Good morning, everybody, and welcome to the Board of Commissioners meeting.

I'm your presiding officer in District 4, Commissioner Shekira Johnson.

Today is Thursday, February 26th.

Um, we do have to shuffle the schedule just a little bit.

Our inspirational speaker has not made it in the room yet, so we're gonna start with the Pledge of Allegiance by Commissioner Dr.

Ladina Bolton.

If everyone could please stand.

I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God and visible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

So now we will actually roll into our present or proclamations if we are ready for those.

We'll start with the Black History Month, Trailblazer Honoree, and then the National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month.

If you are comfortable, let's go down to the floor.

Thank you.

All right.

Anthony, did you want to bring your colleagues with you, your daughter?

Okay.

All right.

Well, um, good morning, everybody.

Happy Thursday.

Uh it's nice and raining outside, unfortunately, but we do need the rain to make the world run the right way.

Today, not paying attention.

Uh in honor of African American History Month, this being February, uh, look throughout the district for someone that I think is uh really a pillar, someone that's a leader in the community.

And uh Anthony Delgado with iCare Atlanta was the person that came to mind.

Uh you may not remember this, but from way back in the Doraville days, uh, I was over the zoning that brought you guys into downtown Doraville.

And it's been a pleasure having you there.

Obviously, with the pandemic, as things got worse and worse, uh, people like yourself, we're really critical in helping our residents.

Thank you.

And uh, as you've said, it doesn't matter about the color of your skin, doesn't matter where you come from.

I'm not gonna steal your line.

It's a good line.

But um uh Anthony has been one of those leaders in the community that has always been there.

Uh a good backbone that helps everyone stay above level.

And so for that, we appreciate you being here.

If I could ask the clerk to read the proclamation into the record.

Whereas Anthony Delgado is a visionary leader, humanitarian, and founder of iCare Atlanta, whose life journey from personal adversity to purposeful service exemplifies resilience, redemption, and an unwavering commitment to uplifting individuals and families in need throughout DeCap County and beyond.

And whereas, inspired by compassion and a single act of purpose, he founded iCare Atlanta in 2006, growing one bag of bread into a movement that has provided food to more than 300,000 individuals in need.

And whereas through resilience, marine corps training, and unwavering dedication, he has built a trusted organization serving thousands each month through strong community partnerships and volunteer support.

And whereas Anthony Delgado's life and leadership have earned widespread recognition, including but named a 2014 All-State Champion for Good for his devotion to ending homelessness in Atlanta.

Induction into the Hall of Fame of Atlanta Tribune, the magazine recognition as humanitarian of the year by Sisters Inspiring Sisters, being honored as a holiday hero by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and national features in time and Esquire, reflecting the profound impact of his service and unwavering commitment to uplifting those in need.

And whereas, through innovation, efficiency, and compassion, he has expanded sustainable food distribution programs that restore dignity, inspire hope, and create pathways toward long term stability for individuals and families in need.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that on this 26th day of February 2026, I, Commissioner Robert Patrick, in partnership with the DeCab County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proudly recognize Anthony Delgado as the 2026 District One Black History Month Trailblazer Award, recipient for his extraordinary achievements and steadfast commitment to serving DeCab County, Robert Patrick, District One.

Before I give all of this to you, uh obviously want to afford you an opportunity to speak and then remind everyone that although Anthony has been in time and Esquire, he's also on Robert Patrick's TikTok as well as Facebook and Instagram.

So please check him out.

Anthony, please introduce yourself to the people.

Get me up this morning to do what I do every day.

I want to thank Madam CEO.

I want to thank Patrick, Commissioner Patrick and our fellow commissioners for having me here today.

Thank you so much for this award.

Okay, thank you.

Now here we go.

I'm not good at reading speeches, but that's thank you so much for continuing for the continued support of iCaralana.

We are truly honored to have partners and sport supporters like you who believe in our mission and stand with us as we serve our community and our citizens.

Your generosity brings joy, hope, and civility to families throughout Georgia.

And for that, we simply cannot thank you enough.

Our food bank is open to everyone across the state of Georgia.

And even though it is Black History Month, we proudly serve each nationality and every background.

Hunger has no color.

Your stomach and your stomach, your stomach and your stomach doesn't care about race.

They care about daily living.

That is why we do this work to make sure no family goes without and no child goes hunger.

This month, we especially inspire inspired by one of our community volunteers who chose to honor Black History Month by organizing a day of service, Food Drive with local with local youth.

They spent the day learning about Black History leaders who dedicated their lives to service, and then they honored that legacy by collecting and packaging food for families in need.

That act of giving reminded us that Black History Month is not only about remembering the past, it's about lifting each other into today.

If we can help just one person a day, then I feel the job is done because the smiles, the gratitude, and the simple thank you from those who we serve are more than enough.

And now I am one of who gives back to those who are in need.

That is the heart of iCare Atlanta, and that is the heart of this community.

Through the monetary donations and your helping hands, we could continue to keep families fed, lift spirits, and strengthen neighborhoods.

You make our mission possible, you make hope possible from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you all for believing in us, standing with us, and helping us to continue doing what we do for Georgia.

God bless you all.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

As well as that right there.

And if you'll stay with us, uh, we're gonna have you get pinned afterwards.

It's a good pinning.

Okay.

Uh yeah, if we've got the time, I'd love to be able to do that.

One three.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Good job.

Good morning.

Come on, y'all.

Let's not let the weather get us down.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Thank you all so much for being here today.

Before I get started with my proclamation, I am honored to announce that we're having our third annual State of De Cab Animals event on April 1st.

Everyone is invited.

It's a free event.

We have a great lineup of speakers.

We'll have lunch, and then we'll have two breakout sessions afterwards.

Registration opens on February 28th, right?

Yep.

Registration opens on February 28th.

Again, I encourage everybody to please go and check out my website, Michelle Longspirits.com.

You can go to the SODA page.

We will lovingly refer to it as that, the acronym and register there.

It is my honor to present the proclamation recognizing February as National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month in DeCab County.

Pets enrich our lives in countless ways.

They greet us at the door, comfort us in difficult moments, snuggle next to you at night, or at least me, and become cherished members of our families.

With that love comes a shared responsibility to protect their well-being, ensure that they live a high quality of life.

Expanding access to affordable spay and neuter services is one of the most compassionate and effective ways that we can prevent unwanted litters, reduce pet overpopulation as we've been experiencing at our shelters and ease the burden on our shelter, which, as everyone knows, has been overpopulated for quite some time now.

Just as importantly, spaying and neutering improves animal health, helps pets live longer, and reduces the risk of preventable diseases, giving them the chance to live the safe, healthy lives that all of our furry friends and family deserve.

Here in DeCab County, we are proud to partner with Lifeline Animal Project, Georgia's largest spay and neuter provider in the state.

Since 2004, Lifeline has performed more than 225,000 surgeries, including nearly 70,000 for community cats.

Through our Spay Neuter Impact Program, or SNP, we have provided more than 1,500 free surgeries to residents, helping reduce shelter intake and promote responsible pet ownership across the county.

Under the leadership of District 2, we have also supported community spayathon events that provided more than 300 free surgeries, along with sponsoring high-volume, high-quality spay neuter wet labs, which have given us a real glimpse at how to do mass spay neuter, be most efficient and effective with our veterinary teams.

National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month is an opportunity to educate, to engage, and to recommit ourselves to policies and partnerships that save the lives of our furry friends.

Together we can ensure that pets across DeCab County live safe, healthy lives and loving homes.

Miss Rebecca Gwynne will be our speaker today, so if you wouldn't mind making your way to the front, are you here?

There she is.

I was looking for you earlier.

While she is coming up here, I am so proud to say that in this year's budget, assuming my colleagues approve it, there is a very ambitious plan to include additional funding for spay and neuter services so that we can spay and neuter several days a week throughout the week, which will dramatically hopefully reduce the overpopulation in our shelters.

I'm also very proud of the legislation that we have passed in the last few years, including a litter registry, which has been rolled out.

It started on January 1st, and we're continuing to get the word out, as well as the prohibition of transient sales of pets, dogs, cats, and rabbits on sidewalks, on in parking lots, etc.

So those are just two examples of legislation that your DeCab County governing authority has embraced.

We have become leaders in the animal space and the entire nation.

So now, if the Madam Clerk would please read the proclamation into the record, and then we'll invite Rebecca to come forward and say a few words.

Whereas pets enrich the lives of DeCab County residents by providing companionship, strengthening families, and contributing to the well-being of our community.

And whereas hundreds of thousands of healthy adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized each year due to limited resources and a lack of loving homes.

And the DeCab County recognizes that all domestic animals deserve responsible care and the opportunity for safe lifelong homes.

And whereas increasing access to affordable spay and neuter services is a proven humane and effective way to reduce pet overpopulation, prevent unwanted litters, and decrease the number of animals entering local shelters.

And whereas spaying and neutering improve animal health, help pets live longer, and reduce the risk of certain preventable diseases.

And whereas DeCab County has expanded access to affordable veterinarian care and promoted responsible pet ownership through its partnership with Lifeline Animal Project, Georgia's largest spay and neuter provider, which has performed more than 225,000 surgeries since 2004, including nearly 70,000 for community cats.

And whereas, through the DeCab County Spay neuter impact program, a partnership with Lifeline Animal Project, more than 1,500 free spay and neuter surgeries have been provided to residents reducing shelter intake and promoting responsible pet ownership across the county.

And whereas, under the leadership of Commissioner Michelle Long Spears of District 2 DeCab County, has supported two community spay a thon events, providing more than 300 free surgeries along with high volume spay and neuter training days that increase access to affordable care and strengthen local veterinaria capacity.

And whereas National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month provides an opportunity to inform residents about the importance of sterilization and to encourage participation in programs that promote responsible pet ownership and life-saving care.

Now, therefore, I, Commissioner Michelle Long Spears, along with the Board of Commissioners on behalf of DeCab County, and its more than 775,000 citizens, do hereby recognize February 2026 as National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month in DeCab County, and encourage all residents to support efforts that strengthen families, promote responsible pet ownership, and ensure pets access across DeCab County.

Live safe, healthy lives, proclaimed this 26th day of February, 2026.

Commissioner Michelle Long Spears, District 2.

Now we'll hear from the executive director, CEO of Lifeline, Rebecca Gwynn.

But before she says a few words, today I'm wearing red in honor of our red shirts, our animal advocates.

So if we have any of our advocates out in the audience who would like to come forward to be in the photo, please make your way now.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

Do you want your classes?

Okay.

I might need them.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Spears, all the commissioners.

We're I'm really grateful for the opportunity to be here today.

And uh the blue shirts showed up.

The Lifeline.

There you go.

Our Lifeline team here to be in the photo.

Thank you for to all of you as well.

I appreciate the uh Commission recognizing Spay and Neuter Awareness Month, and I especially want to thank Commissioner Spears for her leadership in truly advancing meaningful prevention initiatives here in DeCab County, as she mentioned.

Um I believe we are we're Lifeline in partnership with DeCab County is doing more than any other county in the state.

And I I think with some of the new initiatives that we're talking about that hopefully will come to fruition, um, we will have the strongest and most um aggressive program in the country.

Uh at its core, spay and neuter improves the lights of the life of uh and the quality of life and health for pets.

It helps them with longer, happier lives, it prevents unwanted litters, and uh hopefully it reduces the number of animals entering the shelter who uh were there because they were born without a plan.

But affordable and accessible spay neuter is also a community issue.

Uh, it is vital to public health, it supports families and neighborhood stability, and it's one of the most responsible and cost-effective investments a community can make in long-term animal welfare.

Lifeline was founded here in DeCab County in 2002 to build a stronger system for animals and the people who love them.

And Spay neuter has always been the cornerstone of that system.

Many of you know us as the operator of the DeCab County Animals Shelter.

But our first program here in DeCab County, our first partnership uh was with our Spay Neuter Clinic starting in 2004.

And since then, as you've heard several times, so you should all have this memorized.

Including 70,000 surgeries for community cats, which is really an astronomical number.

Our work has created a prevention infrastructure that serves thousands of families every year.

And our partnership with DeCab County has allowed that work to truly expand.

And this means healthier pets, supported pet owners, and a more stable future for our community.

Under Commissioner Spears' leadership, you heard about the Spayathon, where we did uh in partnership with DeCap County, Commissioner Spears, and Pause Atlanta, we did over 300 uh spay neuter surgeries, and all these surgeries are free.

SNP is a free program, by the way, as well.

Uh and also the uh the high volume veterinary training days uh that we did at Life Lines Clinic with the the uh leadership of Commissioner Spears, uh we're helping create surgical capacity and access to care across the state.

We're hoping to expand that access even more in the future, and we are grateful to Commissioner Spears for her smart leadership on this issue with her leadership and the leadership of the CEO and her team, particularly the CO Williams here.

DeCab County is choosing to invest in prevention, not just responding to shelter challenges, but addressing them proactively and sensibly.

And in my mind, that is really what responsible governance should look like.

As we recognize this month, I encourage residents to take advantage of the resources available.

If you have a pet, as Bob Barker used to say, Spay and your pet uh as part of their care.

If you know someone who needs assistance, tell them about the SNP DeCab program.

Uh and if you truly care about the well-being of animals in DeCab County, please support efforts that keep pets healthy and in their homes.

Uh I want to close by saying when government and community organizations come together, we can improve outcomes for animals and we strengthen families and neighborhoods.

Thank you for your partnership and your continued leadership.

Thank you.

Cool, thank you so much.

On three, three.

Thank you.

Anthony Okay, thank you, everybody.

Okay, thank you, everybody.

And at this time we will have our inspirational speaker.

If Reverend Samuel Scott will start making his way to this front podium.

Good morning, sir.

It is my honor to induce Reverend Samuel Scott, a native of New York City.

Reverend Scott is a distinguished scholar, having earned his doctorate in theology from the Slidell Baptist Board.

He is also a proud certified veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having faithfully served our nation with honor and commitment.

Following a successful career as a businessman and former furniture store owner, Reverend Scott answered our higher calling.

Today he serves as pastor of Pavilion of Hope Ministries in Scotdale, Georgia, where he continues to uplift, inspire, and lead his community with wisdom and compassion.

In addition to his pastoral leadership, Reverend Scott is a dedicated member of the Scotdale Toby Grant Performing Arts class group.

Today he brings history to the life as he portrays Dr.

Carter G.

Woodson, known as the father of black history.

Please join me in warming warmly welcoming Reverend Samuel Scott.

And I also would like to thank Miss Gwendolyn Thomas and the members of the Scotdale Toby Grant Performing Arts class group visiting with us today.

Good morning, sir.

How are you?

Good morning, everyone.

Good morning.

Good morning, Commissioners.

Good morning, distinguished guests.

About three and a half, four minutes.

So I'm sure we can stand it that long.

I'm gonna be talking about a brief summation of Dr.

Carter Godson Woodson.

And he is one of the progenitors or the ones that started Black History Month way back in the 19 early 1900s, which was made into law in 1976 through Gerald Ford.

So I'm going to begin reading.

Hi, my name is Dr.

Carter Godson Godwin Wilson.

I was born on December 19th, 1875 in New Canton, Virginia.

I am the child of former slaves, James Woodson and Anna Elijah Riddlewilson.

I worked as a sharecropper and a minor to help my family.

Following in the footsteps of W.E.B.

DeVoice.

Today the organization is called the Association for the Study of Black American Life and History.

Now which is called The Journal of African American History.

And to help educate his cheat American studies, I created the Negro History Bulletin in 1937.

I also formed the Black Owned Associated Publishers Press in 1921.

I held a number of teaching positions, including principal of the Armstrong Manual training school in Washington, D.C.

I was also a dean at Howard University.

And also a dean at West Virginia Collegiate Institute.

I selected February for the initial week-long celebration to honor the birth months of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and former President Abraham Lincoln.

This program was later expanded, picking up steam in the 1960s admit the civil rights movement.

In 1976, Gerald Ford became the first president to recognize Black History Month in a message to the public.

He encouraged Americans to seize the opportunity to honor the not too often, the two excuse me, the too often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area and endeavor throughout history.

And sparked a presidential tradition that continues to this day, but is now being threatened.

Congress passed the law in 1986 designating that February as a black history month.

I passed away on April 3rd, 1950 at age 74.

I would like to leave with you one of my favorite quotes for you to carry on your journey.

Those who have no record of what their forefathers have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from teaching biography and history.

Thank you very much for this time.

Have a great day.

Stay out of the rain.

Thank you, Mr.

Scott.

If you'll hold on, I'd love to come down and give you a pen real quick.

Thank you.

Thank you, everybody.

At this time, we will start comments from the public.

Madam Clerk, if you will read in the instructions.

The purpose of public comment is to allow the public to voice county-related requests, concerns, or opinions during the commission meeting.

Speakers will only have the opportunity for one public comment per meeting.

Each speaker must please complete a speaker card and present it to the clerk before the beginning of the public comment portion of the meeting.

Cards turned in to the clerk from the time the general meeting is convened, generally 9 a.m.

And by the beginning of public comment portion, generally following presentations on the agenda.

The clerk will accept cards on a first come, first serve basis.

Prior to the clerk's call for public comment, speakers who are residents of DeCab County shall be allowed to speak before residents of other counties are allowed to speak.

Speakers will be allowed to speak for three minutes each, and public comment shall not exceed 30 minutes in length.

When the buzzer sounds to indicate that time has run out, the speaker will be expected to immediately cease speaking and to yield the podium.

Those who submitted speaker cards but did not speak because of the time allotment will be allowed to speak first at the next regularly scheduled commission meeting without regard to residents.

Speakers should always talk directly to the microphone and begin by stating their name, full address, and the name of any organization they represent.

Abusive, profane or derogatory language, holding up signs, clapping, yelling, standing or laying in the aisles to show support for opposition to a speaker will not be permitted.

But a show of hands and quietly standing in place will be permitted to show support for or opposition to a speaker's position.

Speaker is Larry Foster.

Mr.

Foster, good morning.

