asset.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Go ahead, Commissioner Terry.

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.

I appreciate Fernando for presenting on this.

Um this was a funding item that we approved in last year's budget.

Um, but as many of y'all know, it takes a minute to go through the procurement process and get all the paperwork uh and then you know, work with Georgia State.

So appreciate that y'all worked a lot last year to get all of these ducks in a row and get all the paperwork done.

And so um, Madam Chair, what we're doing today is uh approving the contract basically.

And I am really excited about this.

Two things I just will reflect on what uh Fernando talked about.

Um, is one the the safety.

I think that's really really important.

Um I can personally attest that I have seen bicyclists and pedestrians be hit and or almost be hit along the length of the Stone Mountain Trail because I do run that often.

I had biked it before, and um unfortunately, because the Stone Mountain Trail is like the original trail, a lot of the road crossings, crosswalks have basically been have disappeared, um, or they're not at grade, and so there'll be like you know, some smoothing uh for safety, some there's various locations that don't have any markings at all, no markings at all.

To share the road, basically.

Yeah, exactly.

Um so hopefully, this is kind of a dual purpose.

One brings some art and culture uh to you know an amazing amenity for you know tens of thousands of residents in this area, uh, but also improve the pedestrian safety.

So we're excited about it.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Uh Commissioner Terry, uh Commissioner Patrick.

Um, I'll say I like the concept and uh observe that it's a different district.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Patrick.

And I'll tell you the potential of reduction of vehicle speeds uh is um very attractive.

Umgoing.

I hear constituents complain about the speeds of vehicles in and around certain communities, and that seems like a you know, sort of a low-cost way to address it.

So um thank you so much.

Okay.

Thank you for being here with us today.

Very sincerely appreciate your time.

With that, I'll open up the floor for a motion.

Thank you.

Motion to approve item 0104.

Second.

All those in favor?

Thank you so much.

I appreciate it again.

Uh, my appreciation for all y'all's uh staying, you know, behind this late.

My apologies that we did get started late, um, but I'm appreciative of the fact that we got through our another agenda.

So Shannon and Commissioners and Mrs.

Atwaters, we got through another agenda.

Thank you for being here at our apex meeting.

Thank you.

We'll take a four minute break.

All right.

Four minutes, and so um uh the chair, uh, commissioner Terry uh Fab will commence in four minutes, and that will put you at about 5 35.

All right, motion to advance.

There you go.

Second, all those in favor?

Aye.

Hi.

Thank you.

Enjoy the rest of your day.