I'm Larry Foster.

In my last public comment, I stressed the importance for politically active residents in both South and North DeCav to work together to address our common problems, especially in opposing the creation of large data centers here.

These large data centers are primarily being promoted by and for the benefit of the ultra-wealthy 1% at the expense of the rest of DeCab County's residents who will face higher costs, more toxic air pollution, and loss of jobs as AI increasingly displaces human workers even in white color positions.

Here are a few of the problems that data centers in DeCab will cause or exacerbate.

At a time when DeCab County is engaged in a multi-year effort to replace its aging water and sewer system and thus will be regularly raising water rates periodically for the foreseeable future.

The large data centers will require staggering additional amounts of water that would it will also then discharge in polluted form, thus stressing an already overstressed water system and leading to even higher charges for residents.

At a time when the Public Service Commission is routinely raising electricity rates in the face of increased demand due to global warming and business needs, the enormous amounts of additional electricity required to run the data centers will further stress an already overstressed electrical grid and lead to significantly higher costs for residents.

At a time when lack of affordable housing is a major problem in DeCab County, the data centers will remove large areas of valuable DeCab County land that could be more productively developed for much-needed housing or other more constructive revenue and job creation purposes.

And at a time when there's already too much industrial pollution in much of DeCab County, the data centers will produce large amounts of toxic ultra-fine particle pollution that travel deep into the lungs and bloodstream, increasing the risk of asthma, heart attacks, stroke, and premature death.

The Memphis Data Center has already produced strong pollution, including diesel odors and others, and has uh impacted breathing problems, headaches, irritation of lives and throat and eyes and throat among uh residents near it.

To conclude, at a time when many in DeCab, many DeCab County residents are struggling to survive and are angry about high food costs, housing problems, and inability to pay for health care.

The BLC would be ill-advised, in my opinion, to further disadvantage them by voting to approve damaging data centers in DeCab County.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Madam Presiding Officer, we had some uh people that didn't have an opportunity to speak last meeting.

And I need to call them.

Yes, ma'am.

Dr.

Conrad Latash.

Dr.

Conrad, if you're present.

Okay, next morning.

Clint Monroe.

Mr.

Monroe.

Okay.

Okay, next.

Jim Smith.

Mr.

Smith.

Next, please.

Jocelyn O'Neill.

Miss O'Neill.

Okay.

Sally Sears.

Good morning, Miss Sears.

Good morning.

I'm Sally Sears.

I live on Harvard Road, and I am happy to represent the DeCab County Park Rec and Community Affairs Cultural Affairs Advisory Board.

We really appreciate the fact that all of you have put people on the board who have been looking after the Rec Park and Cultural Affairs staff and the parks and recreational facilities around the county.

And it seemed to me and the members of our group, time to give you folks an update on what we've been up to because you've supported our work so well through your votes.

In the last two years, the Trails and Green Space Master Plan has been ambitious and connective community engagement.

We advocated for it, and you folks voted full support for it.

One of the reasons I think that's important is the data center question has raised a lot of issues about how we're going to accommodate those when they come, if they come.

And we do think that the Trails and Green Space Master Plan offers some opportunities to ameliorate some of the worst of those effects, making those connections more important as insulation against those bad effects.

We appreciate the fact on the Park and Rec Board that parks have often become a refuge for folks who need housing.

People spending the night in their cars in our parks.

We think that the new CEO's housing officer can help alleviate some of those problems along with some of the public safety work that you folks have helped to fund and the CEO has helped to plan and put in place.

Park Pride is an organization that has been very creative in DeCab County and very successful.

Forty-five friends groups at group at parks across the county.

Last year there were five more, stretching from entrenchment Creek to White Oak.

And I hope some of you folks appreciate the work Park Pride has done in your commission districts.

I have an agenda for 2026 that our new co-chair, who is Marita Johnson, excuse me, Commissioner Johnson's appointee, Coach Allen, Dennis Allen was was to have been with me today, but because of some of the complications of speaking, we are happy to say that we're geared up, ready to go, and there's a couple of vacancies on our board.

We hope y'all will consider filling those vacancies and helping us roar with the new staff at Rec Park and Cultural Affairs.

A great staff we've supported.

And now with new leadership, we look forward to the next great things you folks can help us to do.

Thanks.

Thank you, Ms.

Sears.

And our last speaker from our last meeting is Francisco Stunk Stunger.

Francisco, are you president?

All right.

Okay.

Jan Dunaway.

Miss Dunaway, good morning.

Good morning.

I'm Jan Dunaway, Feldford Subdivision, District 4, and a DeCab Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor.

I support the substitution of the data center text amendment, which you'll be voting on later in today's meeting.

Where does the chemically treated water from closed loop cooling systems and data centers go?

This has been a concern since October after learning that a water glycol mix antifreeze is used in the closed loop cooling system.

The CEO stated in an email in December and October 17th of 2025 that it cannot be discharged into the sewer or stormwater system.

The text amendment states that if any effluent leaves the cooling system through sewer or stormwater, then an industrial pretreatment permit will be needed.

A recent frontline documentary titled Contaminated the Carpet Industries Toxic Legacy, which uncovered the contamination of water, soil, and people with PFAS forever chemicals that went on for decades.

The carpet industry had an industrial treatment permit, which did not protect the citizens nor those that live downstream.

We do not know what the long-term impacts of these chemicals used to for cooling the data centers are, and having an industrial pretreatment permit will not protect us.

Glycol or dielectrics are not safe for wildlife, waterways, or people.

An article by Keto's.com dated in December of 25, explains why water quality, not just quantity, is often the overlooked piece of the puzzle.

A data center can be designed to use 50% less water, but if it pollutes a river or overloads a sewage plant, the harm to the community is far worse than the water usage.

DeCab County is under consent decrease since 2011 due to sanitary sewer overflows polluting our streams and the South River.

DeCab has asked to extend this deadline since we won't make the 2027 deadline.

DeCab County has paid millions of dollars in fines over the years, and we're still paying them.

The BOC asked us to pay 10% year over year for 10 years for our sewer bills.

We need not only to address the water center data center water usage, but can our two treatment centers handle this water?

We need to ask is this transparency?

You need to explain it to us.

You need to talk to us.

Maybe we need a moratorium until we meet the can uh the obligations of the consent decree.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Gina Mangum.

Ms.

Magnum.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I'm Gina Mangum.

I live at 8179 Pleasant Hill Road in East DeCab County.

First, I'd like to thank our team of volunteer citizens who have worked tirelessly to conduct research and provide valuable information to our elected officials as well as community residents.

Though we've been accused of providing misinformation and lacking credible sources, that's just not the case.

The white paper we provided back on November 20th of last year was well researched and documented by local experts in their respective fields.

Jan Dunaway, who you just heard from, has served as an active district supervisor for DeCab on the Soil and Water Conservation Board for more than 20 years.

She wrote the section on data center water usage and its likely adverse effects on our water.

Kenyatta Stevens, a respected epidemiologist, provided the facts on potential adverse health effects of data centers, which were confirmed at the public hearing by Dr.

Jules Crawford, who works for the CDC and serves on the DeCab Health Board, as well as Dr.

Hank Sigelson, a seasoned professional from the Emory University School of Medicine.

The section on environmental concerns that discusses statistics on how the current state of pollutants in South DeCab can adversely affect our health and welfare, were derived from a study conducted by Science of Georgia.

While you claim that we're not experts, neither are you.

What are your sources to support your positions?

Data center campuses as opposed to data centers are a new phenomenon.

We are all learning more each and every day.

Yet we are not paid for our work, but you are.

Back in September, we made requests to present our well-researched data and concerns to the BOC, the Committee of the Whole, and the PECS Committee and the Planning Department, but no one would meet with us.

I'm still baffled by elected officials who refuse to meet with their own constituents except for one.

Commissioner Ted Terry read, actually read our white paper, met with us and held a community-wide town hall to really listen to our concerns.

He seems to be the only one that accepts science and recognizes why large and hyperscale data centers are not a good fit for DeCab County.

The undisputed facts are our water system is broken, our industrial zones are close to existing neighborhoods, and our environment, particularly in South and East DeCab, is already polluted.

Justice requires that we don't put any additional strain on our communities.

The only sensible solution is to limit the size, location, and number of data centers.

That's why we support Commissioner Terry's amendments proposed today, and we urge you to vote yes to accept them as a reasonable solution to protect our health, our generational wealth, quality of life, and future.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Angelia Presley.

Ms.

Presley.

Good morning.

Good morning, Commissioners.

Yes, I'm Angela Presley.

I'm Angela Presley, an environmentalist and sustainability consultant and HBCU university professor.

And like most constituents, I'm concerned about data campuses.

It seems there's nowhere to hide and nowhere to run from these data centers.

Yet we don't know the environmental impact of them.

We don't know how much water exactly they use total and based on the number of data centers in Georgia or how much particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, the number of trees cut down, or the ratio of residential homes to data centers.

None of these definitively.

That's a huge footprint.

Therefore, let's mitigate the size of them, the location of them, and the number of them.

Unlike rural communities, the CAB biggest impact will be among residents.

I'm concerned because emissions have no borders.

I also want to protect our drinking water.

All water sources and streams are interconnected.

The other point I would like to make is that in business 101 says industry's first defense is to grow your capacity on the ones that are working, like agriculture and tourism.

They're among our top industries at 78 billion dollars and 45 billion dollars, and they could be in jeopardy based on data center energy use.

Finally, Stax Engineering estimates a 2023 study that data campuses campuses generators emit significant amounts of particular matter, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide pollutants that degrade air quality, contribute to climate change, and pose serious health risk to nearby communities.

Please consider these issues and your decisions, and let's find out what the exact environmental impact will be to our area to Georgia.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, ma'am.

Jackie S.

Malcolm.

Jackie, are you present?

Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning, Commissioners.

How are y'all doing?

Doing it.

Hi, my name is Jackie S.

Malcolm.

I live in District 3 off of Bodacrest.

This is an area where the 1 million square foot data campus is proposed.

My South community and surrounding neighborhoods do not approve of this data campus.

We are aware that the Text Amendment, thank you.

We are aware that the Text Amendment as well as the application for the data campus has been deferred.

I'm speaking on behalf of my community to let you know we have not changed our minds about having a data campus within our community.

We, the citizen and the people do not want this type of development on of a data campus near us or around our families.

No data campus should be allowed nowhere in the Cab County.

Why?

For all the reasons we stated in the white paper.

During the six-month monitoring, I encourage all commissioners to do their own research on the data on the dangers of a data campus.

Not a data center, a data campus.

Here in the CAP, we are still dealing with water issues for the next 10 years.

The CAB is in a water decree.

This simply means our water bills will increase.

Last year the PSC voted to expand the grid.

This means Georgia Power will most likely pass the calls down to their customers.

We the people do not want or need or support the development of a data campus.

It will not bring employment for our community.

It takes away available land, space that can be used to reserve for homes.

Billing homes on available land can bring rooftops with every family moving in.

It can bring kids to the surrounding schools.

Back in 2008, the Cab County wrote a small area plan for our Cedar Grove community.

We are now in 2026.

This is 18 years later.

What?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

My question is, what happened to this project?

It is on the Cab County records.

This is totally qualified, okay?

The question is, why hasn't this plan been implemented?

The area where I'm at now, we're starting over a small area plan, and we are trying to get help with Commissioner District 3 and Commissioner Super District 6.

It makes no sense for us to start over when you have on the records already from all those 18 years ago that we have a plan that's never been implemented.

So I do support the amendment that Ted proposed for data campus data centers, not data campus.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Stephen Benny.

Good morning, Mr.

Benny.

Commissioners, I would like to request more information regarding the walk-on easement swap item proposed by the county attorney at the end of last week's CAL meeting.

It seems to date from 2022 reciprocal easement agreement with Henrico 183 LLC for park improvement and economic development purposes.

It appears to involve Black Hall Studios and Entrenchment Creek Park.

If it does, the public needs and deserves to be made aware of what is happening in their name.

Last week, Andrew Young stated it could be anywhere in America, anywhere on the planet where people don't realize that freedom is not free.

I never imagined that place would be DeCab County, but it is.

Under the guidance of our county attorney, who has a history of being cautious and avoiding conflict while shying away from new and innovative approaches in governing, the DeCab County Commission voted four to three to withdraw an item asking ICE to stay out of our county, among other things.

Mr.

Patrick, how many Hispanic and Asian families are there in your district?

Not enough for you to stand with them, I guess.

Combined with your position or lack thereof on campus data centers, this vote could make your re-election campaign harder than it should be.

Ms.

Johnson, what motivated your vote?

Clarkston, the most diverse square mile in the country, is in your district.

All I can say is that I am embarrassed to be your constituent.

Miss Davis Johnson, have you been talking with the Republicans again?

As I recall, you were the main force behind the building and placement of the John Lewis statue in downtown Decatur.

Mr.

Good Trouble himself.

Your vote last Tuesday must have him shaking his head in heaven.

There is a long history of nonviolent protests in America in which people have put themselves in danger.

Labor unions, Rosa Parks, Janey Goodman and Schwarner, the marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, MLK, Kent State Vietnam protesters, and too many others.

Most recently, the murders of Renee Good and Alex Petty by ICE.

Whatever her reasons, this vote would not have happened without the approval of CEO Cochrane Johnson.

Recently, the CEO was recognized as a black history living legend.

At that time, she said, when I hear the words black history, I think of sacrifice and resilience.

I think of generations who walked so we could run and sometimes crawled so we could stand.

I do not see any walking, running, crawling, or standing on February 10th.

I saw cowering and hiding, hoping that Master Trump won't notice us and take out his anger on us.

This may be Black History Month, but I think the black present is missing.

Martin Luther King Jr.

once said the greatest stumbling block is the moderate who is more devoted to polite order than actual justice, preferring a negative piece to the presence of truth.

I agree.

I prefer the presence of truth.

Finally, in the words of William Shakespeare.

Thank you, Mr.

Benny.

Next speaker, please.

Lance Hammonds.

Mr.

Hammond.

Good morning, Madam Chair and Commissioners.

My name is Lance Hammonds.

I live at 693 Water's Edge Drive.

I'm in District 4 and District 7.

I come to you today as a member of the Mosaic Community Health Center board.

Mosaic was formerly known as Clarkson Community Health Center and originally established to address the critical gap in DeCap County, providing health care access to our new American population who at the time had little or no access to public health.

Mosaic has a long history in DeCab of stepping into the gap and serving where few would jump jump in.

What began as a focused response to one vulnerable community has now expanded to serve uninsured residents across DeCap County, working families, seniors, service workers, and individuals who fall into the coverage gap with no realistic path to care.

It's important to emphasize that Mosaic is a nonprofit organization funded entirely through private donations.

There's no guarantee of public funding and no dedicated tax allocations.

The organization has sustained itself through the generosity of donors who believe health care access is a foundational need for community stability.

Although there's a proliferation of urgent care centers coming to our community, you still need cash.

In a state where Medicaid is still not an option, demand will continue to grow.

The residents lack access to primary care and preventive services.

They delay treatment.

Delayed treatment becomes emergency care.

Emergency care is the most expensive form of health care.

Those costs ultimately impact our hospital systems and our taxpayers.

It reduces uncompensated emergency room visits.

It manages chronic health conditions before they escalate.

It keeps residents healthy enough to work, support their families, and contribute to our tax base.

The county already invests in public safety infrastructure and different things that serve our community.

We respectfully ask DeCab County to consider adding mosaic to the health care network infrastructure to help fill the gap of uninsured residents in our county that it already serves.

Thank you for your time.

Jeremy Cole.

Good morning, Mr.

Cole.

Good morning, Commissioners.

Jeremy Cole, who live at 240 Greenwood Circle.

I'm the executive director of Mosaic Health Center, and I'm delighted to be here.

We are, as Lance said, a full-time clinic devoted exclusively to providing access to health care for the uninsured in our community.

I want to thank the commissioners first for your commitment to investing in the health of the community.

Our nation and our community faces a crisis in terms of access to health care.

Our state, our state already has the second highest rate of uninsured individuals in the country.

1.2 million Georgians.

The bill that was passed last summer is forecast to add an additional half million Georgians to the roles of the uninsured.

Not surprisingly, then, we have the fourth highest rate of medical debt.

We're burying people in debt in our state and in our county just because they get sick.

None of us are healthier in this context.

Not individuals, not families, not businesses, not hospitals, and not our economy that sees rising health care costs.

Well, many people say health care is complex.

I disagree.

It's very simple.

At the end of the day, if someone needs to see a doctor, they should be able to without being buried in debt.

This is what motivates us at Mosaic Health Center to continue growing our impact in partnership with the county to be a solution to this crisis of health care access in our community.

We know that expanding access to primary care saves lives and saves money because it's so much cheaper to help someone to stay well than to treat them once they're really sick.

I'm here on behalf of the 1,500 individuals, new Americans as well as Native born Americans who have fallen through the cracks, who we served at Mosaic Health Center last year.

I think of an individual like an older woman who came to our clinic last year.

She moved from a state that had expanded Medicaid.

She had good coverage there with Medicaid until she came to Georgia.

Her chronic condition means that, like so many others, her only choice for care was the emergency room for a chronic condition that is treatable in a primary care clinic.

She told us she was so thankful to find Mosaic.

We're providing her ongoing treatment for a chronic condition, giving her free medications, and she's on the road to a healthier life thanks to being given access to the care she deserves.

Health care for all is not just possible and it's not just practical, it's necessary.

It's necessary for us to heal the wounds of our nation and to get back to the business of believing in people to do great things when we help them stay healthy and not go broke just because they get sick.

Thank you for the partnership in this work.

We are grateful and we look forward to the good work ahead.

Thank you, Mr.

Cole.

Patricia Jackson, Ms.

Jackson.

Good morning.

And how much do we time do we have?

This is our last one.

Three minutes.

Three minutes.

Okay.

Thank you, ma'am.

Good morning to the members of the Decay Board of Commissioners, especially our chair.

My name is Pat Jackson, and I live on Kensington Circle in Lithonia.

I am president of the Council of Excellence at the Lou Walker Senior Center.

I am here today to present a petition on behalf of those senior members of the Lew Walker Senior Center who have signed it.

This petition addresses the lack of a functioning kitchen causing a food desert for our members.

We have not had a kitchen capable of serving hot nutritious meals for several years.

We know that some funds have been allocated, thanks to our great commissioners, to replace and update equipment and appliances, and we're requesting that those funds, along with other funding be released now to get this kitchen operational again at the Lou Walker Senior Center.

We urge the board to honor the budget commitment made for this infrastructure project.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this urgent matter.

Thank you, ma'am.

Will Johnston is our last speaker.

Mr.

Johnston, last speaker.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Will Johnston, 1182 Vaughn Street, Clarkston, Georgia.

I'm here with the DeCab Housing Roundtable members.

And also speaking for MicroLife Institute.

At MicroLife, we spend our days thinking about housing the way some people think about traffic or weather.

It shapes everything.

Whether a family can stay, whether a teacher can live near their school, whether a young professional builds a future here or a senior can age in place.

The fiscal year 2026 budget is not just a spreadsheet, it is a statement about who gets to belong in DeCab County.

Dr.

Ferguson's proposal to invest 12 million in the fiscal year of 2026 and 15 million in 2027 and beyond into the affordable housing fund is a bold and practical commitment.

Moving from a percentage formula to a defined annual investment gives this county clarity, predictability, and the ability to plan real projects instead of hoping for leftovers.

This budget also creates a dedicated housing office with the staffing needed to execute.

Plans without people are just paper.

This ensures we have the capacity to deliver.

It strengthens the tools that matter, the Affordable Housing Fund, the housing opportunity bond, and research into a community land trust.

These are not abstract concepts.

They are the mechanisms that expand supply, preserve existing homes, and open doors to attainable homeownership.

It addresses homelessness and housing instability with prevention, stabilization, and supportive services that prior prioritize dignity and long-term outcomes.

It builds a coordinated housing ecosystem across agencies, nonprofits, and private partners so that we are rowing in the same direction instead of drifting in a parallel.

And it leverages local dollars to attract state, federal, philanthropic, and private capital.

Every public dollar becomes a catalyst rather than a ceiling.

Most importantly, it moves us from conversation to construction, from strategy to stability, from vision to visible results.

Adopting the fiscal year 2026 housing budget is how Dacab says we are serious about being livable, equitable, and forward thinking.

Let's fund the future and say we want.

And it's fund the future, the sit the future that we want.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

And that concludes our public comments.

We will roll right into our public hearing section.

Madam Clerk, if you will read in those instructions.

Citizens may speak for or against an item that is considered by law to be a zoning ordinance.

And each side will have 10 minutes to present its case.

Citizens may also speak for or against an item that is placed on the public hearing agenda, but it's not a zoning ordinance.

In that case, each side will have five minutes to present its case.

In the event there is more than one speaker per side, speakers must debate their time in order to complete their full presentation within the 10 minute time allotment of the five-minute time allotment.

When the buzzer salves to indicate that time has run out, the speaker will be expected to immediately cease speaking and to leave the podium area.

Prior to speaking, a speaker shall complete a speaker card and present it when approaching the podium.

If the speaker has any documents for the commissioners, the speaker shall provide 10 copies when approaching the podium.

Seven copies are for the commissioners and the remaining copies for the planning director, the county attorney, and the clerk.

In all zoning ordinance and traffic common cases, staff shall make their recommendation for action to the commission first followed by applicants or citizens speaking in favor of the item.

Applicants in zoning ordinance cases shall have the right to reserve time for rebuttal.

Opponents of a zoning ordinance item shall have no right of rebuttal.

For all of the items placed on the public hearing agenda, applicants or citizens speaking in favor of the item shall speak first, followed by the opponents of the item.

Once the citizens have finished speaking, staff shall make a recommendation for action to the commission.

At this point, citizens are no longer allowed to speak unless called to the podium by an individual commissioner to answer questions or provide information.

Speakers should always talk directly into the microphone and begin by stating their name, address, and the name of any organization they represent.

Abusive, profane, or derogatory language will not be permitted.

Holding up signs, clapping, yelling, standing, or laying in the aisles to show support for or opposition to a speaker will not be permitted.

But a show of hands of quietly standing in place will be permitted to show support for or opposition to a speaker's position.

Thank you.

Our first item on the public hearing is on the budget.

Item 2026-0194.

All commission districts to adopt the 2026 annual budget.

Good morning, Mr.

Seeker.

Morning, Madam P.O.

and Commissioners.

So this morning you should have received an updated version of the substitute agenda items that had the amendments as recommended by the FAF Committee yesterday.

It's the same as what was sent out last night, just a few minor corrections, uh, didn't change any of the numbers in it.

Um so I'll go ahead and I have a uh short presentation to go through.

And what we want to start off with is talking about some of the amendments that were approved or recommended for approval through the Fab Committee, um, starting with the housing and affordability.

So the 2026 budget funds 12 million dollars for our office of housing, which will be um used to fund various programs to uh implement our our comprehensive housing strategy.

Uh that includes road to home, supportive uh permanent supportive housing, the day center, uh, several other things, um, as well as providing permanent staffing for those programs.

Um, and the goal with that funding too is to uh issue housing investment bonds that are gonna allow us to leverage that funding to provide more uh funds for construction and other um programming.

And uh the annual funding going forward will be 15 million dollars starting in 2027.

In addition to that, there's funding for workforce and economic development, including 1.9 million dollars for work source to cab coming from the general fund.

So that includes 1.3 million dollars for expanded programming as well as additional $600,000 for the summer youth program.

And we've also included funding for the Chamber of Commerce at $100,000 and $75,000 for a urban three land value and revenue analysis, which will be helpful as we go through the zoning code update and make investments in housing and other programs.

Another investment is in expanding health care access.

So there's 1.4 million dollars that is added in the amendment for Med Cure Health, and that's to uh purchase and operate a mobile unit as well as to establish a new point of contact.

And those funds are coupled with 1.5 million dollars that were in the original budget for mosaic health.

And that's really important at this point where people are having more trouble affording the health care with some of the cuts to the ACA.

And there were several other investments through the general fund, um, including $1 million for the Arts Council, a million dollars for the voter education and outreach, a million dollars to establish a tire recycling program, $780,000 to expand services provided through Lifeline Animal Project, as we heard earlier earlier during the meeting.

There's funding for two paralegal positions, one in the law department and one under the uh public safety director to help facilitate court dog cases.

Um there's $500,000 for food security initiatives, uh including expanding current initiatives with the mobile farmers market with Rataza and funding a study to uh to develop other strategies for for food security, and then the creation of the community inclusion manager within the CEO's office.

Okay, outside of the general fund, there's also uh funding that was added to uh invest in our workforce in public safety.

Uh the first being for fire rescue.

It includes salary adjustments for uh firefighters up to the captain rank, um, as well as zero premium health insurance, housing allowances, holiday pay, and uh county contributions to the Georgia Firefighter Pension Fund.

Um in addition to those investments for firefighters, uh there is an increase to the county's minimum wage to $19 million, or excuse me, $19 an hour.

$19 million would be great.

Um, but that that costs two million dollars across all funds within the budget.

Okay, the next slide.

I know this is very small to read, but this just kind of lists out all of the uh various uh items included in the amendment.

Okay, um, and just uh to recap what our approach was with this budget was to really focus on core services and funding any of the new um programs that were initiated last year.

That was I should say in the initial budget presentation or proposal.

Um we expanded far beyond that as part of the amendment, you know, to fund new new programs and services.

Um of the things that were funded in the initial budget, though, were additional funding for the American Medical Response Contract, and to um implement the real-time crime center and the digital shield program for the police.

Uh we were also looking to build rebuild our county uh reserves, and um some of the items that are received or the requests that were received at the beginning of the budget process remain on hold, and we'll continue to consider that throughout the budget year.

Uh this budget too was the first that we've developed under the strategic framework that was developed by the the CEO's office that included six different priorities, including enhancing public safety and building trust, uh enabling modernized and resilient infrastructure, promoting responsibility, transparency, and best practices, uh improving housing accessibility, uh investing in economy and workforce in advancing accessibility and elevating quality of life.

And you can see how the proposed amendments uh directly feed into these these priorities that were set out as part of the strategic roadmap.

Another item that informed this budget was the TACAB reimagined initiative, which is based on recommendations from the Maldon and Jenkins assessment.

And there's really five primary goals of the of DCAB reimagined.

That's to build a high performing organization and preferred place to work, optimize cost and existing resources, embrace innovation and operational efficiency, operate strategically for better community outcomes and to improve customer satisfaction across all touch touch points.

And so as that process continues, there may be other impacts to the budget that will be brought forward later in this year.

Then uh speaking of fund balance, we uh started this year with a projected ending fund balance of 78.8 million dollars in the general fund, which was equal to 1.6 months of expenditures based on the proposed um FY26 budget.

And then uh the projected fund balances for all other tax funds were a total of 51 million.

So the proposed budget as it stands now would increase the general fund uh reserves to 105.2 million, which is uh 2.1 months of expenditures in total uh tax funds reserves would increase from 129.8 million to 155.2 million, which is equivalent to 1.8 months.

Um the CEO has set a goal of having 33 percent or or four months of fund balance by 2029, so we have a ways to go to get there, but this is an improvement on on where we've been uh last several years.

So uh the next slide just shows the trend in the fund balance uh really going all the way back to 2010.

Um see that we increased through several years, but then we started to see a decrease really starting in 2022, and uh we began rebuilding that in uh 2025, and that's our goal to continue that this year.

Some other items that are uh nearing completion or uh will be completed probably later this year would be our paying classification study as well as our user fee study, and those will help to inform later budget decisions as well.

Okay, uh we already mentioned the the ambulance contract, the increase in that, so that was funded at um 7.5 million dollars in this budget, assuming a start date of July 1.

Uh there's also a facilities master plan that we received uh early this year, and that's going to be used uh especially during our capital planning, which will be kicking off really this spring, and hopefully have a five-year CIP recommendation uh for the board's consideration this summer.

And uh that also you know segues into the next point.

Here is that uh the capital requests that we received as part of this budget are mostly on hold until we're able to complete that planning uh process.

Okay, this just reviews the timeline for the uh budget process.

So we're uh at the second public hearing in the adoption of the budget today.

Um the FAB committee made the recommendation.

Um really it was yesterday, but it it slide has the wrong date there.

But um we are about to cross the finish line, hopefully.

Okay, uh next couple slides just show sort of a high-level overview of the budget.

Um, the first being the tax fund revenues.

So you'll see the uh pie chart there.

Uh the largest part is dark blue, that's the general fund at 61%, followed by the police fund in the orange color at 15%, fire funds at 11%, then we have um the designated fund at 6%, unincorporated fund at 3%, and the hospital fund at 3% as well, and then the unincorporated bond fund is at 1% of the tax fund revenues.

Okay, uh the next slide is just showing the tax funds uh in a table.

So uh you can see that we've increased the fund balance from 129.8 million to 155.2 million.

Uh total tax fund budget is just over a billion dollars.

And then for all the funds, um we're over 1.9 billion dollars, which is an increase of about 1.8 percent from where we were last year.

Okay, and finally, we have uh just links to our uh budget office website as well as to the proposed budget.

Um we've also included this presentation as well as the amendments to the uh website, so those are available for the public to see.

All right, so that concludes my presentation.

Thank you, TJ C O O Williams.

And what I'd like to do, first of all, I want to publicly thank TJ and his team for all the hard work, and I want to thank the board of commissioners.

Um I think this was a very interactive process.

Uh we had uh many opportunities to hear your needs, your concerns, and I believe this budget reflects um incorporating the needs, the concerns, and the goals of not only the CEO but the Board of Commissioners, thus the entire governing authority.

Um this is my 13th budget, and I tell you what, this budget has a heart.

Uh if you look at what uh we're talking about, whether it's dealing with the housing affordability issue, issues of the unhoused, our furry friends, um, you know, uh health care access, right?

These are things that we have long talked about, but this budget actually puts money on each of those things and sets us on a path forward to show the community that we really care and we're interested in and being of tremendous assistance.

So thank you for everything.

Thank you, Mr.

Williams.

So this time we will open the public comment section.

If you are in favor of this budget item, please come to the mic in the back.

Those who are in favor of approving the budget.

I will make one final call for those who are in favor of approving the budget.

Please come to the microphone in the back.

Yes, ma'am.

Good morning.

Ebony Killian with uh DeCab County.

I live at Ed Corner of Building and Flynn.

I am in favor of approving this budget.

Thank you, ma'am.

Good morning.

Hi, good morning.

Um, I'm Beth Stevens.

Uh I am Fulton County resident, but I am the state and local policy director for enterprise community partners in their Southeast Market, and I also approve or urge you to approve this budget.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Uh first time I'm excited about housing in DeCap County.

I definitely want to say I'm the executive director for Habitat DeCab, Sharon Still, and I enthusiastically approve this budget.

Um, because just like uh Mr.

Williams says it does have heart.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Anyone else speak wishing to speak in favor of this item?

Good morning.

Good morning, Susan Adams, Senior Director of Operations at Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership.

Thrilled about the resources for housing that are forming into CAB County, and strongly encourage you to support this budget.

Thank you, ma'am.

Anyone else wishing to speak in favor of this item?

Yes, ma'am.

Good morning.

I'm Mijah Godfrey with House ATL, also DeCab County resident, District 2 and Super District 6, and I stand strongly in support of this budget.

Uh mostly because of what it does for making sure that there is a home for everyone in every stage of life all over DeCap County.

Thank you, ma'am.

Anyone else wishing to speak in favor of this item?

See no one else making their way forward.

We'll go to the other side.

Anyone wishing to speak in opposition?

Good morning, Mr.

Benny.

Good morning.

Good morning, commissioners.

I want to thank Mr.

Terry for all the Fab committee meetings he has been holding this month and the explanations of budget items given by the department heads.

Remembering when DeCab County's budget was under a billion dollars, I am a little concerned that the budget now will be two billion dollars.

Most of these funds come from property taxes, but recently a lot of our fees have also been increased, such as water and sewer and others.

In the near future, there is going to be an increase in sanitation fees, I understand.

I can't agree with the addition of an extra hundred thousand dollar allocation to each commissioner's reserve fund, that being 33%.

A total of 400,000 a year for commissioners to spend as they wish seems to be too much.

Then perhaps that money could be put towards housing or feeding homeless people.

An additional total of $700,000 to the Commissioner's budget or the county's budget, while trimming our courts and other department budgets seems just a little unfair.

With a half-point increase in our millage rate, what will the actual millage rate increase be when the rollback is added in?

I suggest that DeCab County drop the e-host tax credit as soon as possible.

The current trend of DeCab County seems to be an increasing of regressive tax types.

Both the county and its residents.

With the Georgia Assembly debating the elimination or reduction of property taxes, what purpose would the e-host tax serve in the future anyway?

With questionable federal and state funding in the near future, that extra penny may become very useful, if not necessary, to fund services in DeCab County.

DeCab County is currently maxed out on its sales tax allotment and can no longer afford to put to play property tax games and scams with that extra penny of e host sales tax.

It was a bad idea when passed originally back in 1980, but basically harmless.

Forty-five years later, it has become harmful and dangerous and must be corrected if DeCab County is to have the freedom it needs to service its resident going into an uncertain future.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

Benny.

Anyone else wishing to speak in opposition of this item?

I'll do one more call.

Anyone else wishing to speak in opposition of this item?

Seeing no one else, Mr.

Ziegler, if you will give your recommendation again, please.

Staff recommendations for approval of the substitute.

Thank you.

Is there a motion?

Yes, Madam Presiding Officer.

Um, as the Fab Committee Chair, I will bring the recommendation from the committee, and the recommendation is to approve the substitute.

Thank you.

Is there a second answer?

We can get our machines so we can hit the buttons.

Second for purposes of discussion.

Thank you, Commissioner Long Spears.

You'll hit your buttons.

All right.

Hit your second.

All right, thank you.

Commissioner Terry, you have the foreign.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Um I did want to begin by thanking um TJ and Zach for being available over the last several weeks to work with each of the Commissioner's offices and the committees to diligently go through all of the line items.

There were, I think, dozens and dozens of questions, TJ, that we went through uh yesterday and then the previous weeks that came out of the committees as well as the Fab Committee.

So thank you all for uh just being available for many hours to go through those line by line.

Um I wanted to call out a couple of things that were mentioned and maybe some that weren't mentioned, just as a highlight.

Madam Presiding Officer.

Um in the TJ did mention the food security initiative, so we did recommend yesterday the Fab Committee that's in the substitute, the expansion of the mobile food um farmers market.

Um it will um once the contract is updated, uh, Zach, there'll be a third location for uh the the North DeCab area.

And so the the goal is to continue the fresh on deck program uninterrupted uh throughout this year while increasing the um the reach uh to a third day.

Um thing that we did uh speak about with um uh Chief Housing Officer Ferguson as it relates to the overall housing fund.

Um the the key aspect there of the housing bond, which will allow for uh funds to be initiated uh within the next couple of years uh into the tens of millions of dollars we expect, um, if not hundreds, or at least a hundred, to leverage hopefully close to a billion dollars in new economic development.

And there is a really important case to be made about projects, particularly in Central and South DeCab, that have not been able to get off the ground because of lack of a public subsidy, and that's just the nature of the housing market today.

Um the cost of building new housing has gotten so expensive that there are projects that just aren't happening because of uh the numbers.

And so this is an opportunity for us to leverage our public investment to see that needed affordable housing investment.

We're talking right now with our constituents about the school closures that are being proposed.

And a lot of their a lot of that is a direct through line to new housing opportunities, missing middle housing, and just the dynamism of a housing market where individuals who are aging in place can downsize from a larger home to a more modest size home, freeing up their larger single-family home for families in neighborhoods where some of these schools are being closed.

And so there's a feedback loop that's really, really key to recognize as we invest in housing, it will support the community in so many ways, and in particular supporting our school system that does need you know more families moving in to keep up with that growth.

The other thing that was mentioned is how the housing fund will have annual uh programs with it each year that the board and the CEO will work on.

And one of the things I wanted to highlight that I'll be focusing on the FAB committee is related to something that our magistrate court, Judge Burl Anderson had announced at the last committee meeting about a citizen help center for individuals going through the eviction court.

One of the things that she did highlight is while they can provide information, they cannot provide legal advice to those clients or to those individuals who are facing eviction.

And Dr.

Ferguson did acknowledge that eviction defense funding to support those who are in the eviction court would be an opportunity for us to address the goals of the housing programs, which is keeping people in their homes.

We uh remember the report we received at the beginning of the year on the uh hotel motel count.

About 33 percent of the individuals, the families that we surveyed reported that they were in a hotel having enough money to pay for an apartment, but because they had an eviction on their record, were basically boxed out of attainable affordable housing and safe housing for their families.

And so these are you know upwards of a thousand children that are living in extended SAO hotels, and we want to support the families that are in that position right now through this housing funding, but also try to prevent future families from you know being cast out and not being able to uh get safe affordable housing.

Um we also have uh continued the youth violence prevention allocation, and so this will be a continued partnership with our human services department.

Um each of the commissioners has been um leading on youth programming in their districts as well as countywide.

And so thank you to um Zach and TJ for working and making sure that was continued in the budget so we can work with human services with the youth services department to ensure that we're investing in our youth.

Umly um I want to acknowledge um what I think is probably the most exciting part of this budget, and that is the increase of the minimum wage for our county employees.

Several years ago, the minimum wage was around $15 an hour, um, but the cost of living has gone up dramatically, and if you were making a minimum wage or somewhere near it, um, it in more recent years hasn't been a livable wage.

And so this increase from what's has been went from 15 to about 17 dollars an hour up to 19 dollars an hour is recognizing that the individuals who are frontline workers that are on the back of a sanitation truck that are out in the field, sometimes in very harsh weather with watershed, with public works, with roads and drainage, um, they are doing very, very hard work that puts them in harm's way, and and quite frank quite frankly, they are helping our community survive some of the worst um and aftermath of the environmental catastrophes we're experiencing.

So the recognition of their minimum wage being a living wage, um, I think hopefully is something that will show that we support um all of our frontline workers, just as we're doing with our police fire in E911.

Thank you, Madam President Officer.

I yield back.

Thank you.

Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Um again, I echo Commissioner Terry.

Thank you so much, TJ, CO Williams, the FAB committee, and the commissioners for everybody's hard work and investment of time and energy into the 2026 budget.

Um my first question is for TJ.

And it does relate to the proposed millage rate increase.

So we received a memo a few days ago, and in the memo stated that to fund these initiatives and what these initiatives refer to are what was really highlighted.

So housing is an example of that, health care access, animal well-being expansion, et cetera, is that in order to fund that and to ensure balanced budget, the administration proposed a half mill rate increase.

And that apparently will or is projected to generate approximately 22.6 million dollars.

And it one thing that I noticed in the presentation is that there was no inclusion of that recommendation in your presentation today, unless unless I missed it.

And I apologize if I did.

But can you talk to us a little bit about that proposal from the administration?

Um and just very briefly the process with the final vote being in July.

Thank you, sir.

So you're correct that the proposal from the administration is based on a projected half mill increase to the general fund.

And that is really to help balance out the need to increase our reserves and to be able to provide these services that are in demand.

And what we do really every year is we build the budget based on certain assumptions, which include assumptions about the tax digest, assumptions about the millage rates.

So what this is is this is again at this point more or less an assumption that there will be an increase in the millage rate, and it's based on an assumed tax digest.

And then what happens in uh really in May is when we get the tax digest data, and then we start to look at it and say, okay, were our assumptions correct?

And we are able to look at okay, this is the budget that we adopted, this is how much the tax digest changed, and then determine what the proposed millage rate will be that will be adopted officially by the Board of Commissioners in July.

All right, thank you, sir.

So please tell us and describe if the millage rate does not pass in July, it requires a majority vote, then how will the county continue to fund some of the new initiatives such as the housing office, the housing programs, the um animal well-being contract that was highlighted in the budget?

So I believe that Mr.

Williams stated yesterday that there would be the ability to access reserves if necessary, but I know that's certainly not desired.

So could you just talk to us a little bit about that?

Correct.

So if there's you know, if the millage rate is not adopted as we anticipated, or there could be other changes as well if the tax digest is not what we anticipated, um, there would have to be adjustments to the expenditure side, whether that's reducing expenditures or uh tapping into our reserves to cover that.

Okay, all right.

Mr.

Williams, did you want to add on to that?

Okay, Mr.

Sigler hit the nail on the head.

But the simple way of putting it is we are building a millage rate increase anticipating an annual appropriation, and we have expenditures that we've identified that anticipate an annual appropriation.

If that doesn't happen, year one could we go to reserves?

Yes, we could probably go to reserves, but there could not be a year two in three of these programs without a millage rate increase.

All righty, thank you so much.

So I believe the public needs to understand that um these two votes are not coupled together.

Today's vote on the 2026 budget is independent of the millage vote that will occur in July.

So just to read a statement so that everybody's crystal clear, the current budget proposal proposal does not bind the board to any particular action regarding the millage rate to be determined later this year.

The budget and the millage rate are governed by separate state and local laws and are enacted by separate actions by the Board of Commissioners.

However, it is appropriate to make calculations regarding the budget using assumptions about the millage rate, which is what TJ referred to earlier.

This is because the amount of ad valorum taxes owed to the county is determined by the millage rate, and ad valorum taxes are the primary source of income for the county.

So, in summary, the millage rate and the budget vote, which is occurring today, are not tied together.

So, in effect, you know, you can support this budget, but I don't have a crystal ball, and I don't know if we'll get a majority vote for a millage rate increase in July.

So those are again two separate independent votes.

My next comments relate to the presentation today.

So, first of all, thank you to Dr.

Ferguson for proposing to us and really just providing some visionary leadership around establishing a housing office and the housing initiatives that are so desperately needed in our community to really move the needle so that everyone who wants to reside in our county has a bed to place their head at night.

So thank you so much, sir.

And I really look forward to the HIB, the housing investment bond, and you rolling that out as well.

Second, um, I did want to acknowledge that the Chamber of Commerce has was proposed for an additional hundred or a hundred thousand dollars to go to the chamber of commerce, and then also as a reminder to commissioners and the community, we did vote on an additional hundred thousand dollars for the next I believe three years for leadership to cab beginning this year with that hundred thousand.

In addition, on the health care access slide, um, I'm so proud it's was something that at least I was one of the folks that recommended the MedCura Health as well as Mosaic.

So with MedCuri, it's 1.4 million to operate a mobile health care unit.

That's awesome.

I really think we're gonna realize some positive impacts on our community, and certainly it increases accessibility.

In addition to the 1.5 million for mosaic health to expand the health care access across to CAB County.

Um, kudos to both of those institutions for recognizing that health care access continues to be a challenge and will continue and probably worsen as we've all kind of anticipated and this year and in coming years as well.

Um, I'm excited about the arts council, the million dollars for the arts council.

There is a um kickoff for the arts council coming up very soon.

So hopefully everybody did receive that email.

In addition, um, the 780,000 for expanded services to the lifeline um animal project is the tier one recommendation that came from former director Lumpkin and commissioners.

I hope you all will consider that.

That is how we're able to substantially increase our spay and neuter services.

Also, on the additional general fund investment slide, um, there is a bullet related to uh two positions to facilitate court dog cases.

Um, thank you to our interim county attorney Phillips for agreeing to establish this role under his leadership and the county attorney's office, as well as to our chief of police and our public safety director, Chief Padrick and Director Fulham.

Still have a hard time calling you that, sir.

Mr.

Chief Woolham, but for you all also agreeing to house a position of a court dog coordinator in the police department.

One other um recommendation that we proposed and will continue to explore later in the year is around establishing an animal um an animal abuse investigator in the police department, and so that's something I look forward to working on at a later date.

Um, one question I do have for you, sir TJ.

Um, yesterday during the FAB meeting, I had requested more information on the fire rescue compensation package, and I did not receive that email with additional details.

So, can you talk a little bit about that?

Sure, and I'm not sure if our HR interim director is here or not, but uh I believe she was going to provide that and she could provide um greater detail, but I'll provide just sort of a high level.

Oh, she's here.

Oh, okay, thank you.

I didn't see you earlier.

Awesome.

I appreciate that.

Um, I am asking because I have received several emails from our fire rescue personnel, really wanting to know what that package is gonna look like for them individually.

Awesome.

Um, good morning, um, commissioners regarding fire.

We're going to be increasing the starting rate.

Get my notes together from $53,000 forty dollars to $55,000.

Also in the entry level um ranks, they're gonna be going up 3.7 percent.

When we did our analysis, comparing ourselves to the city of South Fulton, um Gwinnett, Cobb, and also the city of Atlanta.

We were competitive at our entry level rates when we got down to like a captain, we were less competitive.

So, in order to be more competitive, we're going to increase the fire captain by 20%.

So they're gonna get a 20% increase, and that is now gonna call compression with our higher level ranks, um, our assistant chiefs, our deputy fire chiefs.

So we're gonna increase those ranks by 10%.

Well, if you need to finish your thought, I'll allow you to finish answering that question, but that does exhaust your time.

Okay.

Any questions?

Talk about housing allowance.

Yes.

In addition, um, firefighters are going to also, if they live in the cab, are going to get a $500 monthly housing allowance, um, similar to what we do now for our police department.

Also, there's going to be zero medical premiums, just like we do for police.

Um, in addition, um we're also going to be they're gonna also have the sick leave compensation program, um, holiday pay, and I believe that is the exhaustive list.

Great, thank you.

I have exhausted my time, but I will request to speak again and and may have a few more questions for you.

Yield back.

The CO Williams, did you have something brief to add?

The only addition is that this package models what we did for police.

We found it to be tremendously successful in police, and we anticipate the same result in fire.

Thank you.

Commissioner Bolton.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Um, and thank you to the team, TJ and the departments for being really um efficient and consistent with your delivery of your budget request.

I do just have a few questions based on the presentation, and then one that's gonna come out of one of our ERPS recommendations.

But starting on slide two, actually, well, let me say this first.

Um, Commissioner Long Spears, you and I were in complete alignment today.

You asked a lot of the questions I was interested in, and actually the first one was essentially whether the millage rate, the budget was contingent upon the millage rate increase.

So that that was already answered.

Um but on slide five, I did want to inquire about the addition for lifeline.

Is this contingent upon the 22 million dollar request that or agenda item that's currently in ERPS?

It's a part of that, or in addition to yes, ma'am.

In the agenda item that's before ERPS, we include the funding in the new contract that provides for the 10 shelters and the uh spay and neuter, uh, I believe about 4,000 pets.

So, yes is the simple answer.

This budget is directly correlated to the item that's in ERPS.

Okay, and the where it says expanded services, that's not the community engagement piece, but specifically like more spay and neuter and right.

Certainly smore span neuter, but we also have the 10 kennels that we brought online that we need to staff.

So we've effectively expanded the shelter.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

And then for still on slide five, where it talks about the the bullet point for $500,000 for food security initiatives.

I know last year we discussed a potential food pantry, potentially doing distributions each week, but in the presentation, I heard you mention Rataza.

Is this specific to work that Rataza has been requested to do?

Yes, so it's twofold, um, Commissioner Bolton.

In part, uh continuing the work that we have done with Rataza this past year, the mobile markets, and effectively outsourcing the operation of fresh on deck to Ratasa, where they would operate our vehicle.

We haven't had a driver and haven't operated in the last couple of years.

So, you know, bringing that back online through them.

Additionally, we are going to fund a study with this because we have not only have not given up on the need, we recognize that assisting existing pantries and possibly sta establishing new is something that we are probably very much gonna want to do.

So, what we're looking to do is uh a study kind of a needs assessment, a gaps analysis while overlaying the food insecurity or the food deserts and determine okay, so in this geographic area, what is best?

Well, maybe we'll do a mobile market on certain days, but maybe there's an existing pantry that we can support, or maybe we create a pantry.

So that's what we're looking to do.

And we've thus far have not really done a comprehensive assessment of what the needs are in order to ensure that we put the appropriate service in the appropriate location.

So that's a big part of this too.

Okay.

And are we using Brataza just through familiarity of recent work that they've done and moving forward?

Are we going to put fillers out there to see if there are other options?

Yes.

Uh we're going to explore, you know.

I I think once we complete the study and understand here are our needs.

We may need more mobile market, we may need less mobile market.

And we can evaluate who is best situated to provide that long term.

But we will also be augmenting that with a lot more.

I think the pantries are my gut tells me a lot more investing in existing pantries.

And then also looking at the food distributions, which we've done historically every month or every six weeks or so.

When, where, and how should we do those?

That'll all be part of this comprehensive assessment.

Okay.

But before each initiative is put forward, it will come to the board for it's going to require funding.

Okay.

Can you expound on the community inclusion manager?

What is that and how much is that going to cost?

Yes, I believe the salary is approximately 138,000 approximation.

Total pro rated.

Okay, so that's the prorated salary.

So that's going to be a position in the CEO's office, working in large part kind of an ombudsperson, um liaison with the various uh refugee and immigrant communities.

Um we anticipate them.

I'm sorry, did you say umbudsman?

I said umbuds person, but yes, umbudsman.

Oh but yes, that that type of a position, someone who can kind of ensure that uh the various communities uh that our culturally diverse communities um have an understanding and access to services that we are providing, and that we have a better understanding of their needs and ensuring that those things that we're doing are appropriately touching those communities.

We have not, and it is actually interesting, as diverse as DeCab County is that we have not created this position in the past.

Uh, and so you know, definitely credit to the CEO for coming up with this.

And I didn't we would envision this position not only working directly with the various uh communities but working with your offices because in many instances you may be planning things that speak to or work with the various communities, and this person can help uh be a bridge and just help to provide service.

So that's what we see, and also uh you know, assisting potentially with businesses.

There's a lot of small businesses in the various uh immigrant communities that may be able to do business with the CAP County.

So all of that would be part of the responsibility of this position.

Okay.

And considering that this is a manager, would it be under chief housing over it?

Yeah, so and and and uh Dr.

Davis and I are kind of discussing in the CEO.

Will it's gonna be somewhere up there, whether it's under Dr.

Davis, myself, we you know, it's good it's it's an executive level position though.

Okay.

On slide six, um, which discusses public safety and workforce investments.

I didn't see anything that spoke to the death benefit addition that the ERBS Committee was asking for.

That's in that.

Yes, that's in there, yes, ma'am.

Okay.

And I wanted to confirm as well.

Um, I know this is all a part of the reimagined decab vision and mission, but is is it also this plan a reflection of what the momentum firm strategy has been to improve efficiency in the county?

Are we using those suggestions indirectly working toward them?

We we absolutely will.

Um, and and some of the process, and you don't see it maybe as much in the amendment, but in the budget itself, we've had ongoing dialogue and we will continue with momentum to develop more outcome-based budgets so that we're investing in things, and that's you know, in large part how we want to, you know, talk, you know, as we put in money, we want to have certain outcomes that we have defined.

Um, so that work will continue, and uh actually the momentum firm will be presenting to committees over the next 30 days or so and you will consistently see in future budgets not only the input from the Molden and Jenkins study, but you know, pay in class facility studies, all of those are foundations to build on and I I'm certain this is outside the scope of what they do, but I'm gonna ask anyway because I I know Maldon and Jenkins, the work has been completed, Momentum Firm has their assignment, but are they being brought into the conversation to get some insight on how these additions will impact capacity to do the work that they're suggesting to improve efficiency?

Because if we're adding on top of what they're trying to improve, how does that fit into the broader scope of the plan to improve effectiveness and efficiency in the CAP?

Right, right.

So the momentum firm, you know, we we're kind of joined at the hip.

So as we uh make uh additional investments, whether it's staffing or or any other thing or assignments, uh, they will certainly be bought brought into the conversation to to understand and to assess any impact.

So they're they're you know kind of an integrated part of the team.

Okay, and you mentioned that they would come and do a presentation.

So will they be sharing in their presentation any position on these budget additions and how it impacts the strategy?

We we can take a look at that.

That's not something we've discussed thus far.

Right now, they're looking to present on the implementation of the Molden and Jenkins study.

Um, but we have them, you know, they're also helping us with dashboards and other things.

So let me take a look at that, um, Commissioner.

But I don't know, you know, the major ads, quite frankly, are in housing, which was not part of the assessment by Malden and Jenkins, um, you know, increasing fire pay and things like that.

But we we will assess, and if there's you know a need for them to evaluate, you know, uh that there's a concern that maybe some work is being placed onto an organization uh that has a capacity capacity constraint, we'll have that conversation.

Okay, all right, thank you.

I yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Patrick.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Um Zach not to cover the same territory Commissioner Bolton just went into, but uh uh with the Maldon and Jenkins report uh DeCab reimagined.

Um I remember one thing that stood out in particular was uh code enforcement and sort of the lack of technology that they had and the lack of uh it seemed uh access to other departments to help effectively carry out their mission.

This funding addresses this, they'll have updated abilities to you know print citations in the field and before PECS, I believe right now or it should be coming very soon, is um a new new software system.

So one of the key things that the momentum firm is absolutely looking at is um you know our integration of systems um and seeing you know ensuring quite frankly that we do the necessary requirements analysis before moving forward with uh implementation because you don't want to design a system over bad processes, correct?

But you know, it just so happens that uh to your point on the uh code enforcement and such.

We've been working on getting a software for the past year or so, and I believe that's before PECS right now.

Okay, all right, perfect.

And that again, that uh from my perspective, code enforcement's one of those departments that can really help stabilize a neighborhood uh and add to the feeling of safety and security in it uh without without having to have a post-certified officer with them.

So I I uh I do appreciate the work that they do and and look forward to having them brought up to speed.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Thank you.

Anyone who has not asked the question would like to ask any questions before I go to Commissioner Long Spears for her second opportunity.

Okay, Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you, madam chair.

Um all righty.

So TJ CO Williams, I'm not sure who to direct this question to, but um in the previous bug budget package, you included the financials for our TADS and um the Druid Hills TAD 220.

It looks like um from 2025 to projected 2026 that that budget or basically the the dollars there doubled.

So that's pretty substantial.

Um the question I have though is that for FY2026, you've got four point four million dollars in the TAD.

Um again, explain to the community and anyone watching, is that some of the TAD dollars are with DeCab County, but a large portion of those TAD dollars are with the tax commissioner, correct?

Because this is such an old TAD.

Correct.

So there is some excuse me, some funding that came to DCAB early on when those TADs were formed.

And then what you're seeing though within those funds are what has been collected by the tax commissioner, which then sort of passed through to uh decide to cav our development authority.

Okay.

Very good.

So um, do you happen to know how much what the balance is with the tax commissioner's office, or is that just a question I need to direct to them?

So we can get that information.

I don't know it off the top of my head, but yes.

Wonderful.

All right.

Um my next question relates to another slide in your previous presentation for the American Rescue Plan Act funds, ARPA funds.

It looks like there's a balance of 4.2 million dollars.

I just want to confirm that we will spend all of that out prior to the end of the year.

So Mr.

Williams just whispered my ear stormwater is one of the items that hasn't been spent yet.

But the way that the grant funds are budgeted is a little bit different from the other operating funds, just because we base the budget on the available balances at the start of the year.

So it's not necessarily funding that hasn't been allocated.

It's just what hasn't been spent so far.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you for that clarification.

My next question relates to the opioid remediation fund.

Looks like there's about 2.6 million dollars in that fund as well.

What is the plan this year to disperse those funds to the entities and agencies that are involved with the opioid remediation?

Right.

And so what we need to do is bring the we had established a committee and we you know spent some money.

I think we need to need to get everyone back in the room and um determine what will be our best uh strategy for soliciting requests.

Um so and then I own that.

I just need to bring everyone back together and have the conversation in terms of you know what's this solicitation going to look like for projects.

Thank you.

Is there a deadline or a sunset to spend those dollars?

I think it's like a 30 years commission.

I'll get you up to date, but it got it lasts for quite some time.

All righty, I will be probably dead and gone by then.

All right.

Um my next question relates to the planning and sustainability item for an additional arborist.

This was a question I posed yesterday during FAB.

Does that bring us to four Arborist?

Show me your feet.

It will bring us to three.

Three arborists, okay.

Um is there a plan to try to hire on a fourth arborist?

I thought that's really what we were shooting for.

Yeah, so let us come back to you on that.

I mean, we'll we'll sit down uh right after budget adoption with HR with planning and see what do we need to do to recruit and retain Arborists.

That's been a challenge, interesting enough.

I mean, we've we've we've hired and we just have not been able to keep people in seats, so you know maybe that's a funding thing.

I don't know.

Have we reviewed what arborists are being paid in neighboring counties?

We we will ensure we'll do that exactly.

We'll do a salary study.

Please um because it is one of and and and just a quick aside, I'm not gonna take much time, but on occasion when we have hard to fill or hard to retain jobs, we do you know market adjustments, and so maybe that's what's necessary.

I don't know.

Okay, um, so I'm glad to hear you're it's on your radar to do a compensation study.

My next question goes to information that was provided on the control sheet.

One um one big uh variance I noted was with DEMA.

It was a 48% variance.

Can you talk to me a little bit about why that's so high?

Sure.

Um remember all the specifics, but one is the director position was vacant last year, so that funding had to be added back in.

Okay.

Um and there was also some funding, I believe, for some generators and some other one-time costs, you know, large equipment, and they're uh relatively small budget, so even smaller additions to their budget can produce a big percentage change compared to uh previous budgets.

But okay, but the biggest expense there is the position itself.

I'm not sure that's the biggest, but that's one component of it.

And um I know we had that question in a uh a previous committee meeting, so I'll get you the exact answer to it.

All right, thank you so much.

Um another question from the previous presentation is that you spoke of the fee study that's supposed to be complete in early 2026.

Is that close to completion?

Yes, it should be um completed, I believe, next month.

Fantastic.

Were you able to get a draft and it did that inform the budget process or help you in any way?

Yes and no.

So we we have parts of the draft, and um, you know, again, we're we're waiting for the final results to be able to say okay, this is exactly what we're going to move forward.

Um, but it did inform that we were trying.

Our goal is through that uh study to have user fees that are sufficient to cover the um services and really two funds that are um really impacted would be the development fund and the street lights fund.

Can you tell us a little bit more about the development fund?

So the development fund is you know part of planning and sustainability.

Um I think during uh probably starting around 2020, so during the the COVID period, um their reserves have just dwindled down to where they don't have you know the the amount available to to really cover their expenditures.

Um so last year we even had to cover or subsidize them from one of the tax funds.

So we're trying to get that back on track where we're able to um they're able to sustain themselves without having to use tax months uh dollars to do so um and also to rebuild their reserves.

All righty, thank you for that.

Um there was also mention of the facilities master planning process in 2025, and I believe what was wrote the preliminary recommendations of the master plan are anticipated in January.

Were those received?

Oh yes, we we do have a copy of the um facility assessment.

Um we'll be presenting something at an ops meeting.

Oh good, okay but also um you'll see next week a number of items um SPLOS funded that are gonna be a result of you know the assessments.

Fantastic.

All righty.

Um in the kitchen.

Oh, in the kitchen, yes.

I believe that exhaust my questions for the 2026 operating budget.

Thank you again so much for your hard work.

Truly appreciate it, and I'm sure we're all ready to move forward.

Thank you.

Thank you, yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Massai.

Thank you so much, Madam P.O.

Um, I just want to do a clarification.

One, as it relates to the road to homes.

Um, and I'm not certain at this this may be for Dr.

Ferguson, but I wanted to ensure that those funds are the uh CIP funds.

Okay.

Uh it will be part of the twelve million dollar expenditure, but doc I can have Dr.

Furbus Ferguson attack.

Hello, good morning.

Great morning.

Um so yes, Commissioner Messiah, to answer your question.

Uh we have anticipated we're programming the road to home program, you know, the initial launch, you know, of that uh initiative as a part of the 12 million dollars request that we're uh advancing in fiscal year 2026, so it is included incorporated.

I was able to verify that with uh our COO and uh budget director's equal.

Okay.

All right, just wanted to make sure there um you know, as funds are allocated, so that'll bring it to 13.5 or will it just come out of that 12?

Yeah, it's still gonna remain at 12, you know, based upon our anticipated runway and launcher programs.

We think they'll be adequate uh you know, room and capacity will funding capacity to get that program launched.

Okay.

All right, just wanted to make sure there, so thank you so much.

I appreciate that.

And then um for COO as it relates to um the opiate funds and roughly 2.6 million dollars, and um we've allocated um several million already.

My understanding is the um what was in residual, and thank you so much for making that add.

Um some of the funds did go to fire and rescue um, which you know was very much needed.

Um, but that that the residual that was left would go to some of the other organizations, primarily those that we've been in partnership with in the past that have reached out to be able to uh realize the benefit of those funds so that they can actually you know us continue to assist our constituents.

So any thoughts there as to you know whether or not that's still a plan, or you're saying it's gotta go through a committee again or where are we at with it?

Well the committee would have val I think they're consistent so that the a lot of the organizations who have reached out, I think what we need to do is have the committee who assessed the the request last time come back and solicit um you know uh application and evaluate the various uh proposals.

So I I think we just need to get back together and and do a formal solicitation.

Yeah, well, and so um because you know, part of the challenge in terms of the committee, some of the folks that were on the uh the committee were you know those that were awarded the most, right?

So um real quick and then absolutely we formed the committee based on guidance from DCA.

Um so you know, the they're specifically named in the the guidance that they provided, the health director, the sheriff, and a couple of others.

So that's how they got there.

Yeah, point still remains.

There's folks organizations that are trying to help.

Um that we all but ceased um in terms of disbursement of that and they've been waiting for the we'll get it in March.

Yeah.

Okay.

I just wanted to make sure that you know um we get that going.

And then I had asked the question yesterday, and uh see we have uh HR at least they were here in terms of um the sanitation and whether or not you know some of the efforts that we're putting forth and making sure that those that are in um dangerous employment situations in and around the Cab County are um duly compensated, and I I appreciate and I'm glad that we are bringing the minimum wage, you know, up to uh you know, actual um arguably living wage, but um with that being said, I'd asked about any type of um hazard pay or I mean because for instance, and I think they would it thrown you uh off a bit, um, but you know, there was a hazard pay that was provided, you know, during COVID, you know, frontline folks.

Um, but you know, essentially our sanitation workers deal with ergonomic injuries, chemical environments, physical other physical dangers and terms of cuts and injuries and biohazards, and so just wanting us to really look into I think that will be um beneficial as well.

And with that, that exhausts my questions.

The rest I will um execute offline and I yield back to you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Massia.

Seeing no further requests to speak, can we please open the machines for a vote?

And that is to approve the substitute.

Is there anything so you include it?

The substitute, which includes everything we discussed and approved out of half yesterday.

Okay, so that's it.

Nothing addition, nothing additional.

Are you ready to open the machine for the vote?

Motion carries, thank you.

We are now on our second item for our public hearing on the top of page three.

Item 2026-0280, all commission districts application of the director of planning and sustainability to consider and review a resolution on whether to extend a moratorium on the acceptance of applications and issuances, issuance of certificates, permits, or licenses relating to the commercial cell and distribution of sexual devices into Cab County, Georgia.

This moratorium is countywide.

Good morning, Miss Bragg.

Uh good morning, Commissioners Rachel Bragg, uh planning manager.

The staff recommendation on this item is for approval.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And we will open the public hearing.

Is there anyone here who would like to speak in favor of this item?

Anyone here to speak in favor of this item?

See nobody.

Anyone here to speak in opposition of this item?

Good morning, Mr.

Benny.

Stephen Benny 1083, Seville Drive, Clarkston, Georgia.

No jokes this morning about this public hearing item.

But these types of stores have a first amendment right to do business.

If there is a zoning request for one within a stone's throw of a residential neighborhood, that needs to be resolved through the zoning process and approved or denied.

A moratorium does not need to be placed over all of the Cab County.

This is like killing a roach with a shotgun.

If you want to change the zoning law, then change the zoning laws as it applies to stores like this.

Would it be okay if it was a lingerie shop?

Please do not extend this moratorium.

It is discriminatory at best.

It may be illegal.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

Binney.

Anyone else to speak in opposition of this item?

See nobody, Miss Bragg, if you'll come forward and give staff recommendation again.

The staff recommendation is for approval.

Thank you.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

Second.

We have a motion to approve and a second.

And Commissioner Davis Johnson has requested a speaker.

The floor, ma'am.

Yeah, planning.

Could you come back up please?

Could you explain why we need an extension of this event?

Oh, yeah.

Yes.

So we are still in the process of reviewing and updating the zoning code and the business license code as it relates to adult stores generally.

So we need a little more time in order to complete that process of proposing a new text amendment.

So it has been um, I think more than 15 years since those sections of our code have been addressed.

And um so how long do you want it extended?

So this um this item asks for an extension until June 11th.

Oh, which is uh a hundred days.

Okay, June.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Yeah.

Okay, thank you.

Seeing no other requests to speak, please open the machines for the vote.

Motion carries, thank you.

Next item is underwatershed management, item 2026-0291, Commission District 1 and Super District 7.

Notice of partial abandonment and water and sewer easements.

Okay, good morning, commissioners.

Good morning.

Um, I believe um, as Reggie noted in PWI, um, this is uh asset that we were abandoning in place, so we need to do away with the easement that's existing.

Okay, thank you.

And do we have the location?

I know it's in our packet somewhere.

So this is the one at 3712 Stewart Road, I believe.

For item ending in 0291.

Is this still three seven one two start?

Okay, thank you.

That's right.

Thank you.

Three seven one two star road.

Okay, thank you.

Recommendation is to approve.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, thank you.

At this time, we'll open up for public comment.

Um, anyone here in favor of this item, if you will come to the back podium, Mr.

Benny.

Yes, um I have no problem with these, but I do have a problem that none of them have the address listed in the uh agenda.

I would like to sort of keep track of what we're giving away and taking, even if they're just small little bits of property, and so does the public.

And I want to thank you, uh, presiding officer for acting for saying the address.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Benny.

Anyone else here in favor of this item?

See no one else.

Is anyone here in opposition of this item?

Final call.

Anyone in opposition of abandoning this item?

This easement at 37 12, Stewart Road.

Thank you.

All right, seeing no one else, um, Mr.

Williams.

Yes, ma'am.

Our recommendation is to approve the easement abandonment agreement for 3712 Stewart Road.

Thank you, sir.

Is there a motion?

Uh yes, I make a motion to approve.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

I see no request to speak.

Please open the machines for the vote.

That motion passes we're abandoning an easement if you would like to get in on the vote.

Okay.

We are on to the next one, which is item 2026-0332, Commission Districts 3, Super District 7 Resolution and Order of the Cab County Board of Commissioners authorizing condemnation by declaration of taking method pursuant to OCGA 22-3-140 and 32-3-1 of certain properties situated into Cab County, Georgia for public sanitary sewer collection and treatment and wastewater purposes.

And this is at 3436 wall drop road.

Yes, ma'am.

Good morning again, Commissioner.

Good morning.

Um this is really part of the consent decree as we kick off our new construction rehabilitating and expanding the capacity of our trunk lines.

This is the first project.

So you may see in future sessions where for us to get easements to comply with deadlines and just comply with the spirit of the consent decree.

We are bringing not just this item but other condemnations as well for various purposes.

And to the in before I get to Mr.

Welch, can we hear these together or do we need to do these separately?

Have to be separate.

Okay, well, I was trying.

So this one, so this is the first section, so rarely out of about 61 east men's um that we had to collect for Show Creek Section One.

It's about four miles of 72-inch pipe.

We're putting in starting at the water treatment plant heading up to um flat shells um parkway.

Um these are the initial condemnations from that effort.

Matt could give you more details.

Attorney Welsh, good morning.

Good morning, commissioners.

You know, if it's consent decree, you're gonna see me.

So um we do need to handle each of these four separately, but I just wanted to give a little bit of background on the process that's being followed because of course I know you will all remember that at the last zoning meeting, we had some condemnations that took place at night.

And I told you then that under that method of taking, those public hearings had to take place at a meeting that convened after 6 p.m.

I just wanted to assure you we've looked at the law.

These condemnations move under a different process, the declaration of taking, uh, which does not have those same requirements.

A public hearing is required, which of course is scheduled and being held as we speak, uh, but there is no requirement that these be held in the evening.

The other difference with declaration of taking versus the condemnation method that we used for those park-related properties last month is that under this method, as soon as the declaration is filed with the court and executed, we get access to the property.

Uh so Maria and the crews will be able to get onto the property just as soon as this is approved and the paperwork is filed.

What happens after that is the court will consider both the value that we have assigned to the property through our appraisal process, and who we believe to be the rightful owners who should get disbursement of those funds.

The court will determine both those things, amount and disbursement of those funds among owners or heirs, as the case may be.

So that general process applies to each of the next four items.

So I just wanted to give kind of that general introduction and again explain why it was different from the condemnation you saw just last month.

Thank you, attorney Walsh.

All right.

At this time, we will open the public hearing portion up.

Is there is anyone here to speak in favor of this item?

Please step to the back mic.

Anyone here to speak in favor of this item?

Seeing no one, is anyone here to speak in opposition of this item?

Final call.

Anyone here to speak in opposition of this item, which is at 3436 Walder Road.

Seeing no one, if the staff can come back, Miss Maria Hauser and give staff recommendation, please.

Staff recommendation is for approval.

Thank you.

Is there a motion?

Uh motion to approve.

Second.

I see I have a motion and a second to approve.

Seeing no request to speak, if we can open the machines for a vote.

That motion carries, thank you.

Resolution and order to Cab County Board of Commissioners authorizing condemnation by declaration and taking method pursuant to OCGA 22-3-140 and 32-3-1 of certain properties situated in Decab County, Georgia for public sanitary sewer collection and treatment and wastewater purposes.

And this one is at 3736 section second hall, seat and hall.

Yes, ma'am.

Um under the consent decree, we are starting off our trunk sewers.

This property we is needed to conduct about four miles of new pipe installation.

Um we've been unable to come to a agreement regarding obtaining an easement, hence the need for the condemnation.

And so your recommendation is for the recommendation is um for approval of the item.

I will open up for public comment.

Is anyone here to speak in favor of this item?

Anyone to speak in favor of this item?

Anybody in opposition?

Final call.

Anyone in opposition?

Seeing no one, Miss Houser, if you will restate your recommendation.

Recommendation is to approve the condemnation.

Thank you.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

Second.

We have a motion and a second to approve, seeing no requests to speak.

Please open the machines for the vote.

Motion carries.

Thank you.

We are now at the top of page four, item 2026-0334, Commission District 3, Super District 7, resolution and order of the Cab County Board of Commissioners authorizing condemnation by declaration of taking method pursuant to OCGA 22-3-140 and 32-3-1.

Assert property properties situated into Cap County, Georgia for public sanitary sewer collection and treatment on wastewater purposes.

And this one is at 3580 River Edge Court.

That's part of the consent decree as we work on Show Creek Section 1.

Um, we have not come to an agreement regarding obtaining this easement, and we would like to recommend condemnation.

Thank you.

Is it opening public comment?

Is there anyone here to speak in favor of this item?

Anyone in favor of this item?

Is anyone in opposition of this item?

Final call.

Anyone in opposition?

Thank you, Miss Houser.

Recommendation from staff is to approve this condemnation.

Thank you.

Motion to approve.

Second.

We have a motion and a second to approve.

No request to speak.

If we can open the machines for the vote.

Motion carries.

Thank you.

And for our final item, we are item 2026-0335.

Commission district three super district seven resolution and order of the Cab County Board of Commissioners authorizing common nation by declaration of taking method pursuant to OCGA 22-3-140 and 32-3-1 of certain properties situated into Cab County, Georgia for public sanitary sewer collection and treatment and wastewater purposes.

And this one is at 3125 Rainbow Circle.

As part of the consent decree project, um for the show create one trunk line capacity enhancement.

We are recommending a condemnation of this property as we've not been able to come to an agreement regarding obtaining the easement.

Thank you, Ms.

Hauser.

Um opening public comment.

Is if anyone is in favor of this item, please step to the back microphone.

One more call.

Anyone in favor of this item.

If anyone is in opposition of this item.

Seeing no one, Miss Houser.

Um recommendation is for approving the condemnation.

Thank you.

Motion to approve.

Second.

We have a motion and a second to approve.

No request to speak.

Please open the sheens.

Thank you.

And that motion carries.

We are now at the middle of page four.

Um there are no appeals, and that concludes the public hearing section of the agenda.

Thank you.

So now we are appointments not requiring board action.

And this is for information only from District 2.

Item 2026-0351.

Commission district to rec record the appointment of Randy Rusa to the District 2 Community Council Board.

For next for District 6, this item 2026-0331.

Record the appointment of Shoshana Cohen Ben Yor.

Hope I got that okay.

To post six with the DeCab County Women's Commission as a super district six appointee.

All right, so now we are on the top of page five, and I know we should have a substitute for this item if someone could start bringing that forward.

This is for a board appointment item 2026-0418.

All commission districts, board of commissioners appoint the selected candidate as chief of staff and authorize the presiding officer to sign an employment agreement for the selected candidate on behalf of the board of commissioners in a form approved by the law department and the substitute names that that person that candidate is Mr.

Lee May.

Motion to approve.

Second you were go ahead.

You want to second that commissioner?

Okay.

I think you might have to hit it again, Ms.

Commissioner Messiayan.

And now you hate it.

All right.

Um I see no request to speak, but I do want to take the opportunity, and I we will do this more formally later, to thank our interim chief of staff, Miss Dion McKenzie for her great time with us.

She deserves all of that for putting up with us seven commissioners for the last about year and a half and doing an amazing job at that.

Um we also thank Mr.

Lee May for coming forward.

We had a very rigorous hiring process.

Um we had lots and lots of candidates and applications.

Um and we are looking forward to um working with Mr.

May, who will be starting with us next week.

I also want to take the opportunity to thank our HR department for all of their hard work in getting us to this point.

I do now see a request to speak Commissioner Spears.

Long spears.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I echo um all of the comments and sentiments of our presiding officer.

So thank you so much, um, Miss McKenzie, for all of your efforts for a year and a half.

Um, I had the honor and pleasure of serving as the PO last year and working hand in hand with you.

And I just want you to know that you really made my job easier, and you were so helpful.

A sounding board would need it when needed, and really truly, I think, um, showed all of us, the commissioners, that if you have a strong BOC chief of staff, we really can move mountains.

And one thing that you did, and I hope that the new chief of staff will implement this as well, is that you did resume the um all staff meeting on a monthly basis, I believe.

I think that was one of the best things that you implemented last year, or maybe even the previous year.

I don't recall when you started them, but I can say that my office felt when you were hosting those meetings is that they had a mechanism to communicate formally with the other offices.

And so when there were opportunities or synergies for offices to partner or for you to provide training or to um there was crunchiness going on, just really kind of yes, to kind of help mitigate some of the challenges that we dealt with last year.

You really stepped up to the plate.

So again, from me, Michelle, thank you so very very much.

And I yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Masaya.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Madam PO.

Um, again, just um echoing the sentiments and appreciation for uh Miss McKenzie and all of the work that she's done.

Um the new commissioner is coming in.

She was very engaged and supportive, and you know, I wish you nothing but the best and pray that you stay here with us.

Um great opportunity, but also I want to, and I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention Mr.

And I look forward to us having worse ability and support here in the board of commissioners as I I keep sharing.

We're only as good collectively as a governing authority as we are with strength and support individually.

And so I look forward to the wisdom, the experience, and the ministry that Mr.

and Pastor May will actually bring on the board of commissioners.

Like I said, we need spiritual help.

And it's gonna take every bit of everything you know to get us at a level where we uh function at our greatest capacity.

So thank everyone for their involvement.

My colleagues in all of the effort that we put in uh going through the process, it was fair, and we relied on you know the data, the numbers to make an informed decision.

And I know it wasn't easy um for us all to come to a consensus, but I'm thankful for the work that we put in to get to this point.

But that I yield back to you, Madam P.

L.

Thank you.

And Commissioner Terry, Commissioner Bolton has yielded her second, and we'll allow you to make your make the second.

We do have Mr.

May in the audience if he would like to say a few words.

One or two, one or two, because you know he is a reverend, so we got to keep him limited.

Yes, you've been hiding back there most of the morning.

Yes, sir.

That's fine.

Well, you now you can move the well either one I'll be up there, I guess, soon enough, but I just want to say thank you.

And I'm super excited about this opportunity to serve you all and to serve this county by how we serve you as well.

And I'm just excited to get to know the central staff and work with all who have been working so diligently um for all of this time uh to make sure that this work is done here.

Thank you.

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you so much, Mr.

May.

All right.

See no further request to speak.

Um, yes, the motion was to approve the substitute.

Thank you for that correction.

If we can open the machines for a vote and that motion carries, thank you, everybody.

That was a long journey to get to that point.

All right, we are now in the middle of page five, Chief Executive Office Item 2026-0246.

All commission districts appoint Miss Trascilla Weaver to post three of the development authority of DeCab County Post 3 of the residential care facilities for the elderly authority and post three to the private hospital authority.

Motion did receive a substitute for this item.

And motion to uh approve the substitute as it was approved out of committee.

Second, we have a motion and a second.

I see no request to speak.

If we can open the mission, we do have one request to speak.

Okay, Commissioner Bolton.

Can you just elaborate on what's different in the substitute versus the original item?

There's just one simple change.

One of the downfalls of creating forms is you got to be sure you change everything in the form.

So when we updated this uh from the last appointee, somehow the last appointee's name made it through in one spot.

So it's simply a scrivener's error uh correction uh to have the name of the appropriate appointee reflected throughout the document.

Perfect, thank you.

You're good.

All right, if we open the machines for a vote.

All right, that carries, and now we are at the bottom of page five, which is consent agenda.

Madam DTO, are you ready?

Ready?

Let's do it.

Airport item 2026-030, Commission District 1 and 6, termination of standardized T Hanger Space Lease Agreement with Theodore Williams.

There is no cost to the county.

Move for action.

Top of page six.

Item 2026-0319, all commission districts.

Approval of the minutes of the February 17th, 2026 committee of a whole meeting.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0323, all commission districts resolution establishing the DeCab County Board of Commissioners committees.

Move for action.

I district two items, item 2026-0342.

Um, an allocation of 20,000 from the 2026 district to reserve for appropriation to wildness bird rehab inc to support the helping the helpline public assistance project.

Move for action.

District 6 item item 2026-0360 to appropriate amount not to exceed $30,000 to Bonnie Davis Consulting LLC to continue serving as the aging and place advisor for the super district six office and leave the super district six aging and placers AIP initiative.

Move for action.

Move for action.

Top of page seven.

Item 2026-0353.

This is also District 7.

An item to allocate an amount not to exceed $5,000 of the Dick District 7 reserve for appropriation.

Transfer to District 5 for the joint Black History Celebration Programming.

Move for action and pull 0354 for now.

Okay, thank you.

All right.

So now we're on to Clerk of the Board of Commissioners and CEO.

Item 2026-0344.

All commission districts approval of the minutes of the Board of Commissioners meeting of February 10th, 2026.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0349.

All commission districts approval of minutes of the special call meeting of February 3rd, 2026.

Move for action.

And then finally, police services item 2026-0321.

All commission districts.

Move for action.

And with that, I move to approve item 2026 0300.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

No request to speak.

Please open the machines for a vote.

Motion carries.

Thank you.

We will go back to item 2026-0354, a district seven item, and item to amend agenda item 2026-0219 to revise the allocation funding source from ARP interest to ARP reserve for appropriation for the allocation of $30,000 for the youth programming through New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

And I just need to confirm whether a substitute is required.

That additional ARP should not be in there.

Can we move forward with this item with that minor error or do we need to defer for substitute?

Is that a clerk question or attorney question?

Thank you.

That is a clerk question.

If she requires a formal substitute, then we will certainly work with district seven to get that to them.

Okay.

Then Madam Clerk, can you confirm that that substitute being submitted to shortly after this meeting is sufficient and we can vote now?

To approve a substitute.

Yes, I approve the subs the substitute.

Okay.

Okay.

You want to make your motion.

So with that, I move to approve the substitute forthcoming for item 2026 0354.

Thank you.

Hit your button.

Is there a second?

Thank you.

Commissioner Davis Johnson second to that.

And he's on it with open the machine to the vote.

Thank you.

That motion carries.

Thank you, ma'am.

So we are at preliminary items, and we are at right about noon.

We did get a request to have executive session.

Can we have that as a working lunch?

That's fine with the law department.

That's the board's decision, and we have litigation is the reason for executive session.

Okay.

I think at this time, let's break for a working lunch and adjourn to executive session to discuss litigation.

So moved.

Is there a second?

Second.

We have a motion of second.

Please open the machines.

That motion to adjourn.

We will be in executive session and a working lunch.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, everybody.

If I could get a motion to reconvene the meeting.

Second.

I think we need to hit the buttons.

And open the machines.

Everyone can make sure you vote Commissioner Davis Johnson.

We need your vote as well.

Commissioner Long Smith.

Um, I will also note that our clerks would have had a family emergency in that department.

So they have two clerks that had to leave, and our IT department has graciously stepped in and is running machines for us.

So they're doing a great job, but we will give them some grace today as well.

We are at the top of page eight.

Dependent care reimbursement program pilot to add a form and correct us Grivener's error.

Second.

Motion and a second.

I see no request to speak.

Please open the machine for a vote.

All right.

That motion carries.

All commission districts, a resolution under governing authority of DeCab County, Georgia, urging adoption of the unhoused support and services plan, establishing implementation expectations and accountability, and for other lawful purposes.

This is a PEX item.

Motion to defer to the March 24th BOC with the stop and PECS are March 10th, so it can be heard by committee.

Second with comment.

All right, Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you very much.

Madam Chair.

Um item 0385 is a district two sponsored item.

And just for commissioners' knowledge, this is a resolution to adopt the unhouse support and services plan.

This plan was the output of a six or I guess around a six-month planning process that began summer of last year and ran through December.

And the folks that led that process were the stakeholder behavioral health group.

And I do want to thank all of those stakeholders for agreeing to also lead the unhouse planning process.

And I look forward to further discussing it in the PECS meeting.

Is Mr.

Greg White present with us?

He was here earlier, and I'm afraid he may have had to leave.

No, I do not see.

He did.

Okay.

All right.

He was um in the audience because he had hoped to speak to this item.

But in his absence, I will yield back.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

We have a motion to defer, seconded by Commissioner Long Spears.

No request to speak.

Please open the machines.

Motion defer carries.

This is a district six item 2026-0341.

All commission districts, a resolution of the TAC the CAB County Board of Commissioners requesting the administration and planning department to update the recommended substitute for text amendment 2025-0972 regarding data center regulations.

Motion to defer to the March 24th BLC with a stop and PECS today, so it can be heard by committee.

We have a motion and a second to defer.

No request to speak.

Please open the machine for a vote.

Thank you.

And can someone close this door over here for us, please?

Thank you.

That motion carries.

Thank you.

Yeah.

I'm sure we're the only ones who can hear them, but just distracting.

Bottom of page eight, item 2026, 0396, all commission districts, the Cab County Day Center Implementation Plan for DeCAB citizens experiencing homelessness.

Another PECS item.

Motion to defer to the March 10th with a stop and PEX today.

Very much looking forward to Director Mitchell's uh presentation in and around the um the day center for DeCab County and our in house.

Second.

Hit it one more time.

There we go.

We have a motion and a second.

I see no request to speak.

Thank you, sir.

Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Thank you.

That motion carries.

Top of page nine.

This is an ERPS item.

Item 2026-0415.

All commission districts.

Addition to fleet police service.

Move.

Move for action.

Public safety item 2026-0320.

All commission districts.

GY 2023 Urban Area Security Initiative Grant and Amounts.

Grant year.

Thank you.

I got what the G was now.

Grant and amounts not to exceed 382,606 and 81 cents.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0322.

All commission districts amend the performance period for grant year 2022 urban area security initiative grant and amount not to exceed 10,073 and 24 cents.

Move for action.

Item these are purchasing contracting, still ERPS.

Item 2026-0183, all commission districts.

Change order number four, contract number one two four six seven three six.

Emergency medical supplies, annual contract with two options to renew for use by fire rescue.

This contract consists of the purchase of emergency medical supplies for fire rescue and emergency medical service units and vehicles.

This request seeks to ratify a previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks to increase the contract funds and term through June 30th, 2026, awarded to Bound Tree Medical LLC, amount not to exceed 360,000 dollars.

Move for action.

And with that, I'm on behalf of the ERPS committee.

I move to approve item 2026, 0415, 2026 0320, 0322, and 0183.

We have a motion.

Is there a second?

Commissioner Davis Johnson has seconded.

No requests to speak.

Please open the machines.

The motion carries.

Now we're on top of page 10.

Item 2026-0272.

All commission districts.

Competitively let contract to purchase indoor and outdoor cameras with sensors for the video surveillance security system awarded to convergent technologies LLC amount not to exceed 146,741 dollars and forty cents.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0284, all commission districts.

Change order number six to contract number one one three two zero three nine, animal shelter operations for DeCap County, Georgia multi-year for use by the Department of Public Safety Animal Enforcement Services.

This contract consists of providing animal shelter operations and services.

This request seeks to ratify a previously provided contract term and rate increase.

This request also seeks to increase contract funds, scope, and term through December 31st, 2027.

Awarded to Lifeline Animal Project Incorporated amount not to exceed 22 million two hundred forty-four thousand five hundred dollars.

Move for action.

And with that, I'm on behalf of the ERPS committee.

I move to approve excuse me to defer items 2026, 0272, and 0284 for two weeks, and that would be the March 10th meeting with BLC meeting with a prior stop in ERPS.

We have a motion.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you.

Commissioner Messiah.

We have the second.

I see no request to speak.

Thank you.

Motion to defer carries.

Top of page 11.

Item 2026-0258.

All commission districts, and these are fab items.

Um renewal contract for contract numbers 2000 four, two zero zero four eight five, and two zero zero zero four eight six.

Guns, ammunition, and accessories, first renewal option of five options to renew for use by the departments of police services and the marshal's office.

This contract consists of purchasing through the competitively led statewide contract for guns, ammunition, and accessory accessories.

This request seeks to ratify a previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks to exercise the first renewal option through January 7th, 2027, awarded to both states distributors, Inc.

Dana Safety Supply Inc.

and Precision Delta Corporation total amount not to exceed 150,000 dollars.

Move for action.

All commission districts, change order number one to contract number two zero zero zero four seven two, prosecutor case management software services, sole source for use by the office of the solicitor general.

This contract consists of the provision of the prosecutor by Carpel Case Management System including installation companion services and annual subscription.

This request seeks to increase the contract's funds for the purpose of data extraction to the newly integrated PBK system awarded to Carpel Computer Systems Incorporated, doing business as corporate carpel solutions, amount not to exceed 32,000.

And move for action.

Um Madam Chair, the FAT committee heard these two items yesterday and recommended approval.

So this time I move to approve items 0258 and 0293.

Second.

Hit it again.

To approve.

Yes.

Perfect.

I see no requests to speak.

Please open the machines for our volume index item.

Motion to approve carries.

Thank you.

Bottom of page 11.

We were just handed a substitute for item 2026-0122.

Invitation to bid number 2025-089.

ITB auction services for disposal of surplus properties, two-year contract with one option to renew revenue generating fees by public works fleet management.

Consistent generating revenue for the county through the on-site and online auctioning of surplus vehicles, trucks, tractors, heavy equipment, parts, tires, and miscellaneous fleet related items, as well as real properties as needed.

This request also seeks authorization to conduct auctions and the sale of all auction items.

Recommend award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

Yes, I'm like a motion to approve the substitute, and I have a question.

Um go ahead.

No, he already seconded.

Okay.

If you hit your request to speak, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Okay.

Yeah, on the original agenda item, it was um eight percent.

Is that the only change?

And still eight percent.

Oh, okay.

I'm sorry.

Okay, still it is a yeah.

If you could tell us the change, please.

The change was um that we were asking to actually conduct the auction.

It wasn't it didn't have anything to do with the percentages.

Oh, okay.

Oh, this was six bids were received.

Okay.

Oh, I get it.

So the auctions have been conducted.

Well, the original um agenda item that you have, it's for to select a vendor.

And then the second part, which should be the substitute, it is to actually hold an auction so that we can transfer the assets.

Okay.

So we ask you for two things.

All right, understood, thank you.

Okay.

Are you good, Commissioner Davis?

Yeah, my motion to approve stands.

Commissioner Massiaya.

Thank you so much, Madam P.

O.

And so just so I understand.

So these are uh as it relates to the real properties that will be uh auctioned off.

These are um properties that the county owns, they're not um through um any um challenges with taxes or back taxes or anything like that.

These is just properties that we um own as a county that we may got it.

That is correct, got it's our count county owned assets.

Okay, got it.

And so um, and then is there a process where they'll come back before the board before um the properties are actually auctioned or uh is this seeking to um essentially give um scope of work where as it comes up the properties will just be auctioned.

That is correct, all right.

We will we won't come back before you okay, all righty.

All right, may I ask as always as I want to know what's going on in and around uh my district, as I'm sure several other commissioners want to know, so to the extent you can provide that, that would be fantastic.

With that, I yield back to you, Madam P.O.

Thank you.

Okay, and if I can make a comment, yes, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Okay, yeah, it really would be good if um these questions are asked again.

Um committee meetings, because that's really the purpose of committee meetings rather than at the commission meetings, uh, because the same questions that you've asked, um commissioner Massai was uh addressed in committee meeting, and so if we can ask questions and ops, I encourage everyone that have questions, please come to my committee meeting and ask those questions because the committee have dived into this on in committee meeting, and we have approved it.

And so if you have any questions, I think that's the best time to ask them so that if a committee member have questions based upon, and I'm not just directing it to you, but if a committee meet member have questions based upon the questions that you have, it can be addressed in committee and not at the board meeting because it just takes up more time, and that's the purpose for committee meetings.

So thank you.

So my motion uh to approve stands.

And I'm gonna ask questions.

You know, we ask questions.

We got questions.

All right, so we have a motion to approve the substitute, seconded by Commissioner Patrick.

I see no additional request to speak.

Please open the machine for a vote.

That motion to approve carries of motion approve the substitute.

We are now on top of page 12.

These are still ops items.

Item 2026, dash 0131, all commission districts, change order number three to contract number, sorry, 1361 554.

Commercial mover to transport voting equipment and materials, emergency free use by the Department of Voter Registration and Elections.

This contract consists of renting 26 foot lift gate trucks and other vehicles to transport election equipment and materials to polling sites for the 2026 Gubing Autoral and Midterm election cycle.

This request seeks approval to ratify previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks approval to increase the contract amount and term through December 31st, 2026 to continue services for the 2026 election cycles, awarded to writer transportation services in amount not to exceed 45,000.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0134, change order number two to contract number 1382632 vote by mail packages for use of our department of voter registration and elections.

This contract consists of the purchase of vote by mail packages printed by a designated certified manufacturer and finisher of image cast ballots for the 2026 Kubernetorial and Midterm election cycle.

This request seeks to ratify previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks to approval to increase contract funds and term through June 30th, 2026 to continue services awarded to Fort Orange Press, amount not to exceed 10,000.

Move for action.

Top of page 13.

Item 2026-0179, change order number one to contract 1369531 for integrated communications for use by the Department of Voter Registration and Elections.

This contract consists of providing integrated communications to educate, engage, and inform the CAP County voters about information related to the election cycle, which require robust voter engagement and communications.

This request seeks approval to ratify previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks approval to increase the contract funds and term through April 30th, 2026.

Award 2, profile marketing and public relations LLC, amount not to exceed 32,000.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0186.

Commercial mover to transport voting equipment and materials for use by the Department of Voter Registration and Elections.

This contract consists of providing services to transport election equipment and materials to polling sites.

This request seeks to ratify previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks approval to increase contract term through June 30th, 2026, awarded to Atlanta Peach Movers Inc.

This is contract term increase only.

Move for action.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

I see no request to speak at this time.

Please open the sheens.

For use by the departments of facilities management and watershed management.

This contract consists of providing maintenance repair and installation of fire intrusion alarm systems.

This request seeks to ratify a previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks to increase the contract term through June 30th, 2026, awarded to all star fire LLC amount not to exceed 275,000 dollars.

Move for action.

Top of page 14, item 2026-0189, all commission districts.

This contract consists of providing preventative maintenance services for UPS systems.

This request seeks to ratify a previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks to increase the contract term through June 30th, 2026, awarded to AC and DC Power Technologies LLC contract term increase only.

Move for action, Madam Presiding Office.

I make a motion that 260188 and 260189 be deferred to the March to 10th VLC meeting with the stop and ops on 3326.

Is there a second?

Second.

Motion and a second.

Seeing no request to speak.

Thank you.

Machines are open for the vote.

Motion carries.

Thank you.

Bottom of page 14.

Item 2026-0193.

All commission districts.

Change order number one to contract number two zero zero zero two zero six.

Image cast ballot printing for use by the Department of Voter Registration and Elections.

This contract consists of providing ballot printing services by a designated certified manufacturer and finisher of image cast ballots for the 2026 gubernatorial and midterm election cycle.

This request seeks approval to increase contract term through December 31st, 2026.

Awarded to the TATNOL Journal DBA TAT Now Ballot Solutions Incorporated.

Contract term extension only.

Second motion to approve no requests to speak.

Please open machines.

This request seeks to purchase from the competitor source well contract for the provision of one John Deere LGP waste handler dozer for the purpose of transporting collected refuse at the Seminole Landfill.

Awarded to Gent John Deere Construction Retail Sales, a division of John Deere, Shared Services LLC, doing business as John Deere Construction Retail Sales Care of Dobbs Equipment SE LLC Amount Not to Exceed 739,227.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0242.

All commission districts cooperative cooperative agreement class 4-8 chassis and cabs with related equipment accessories and services.

This request seeks to purchase from the competitive let source well contract for the provision of one 2027 flatbed tire truck model T280 for the purposes of performing emergency tire repairs and replacements as well as routine tire maintenance for various departments throughout the county.

Awarded to Kenworth Truck Company doing business as MHC, Kenworth Atlanta, amount not to exceed 160,875 dollars.

Move for action.

Top of page 16, item 2026-0243, all commission districts contracts, renewal for contract numbers 2002, 200292, 2002, and 200294 tire services, annual contract, first renewal of two options to renew for use by public works fleet management.

These contracts consists of outside tire repair services for county vehicles for emergency road and incidents.

This request seeks to exercise a first renewal option through Mark May 31st, 2027, awarded to Southern Tire Mart LLC, SETCO Incorporated, doing business as SETCO Solid Tire, Atlanta Commercial Tire, and Action Tire.

Total amount not to exceed $510,000.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0292.

All commission districts change order number eight to contract number one zero zero zero eight four six public sector agreement for Oracle Cloud Services for use by the Department of Invitation Innovation and Technology.

This contract consists of all products and services for the county's Oracle Cloud Services Platform.

This request seeks to increase the contract funds term through December 31st, 2028, and scope of work to implement the Oracle Permitting and Licensing Platform Awarded to Oracle America Inc.

Amount not to exceed $6,799,710.

Move for action.

Ops y'all been busy.

Bottom of page 16, item 2026-0301, all commission districts, change order number four to contract number one three three four one eight four to Cap County Courthouse Parking Deck Renovation Project for use by the Department of Facilities Management.

This contract consists of repairs to concrete and steel beams, columns, connections, still plates, expansion joints, waterproofing, new electrical LED lighting, inspection of existing panel boards, plumbing, HBA HVAC unit, fire protection piping, etc.

This request seeks to ratify previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks to increase the contract term through April 30, April 30th, 2026, awarded to Resticon Corporation, contract term increase only.

Uh move for action.

I'm sorry.

Uh BLC meeting with the stop and ops on 3326.

Second, and just for clarity, that was 260242.

I know that's what you were asking about.

Thank you.

You said seven.

The second time.

If you can hit your button, please.

Commissioner Davis Johnson.

All right, we have a motion to defer.

Thank you.

Machines are open.

All right.

So now we are that motion carries.

We're now at the top of page 17.

These are PECS items.

Item 2025-1718.

All commission districts.

Invitation number 2025-025.

Fences, installation, repair, and maintenance.

Annual contract with two options to renew for use by the department's recreation, parks, and cultural affairs and facilities management.

Consists of the purchase repair and installation of fencing for county facilities.

Recommend award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidders.

Hawk Fences LLC and ASAP Management Group LLC.

Total amount not to exceed $750,000.

Well for action.

Item 2026-0156.

Commission districts 356 and 7.

Change order number one to contract number 137363.

This contract consists of site restoration and maintenance of athletic fields.

This request seeks to increase contract funds awarded to JMB Landscaping Inc.

Amount not to exceed $55,595 and 76 cents.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0230.

All commission districts.

This request also seeks approval to transfer funds between contracts based on the needs of the county.

Awarded to Southern Demolition LLC and complete demolition services LLC.

Total amount not to exceed 250,000.

Move for action.

So we now at the top of page 18.

Item 2026-0306.

Commission districts 3456 and 7.

Change order number one to contract number 2000 64.

Cooperative agreement for court construction and maintenance.

Cobb County SIL bid number 25-6902 for use by the department of RPCA.

This contract consists of purchasing through the competitive let Cobb County contract for as needed court construction and maintenance.

This request seeks to increase contract funds for embark and Dottie Bridges Tennis Centers awarded to signature tenants courts and ink amount not to exceed 72,910.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0313, all commissioned districts.

Umitation to bid number 2025053, ITB Aquatics Maintenance and Life Guard Services, 3 year multi-year contract with two options to renew for use by the departments of recreation, parks, and cultural affairs and human services.

Consists of providing maintenance of on-site chlorinators, clinical main chemical maintenance, seasonal preparation and lifeguard services for swimming pools and splash pads for county owned facilities.

Recommend award to sole responsive and responsible bidder, Stanguard Aquatics Inc.

Amount not to exceed 1,234,140 and 80 cents.

Move for action and madam PO.

I have a motion to um defer action items ending in uh 1718 0156 0230 0306 and 0313 to the March 10th BOC with a stop and PEX today so that they can be heard in committee.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

Motion and a second, no requests to speak.

Please open machines.

Thank you.

Motion to defer carries.

We are now on PWI items, bottom of page 18.

Item 2026-0129.

All commissioned districts, cooperative agreement for cranes and hoist maintenance inspection and repair.

Cobb county contract number 24-6811 for use by the Department of Watershed Management.

Consists of purchasing off the competitive let Cobb County contract number 24-6811 for inspections, service and repair of overhead bridge cranes, gantry cranes, monorails, and hoist awarded to crane services solutions and material handling systems in total amount not to exceed 300,000 dollars.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Based on the recommendation of PWI, motion to approve.

Second.

Motion to approve by Commissioner Patrick, seconded by Commissioner Messiah.

No request to speak.

Machines are open.

Motion carries.

Top of page 19.

Item 2026-0337.

All commissioned districts change order number two to contract numbers 1284296 and 1284297 for some water system cleaning video inspection CC TV services and repairs.

This multi-year contract for use by public works grows and drainage.

This contract consists of stormwater system cleaning video inspection services and repair.

This request seeks to increase the contract funds in terms through December 31st, 2027, inclusive of price increases awarded to Kimmy Construction Company Inc.

and ANS Paving Inc.

Total amount not to exceed $1,936,000 60.

Thank you again, Madam Presiding Officer.

Although this is under the three million dollar threshold for audit, it was close enough that uh we decided to go ahead and send it through audit.

So motion to defer to the March 10th BOC with a prior stop at PWI.

Thank you.

Second motion second, thank you.

Please open the machines.

Motion to defer carries.

Middle of page 19.

These recreation parks and cultural affairs.

Item 2026-0416.

All commission districts.

Acceptance of a donation for park improvements.

Motion to defer to the March 24th BOC with a stop impacts, not unless there's some time sensitivity.

There is time sensitivity, which is why it was walked on last time.

Okay.

Um what we'll do is um we'll defer it to the March 10th BOC with the stop and PECS and hear it today.

Is that sufficient or are you looking for a vote now?

I really was looking for a vote now.

I will tell you in candor after I walked it on.

I will tell you in candor after I walked it on, we did get to a space where I could live with March the 10th, but this is urgent, and I don't want to face the possibility of not being able to do this moving forward.

Okay.

Um I'm available to answer any questions.

I think I've sent the relevant information if the board would entertain it.

Uh Chair Peck's I have no problem with moving this for it, so I will amend my motion.

My motion will then be to a approve with um and um with the support of the board motion is to approve I requested to speak, please.

Okay, if we can go back.

Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you very much.

Um why is this urgent?

The donor initially made this donation commitment in escrow for one year.

It has been extended since then multiple times.

On last Tuesday, when I walked the item on, we did not have an extension past March 2nd, and since that time that I walked it on, they've agreed to April 2nd.

I do not want to face continued risk of not receiving the money.

Thank you.

And it states here that is it pronounced Enrico Henrico.

I I've pronounced it Henrico.

I've heard it pronounced Henrico.

I I apologize.

I I don't know that I'm the person who will tell you the exact pronunciation.

And so this is an affiliate of Block Hall Studios?

I believe it is.

All right.

Um it also states here that is it um requesting to be in South DeCab with the exact location to be determined by the county.

Is that location been determined yet?

To my knowledge, no.

If the county receives this money, the county would make that decision.

Okay, but it is a targeted donation for the purposes stated, and I trust you're reading from the escrow agreement that is the donation agreement.

That that language you read is in the actual agreement.

I trust that's what you're reading from.

I'm actually just reading the agenda item page.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Okay, well, it does say as a part of their donation, that it had to be donated for park improvement with some qualifiers, and it does designate to be located in South DeCab County with the exact location to be determined by the county.

And the other qualifier, to be fair to all the commissioners, you have this, but I will state it for the record right now.

The county to be used by the county exclusively as a separate capital improvement budgeted item in the design and construction of an inclusive park designed specifically to ensure that children and persons of all ages and abilities can play and interact together to be located in South DeCab County.

That's the language targeting the donation.

All right.

On the in the need impact section, it states that hold on real fast.

Well, you're doing that.

If we can get the call the timer for the time to speak on the miss on the screens.

It states the parties extended the time for the county to accept the donation six different times to allow the litigation regarding the county's landslop with black hall to play out and conclude.

Conclude.

That may have been a mistake in the agenda item that was rushed, so forgive me.

Um, but you have the actual escrow agreement.

Okay.

Which spells out all of the terms.

Okay.

This was I understood that we would have an extension as of whatever time it was when I walked to this podium.

I didn't have it, and there were a million five hundred reasons why I walked that on.

So forgive it.

We will give you a substitute to correct it.

Okay.

It further states the latest extension moves a deadline for the county to accept the donation up until September 30th, 2025, and further delay is no longer warranted.

Is that also an error?

Uh again, that was probably an earlier iteration.

That did not get used.

Instead, an extension was provided.

And we're now in February of 2026.

At the time that I walked the item on in a crass rush, I was looking at a March 2nd, 2026 deadline.

All right.

So I have since that time provided offline a copy of the actual escrow agreement to each of you.

And I am reading from that document in case you have a question about what this money is to be used for, and I've just read that to you.

All right.

Well, considering how contentious this issue has been, I'm not comfortable supporting this item if it's not the need impact statement, is is clearly way off and incorrect.

So Commissioners, we might want to table this item, allow them to prepare a substitute and bring it back, or I guess we can move forward and vote and people can do what do what their heart tells them.

Thank you so much.

Yield back.

I have a question, madam presiding officer.

Yes, sir.

Was that a substitute motion, Commissioner Spears?

I'd be happy to make that.

Thank you, Interim County Attorney.

I do have a substitute motion that we table item 0416 to the end of the meeting, which would allow the law department hopefully sufficient time to prepare a substitute with accurate language in it.

Thank you.

Sir second for purpose of discussion.

Okay.

And if I can comment.

If we can clear the screen so they can hit their buttons.

If you can hit Commissioner Long Spears, Commissioner Terry.

And that is motion to table.

And now we'll go to Commissioner Terry if we will reset the clock for him to start his speaking.

Okay.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Um yes, I'm good with uh tabling it just to get all the things updated.

I think that's fine.

Um we originally voted on this in 2022.

Correct.

Okay.

And you reminded me that I voted for this.

Well, I think Commissioner, I'm pointing to the time, not individuals who were in place again.

Um well, I look back and I do remember voting on it because at the time um the community wanted the funds for the Michelle Obama park.

So when you reference the inclusionary sort of design, I believe that is the Michelle Obama Park master plan design purpose.

Is that correct?

That may have been the intention, but the vague language of this would allow it to go anywhere in South DeCab for an inclusive park.

And I will tell you that the language of inclusive park, as I read to you a moment ago, is consistent with what I understood to be the plan for the then plan to be Michelle Obama Park.

Okay.

Well does not mean this would have to go there, though.

Okay.

Well, but just understanding that that was what the community in essence was promised.

I know at the time it was meant to be vague just for legal purposes, but I mean, Zach, the Michelle Obama Park, that's really the only park that has a master plan that has this inclusive design components.

So from your perspective, is this okay to just specifically direct this donation for the implementation of the Michelle Obama Park master plan?

I do believe the intent or the thinking certainly was that the Michello Pama Park would be that park that is uh suitable for different abilities.

Um and that is the only park that uh that is planned in that area in that way.

So that was the thinking at the time.

Okay.

Well, if it helps, um, just to kind of make sure we were on track with what the intention was back in 2022.

Um, if we do table it or we don't table it, I would like to um just specifically designate the funds to this to that particular part project.

Uh Commissioners thank you.

Okay, thank you, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

The vote is to be accepted.

Yeah, um my question is does all of the funds have to be designated to one specific capital improvement.

Can it be um can I mean I have no problem with what you stated?

May I respond?

Uh-huh.

The language is singular, and I'm single.

I'm gonna explain it by using the language in the document.

Okay.

In the design and construct, well, I'll start earlier as a separate, a separate capital improvement budgeted item singular, and then the rest that I read.

Well, I'll just say this.

And this donation is not an exchange for anything.

It's a donation.

It is a targeted donation.

It's a time.

There is nothing asked of the county here on the how much is that donation?

1,500,000.

1,500,000, and I'm sure the Michelle Obama trail.

I mean the uh Michelle Obama could use, and it's not connected to any condition.

Just I acceptance.

Is that correct?

Correct.

The conditions are how we use it.

How we use it.

Okay.

Then I'm good with going forward because I know that uh we need that in South Decay.

Thank you.

All right.

Commissioner Bolton.

I actually know my I see the answer to the question that I had in the impact statement.

Okay.

Commissioner Masay, are you good?

Okay.

Okay.

And Commissioner Davis, you've already spoken.

So the motion on the table right now is on the table is to table the item so that we can fix a couple errors in the in the item and get us uh substitute at the end of the I want to be real specific.

I understood Commissioner Spears to say the motion is to table it so the law department could correct the agenda item itself, and then it would come off the table and be considered with a corrected agenda item.

Not a substitute.

Okay.

That is correct, yes.

That's the that's the motion before you right now to table it for that purpose to be taken off later in this meeting and considered at that point with a corrected agenda item.

So and then when we come back and take this off the table, you can go over the corrections that were made.

Correct.

Okay.

Okay.

You have you want to speak a second time?

Yeah.

What is the okay?

Yeah, what is the table for?

That's what I and you said to correct what?

The agenda item itself, Commissioner Spears was reading from the agenda item, and we want to make sure the item itself is accurate.

So her comment was she wasn't comfortable until she was clear that the item before her was accurate.

I think that's a fair paraphrase, Commissioner Spears.

And that was her motion.

So that's what's before you, just to give me an opportunity to correct that so that she has any questions about what's stated in the item.

I would be able to answer that, and she would be clear about what's stated in the item and what she is considering from that perspective.

You okay?

Is it is it anything of a material statement?

There are some date issues.

I'll have to look at it more closely in order to do that.

Okay.

All right, Commissioner Mercedes.

Thank you so much.

Um essentially, these are funds going to South Dakab um for a PROC project.

Um they, in my understanding, time sensitive.

I do recall law department sending us out information related to it because even before I had allowed it on my PECS agenda, I wanted to make sure that I got specific details in which case law responded by sending us out the details details related to this.

My understanding it's one park, and um that we're we need to ascertain and get those funds um as soon as possible.

So since the the funds would go to South DeCab, and my understanding is likely in my district, um, and also Chair of Peck's my axe humbly of my colleagues would be for us to vote and move this along to the extent that there's a tweak.

Um I'm certain that um Commissioner Terry and Long Spears can get with the the law department.

We have uh moved things along for minimal tweaks, you know.

Before I would like to be able to accept these funds so the constituents constituents could have the benefit of these funds for a park.

I yield back to you, Madame P.

Thank you.

Commissioner Bolton.

Can you clarify what's meant by separate?

Uh it's iterated in here multiple times that this is a separate budgeted item, separate from what?

From everything else, so that the language clearly in its plain meaning, objectively reading it, is that this would be a separate capital improvement budgeted item in the design and construction of an inclusive park designed specifically to ensure the children and persons of all ages and abilities can play and interact together, with the idea being without completing the reading of that.

That would be separate from everything else.

This would be independent, and the money that is donated, the 1.5 million, could be tracked based on that agenda item and the work done pursuant to it.

That is my reading of it.

Okay.

And the the reason that stands out to me is with no other donation have I seen any indication that it has to be separate from anything else.

So this is just saying not tracked with our annual budget, not tracked with our CIP budget.

It's an item in and of itself.

Correct.

Okay.

I yield back.

Yeah, um, this is second.

So the I was gonna say the same thing um as Commissioner Um Davis Johnson just said, similar to a donation, like one of one of us um you know had let's say insurance proceeds and we wanted to donate whatever amount specifically to a park and didn't want the funds to go anywhere else but for the benefit of creating a park that's benefiting the constituents for it to be inclusive for of the constituents, we can make that determination where the funds weren't spent anywhere else but for this specific park.

So that was um the point I yield back to you, Madam PO.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So I see no further request to speak.

The motion on the table currently is to table the item with the intent that we would revisit it before we leave the meeting today at this time.

If you could please open the machines for a vote, okay.

The motion to table fails.

May I comment, Madam President?

The original motion that was on the table as I understood it was to pass the item.

Correct.

But in your deliberation over the substitute, everybody hold on.

Okay, attorney Phillips, thank you.

I'm trying to list in in your deliberation there was discussion of correcting any errors in the agenda item.

So much as happened just like what happened earlier in this meeting.

There will be a substitute submitted to make sure it's accurate.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

So the we now revert back to the previous motion was which was to approve if made by Commissioner Messiah.

I forget who seconded the motion to approve.

I think it was Commissioner Davis Johnson's.

If you guys can hit the machines again.

And it it would be to approve the substitute.

To approve the substitute.

Correct.

So now we're back to the original motion, which was to approve the substitute.

To fix any errors that were found.

Commissioner Point of Order.

I don't have a substitute.

Does anybody have a substitute up there?

As was stated by attorney Phillips, like we did previous today, previous earlier today on this item.

He can provide a substitute with any minor corrections.

We did not object to that when we did that earlier today.

Correct.

Okay.

Commissioner Terry, you have the floor.

Point point of order still.

I don't know how we can vote on a substitute if we don't have the substitute item.

We just did it today.

Are you talking suddenly a friendly amendment?

Commissioner Terry, you have the floor.

Um thank you, Madam Chair.

The um Zach, can you just just because not everyone was here in 2022?

When you say so, I know we established that it's for a park, one park, an inclusive park, which I believe is actually meant to be like an ADA accessible park.

That's correct.

So it's for a Michelle Obama Park, right?

Is that correct?

Yes, that that's that was the intent, and that would be my recommendation today.

Okay.

So um I mean, just to be extra clear, it's more for residents who might be wondering where this is going if the maker of the motion would just accept a friendly amendment to acknowledge that the donation of these funds will go towards the Michelle Obama Park uh plan.

Thank you.

Commissioner Mr.

Do you subdue a friendly amendment?

Um give me one is it possible to speak to um director of parks.

Um, I'll be happy to yield my time to the parks if they would like to answer that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Director Bass will go.

Okay.

Thank you, Director Bass.

Well, thank you.

Okay, so um uh there's a question as to um what parks specifically in South Decab that um the funds would be intended to go to.

Are you familiar with any talks in and around that to see if it needs to be something that's isolated specifically and included um in the language?

Um so I've just been brought up to speed, um I guess as soon as yesterday.

Uh so my understanding that is the direction um what simple through what's uh COO mentioned.

So and out of fairness to the the parks director who was not here during the conversation, but uh yes, it was not listed as Michelle Obama Park, but that was the thinking at that time, and that would be my recommendation today.

Okay, seeing that's your recommendation today, then I'm willing to accept the friendly amendment.

Uh great thank you.

Um I'd be happy to yield some of my time to Commissioner Davis Johnson if she'd like to just have asking clarifying questions.

So my question is this suppose we get money from splash any other revenue for Michelle Obama's trio.

We don't need that one point five million dollars for it's the the plan is like a ten million dollar plan.

So we need the money.

You we don't need that for my loose sentence.

I'm good.

I'm good because it's going to stop the cab, and uh that's a great Michelle Obama.

Yes, so I'm good.

Okay, thank you.

You yield your time, Commissioner Terry.

Anyone else?

Anybody else?

Do I want to go into us?

Okay, Commissioner Longspears.

All right, um, Mr.

Interim County Attorney.

Once again, please explain to me why we don't have a substitute for this item.

All I have is the original item.

There was no substitute distributed.

I guess the vote right now is to approve the substitute.

So where is the substitute?

Was it something that was distributed through email?

Or at the meeting?

There is no substitute in front of you.

There will be a substitute provided to correct any errors in the agenda item that was submitted.

That is what is in front of you right now, as has happened many times with this board.

When you identify an error in the agenda item, and you can correct the agenda item, you can go ahead and vote, and the substitute will be then thereafter be submitted to make those corrections.

Unless I'm missing something, that is the deliberation.

It came frankly from Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson in the discussion about moving to accept.

Please rescue me if I misunderstood you.

So you'll distribute the substitute at some point, I guess, after the meeting today.

Yes, there will be a second one just for clarity.

Okay, which will correct all of the errors.

There will be a second one distributed, and that one will be for Commissioner Bolton's item that we voted on already to move money.

And it is the same scenario.

You have no substitute in front of you.

The clerk said she would like a substitute, so we will craft the substitute and submit it to the clerk, and it will be made a part of the record.

That's what I understand the process to be.

All right.

Well, I look forward to receiving that substitute via email sooner than later.

And with all due respect, I would like to discuss this further offline.

Yield back.

So are you requesting to speak with the county attorney on the process?

Are you I I would just like to understand this discussion offline, and maybe we need to have that discussion offline, but I would like to be included in that as presiding officer, so I understand what you're asking.

Thank you.

Commissioner Davis Johnson, did you have to anything else to speak?

Okay, thank you.

Um I think Davis, Commissioner Davis, do we need to hit the machines again?

Are we good with that?

Uh I need a second.

We need a seconder.

All right, we have a motion to approve the substitute by Commissioner Masaya, seconded by Commissioner Davis Johnson.

No further request to speak.

But the friendly amendment of the Michelle Obama Park, please open the machines for a vote.

Motion carries, thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Thank you, Attorney Phillips.

We are towards the bottom of page 19.

Um works as works source to cab item 2026-0318.

All commission districts, acceptance of federal workforce innovation and opportunity act, additional funds request for dislocated worker, fiscal year 2026 from the techno technical college system of Georgia for a hundred thousand dollars.

Motion to defer to the March 10th BOC with a stop to be heard in PECS today.

Second, second.

Second, we have a motion and a second.

No request to speak.

Please open the machine.

Thank you.

Motion to defer carries bottom of page 19.

These are items for decision by the board from the CEO's office.

Excuse me, item 2026-012.

Commission districts one and seven, intergovernment governmental agreement with the city of Tucker for pedestrian trail easement.

Public parking improvements and maintenance responsibilities.

Thank you so much, Madam PO.

Just going back.

Bottom of page 19.

Item 0120.

Does that have something different?

I have 1577.

So I will go to 0120.

See motion to approve as it was approved out of PECS.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

Can you hit it again, ma'am?

There you go.

There we go.

All right.

Open machines for a vote, please.

Thank you.

That motion carries and Commissioner Terry has stepped away for a minute, but he will return.

No, we're not there yet.

So we are still on PECS items, middle of page 20.

Item 2024-1237.

All commission districts a request for the director of planning and sustainability to amend the DeCab County nuisance ordinance to add a closure of chronic nuisance properties ordinance chapter.

Okay.

Do we have someone here from planning or um or commissioner Patrick?

You deferred it in January.

Do we need a second?

Yep.

Did you make a motion?

My motion, I'm just going to make sure we're good.

Um, if we're not ready to move, uh move it ahead to defer it to April 14th.

Uh BLC with the stop and packs on March 24th.

That works.

Okay.

All right.

All right.

Is there a second?

Could you repeat your uh motion one more time, please?

My motion is to defer to the April 14th BOC with a stop and picks on March 24th.

24th.

Thank you.

So with that motion and seconded by Commissioner Patrick.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

Bottom of page 21.

Item 2024-1239.

All commission districts and ordinance to amend the code of DeCap County, Georgia as revised 1988, chapter 18, Article 3, property maintenance to establish minimum standards for vacant property, require property owners to apply for a board up permit and for other purposes.

Again, those um my understanding go in tandem.

So it's gonna be a motion to defer to the April 14th BLC with the stop and pecs on March 24th.

Second.

Oh, go ahead.

We have a motion and a second to defer to April 24th.

Please open the machines.

Thank you.

The motion carries.

Now skipping page 22.

We're on page 23.

Item.

This is this is an ERPS item.

Item 2025-0683.

All commission districts to approve a resolution to address egregious littering and the illegal dumping of scrap tires.

On behalf of the ERPS committee, I move to defer item 0683 to the April 28th BLC with a prior stop in ERPS.

Is there a second?

Oh she already oh y'all quick.

Like they're on it.

Thank you.

All right, that motion to defer carries.

Thank you.

And now we're on page 24.

A district two item.

Item 2024-0842.

All commission districts.

Resolution to review and amend the board of commissioners standing procedural rules.

This is an ops item.

Um motion to defer uh this item to 428 20 um 6 meeting with the stop back in ops.

I think this phone must well no.

It's gonna be before uh with the stop with the stops back in second.

There's a second.

Thank you.

We can open the machines for a vote.

Motion to defer carries, bottom of page 26.

Item 2026-0184, commission district two allocation of 25,000 dollars from the 2026 district two reserve for appropriation to compassionate ATL to support interfaith initiative.

Second motion to approve item 0184.

And Commissioner Masaya seconded.

We can open the machines motion carries.

Top of page 27, item 2026-0286, all commission districts, a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of DeCap County, Georgia, reaffirming the county's prior authorization to seek recovery of costs of impoundment and care for court held dogs pursuant to OCGA 4-11-9.8, urging the DeCab County Law Department to resume filing cost of care petitions and to create a court held dog coordinator position.

This is also an ops.

Motion to defer to the uh 310 26 meeting with the stop and ops on 33.

Second six.

Second.

Y'all can hit your buttons for me.

Oh motion and a second.

Please open machines.

Thank you.

Motion to defer carries.

Middle of page 27.

This is a fab item.

And it's a district six item.

Should we table?

Yeah.

Can I get a motion to table this item?

So move.

Second.

Yeah, that's the table item ending in 1506.

We'll wait for Commissioner Terry to get back.

All right.

Open machines, please.

Thank you.

All right.

So now we are in the middle of page 28.

Um item 2025-1525.

All commission districts.

This might be another one.

We need a table.

A resolution by the Cab County Board of Commissioners establishing a DeCab County Water Customer Bill of Rights.

Motion to table item 1525.

Second.

All right.

Somebody don't let me forget.

Okay, so now we're on page 29.

Item 2025-1787.

All commission districts.

A resolution to enhance environmental equity and sanitation practices in DeCab County.

His items come up and he had one swap toy.

Do we need to defer this one?

Um, Commissioner Patrick.

Uh yeah, um, based on the recommendation at PWI and Commissioner Terry was there at the time.

Uh motion to defer to the May 26 BOC with prior stops at PWI.

Maybe uh May 26th.

May 26th, yeah.

Um, there was uh no second requirement.

Oh, we need this is a deferred issue.

There we go.

All right, you're doing great.

All right, that motion to defer carries.

Thank you.

Middle of page 29, item 2025-1855, all commission districts, a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of DeCab County, Georgia, directing the law department to initiate the dissolution of obsolete boards, commissions, and authorities, and to consultate sustainable sustainability efforts.

Um, this was an ops.

Yes, uh motion to defer this item to the um March the 10th Board of Commission meeting with the slap in ops on 3326 second.

All right, we have a motion and a second.

Please open the machine.

All right, the motion deferred carries, bottom of page 29, item 2026-0104, um, commission district six, super district six and commission district four to allocate two hundred thousand dollars from CIP funding to Georgia State University for the reimagining the Stone Mountain Trail as a cultural corridor project for artistic crosswalks and path markings, and this is the substitute for this item.

This is in pecs, madam pecs chair, motion to approve as it was proved at a PECS, approve the substitute.

Yes, the substitute am I thank you.

Thank you.

Yes.

I'm sorry.

We need reopened so we can get a first and a second.

I'm sorry.

I thought it was on seconded that okay, thank you.

Approval.

My motion is to approve the substitute.

Motion to approve the substitute.

I know he's on it though.

Pinch hitting he's doing good.

We are now on to page 30.

Uh, district seven item, item 2026-0218, all commission districts to establish regulatory oversight of blasting operations in DeCab County through the adoption of a controlled blasting and safety ordinance to promote public safety, environmental protection, and community stability and for other purposes.

On behalf of the ERPS committee, I move to defer item 0218 to the March 24th BLC with a prior stop in ERPS.

Is her second?

Second.

Hit your button again, ma'am.

It didn't take.

Please open the machines.

Motion to defer carries.

Item 2025-1820.

All commission districts, local government agreement for the CAB Regional Land Bank Authority.

This is a PECS item.

Move for action.

Yes, ma'am.

Top of page 31.

Item 2026-0228.

All commission districts.

Purchase of two vehicles for the community development department.

Move for action.

Madam PO, I have a motion to approve agenda items ending in 1820 and agenda item ending in 0228 as they were approved out of committee.

Second.

If you hit your button, okay, come on.

You're moving too fast.

We need a second on that one.

She says it, but she still has to hit the button.

So if Commissioner Masaya, you'll hit.

Yes, so uh is there's a motion or defer on the screen, but this was a motion to approve.

Okay.

No worries.

I seconded.

That's correct.

It should be approved.

It's just approved, no substitute.

Yeah.

I ain't in there.

Oh, right.

All right, there we go.

Thank you.

All right.

Now we are in the middle of page 31.

That motion carries.

Item 2025-1577.

All commission districts resolution of the DeCap County Governing Authority regarding the Charter Review Commission's report and recommended changes to the organizational act.

Madam Ops Chair.

Okay.

No, I think I hit it.

I'm sorry, I had to move together.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

I'll make a motion that we defer this item to the uh 310 24 BLC meeting with the stop and ops on 3328.

Second.

We have a motion and a second to defer.

Please open the machines.

Thank you.

All right.

Now we are on top of page 32.

Excuse me.

Item 2026-0178.

All commission districts.

Acceptance of federal transit administration.

Hers is off.

I think it's picking up in mine.

Acceptance of Federal Transit Administration 5310 funds from the Atlanta Regional Commission and amount of 73,093 and 58 cents for transportation at a cost to the county of 18,273.40 cents.

Motion to approve as it was approved out of uh PECS.

Second.

Motion to approve carries.

Middle of page 32.

These are Fab Committee items.

Are you comfortable, Commissioner Long Spears?

But item okay, thank you.

Item 2026-0161.

All commission districts.

Change order number one to contract number 1365362.

Solicitor general lease agreement office and parking space two-year lease for use by the Office of the Solicitor General.

This contract consists of the leasing of office and parking spaces at the property 160 Claremont Avenue, Decatur, Georgia, 30030 to facilitate the Solicitor General's daily operations and other essential county activities.

This request also seeks to add additional leased office spaces awarded to Regis Management Group LLC amount not to exceed 348,000 dollars.

Motion to defer item 0161 for two weeks.

Can you second?

Second.

We have a motion and a second to defer.

Thank you.

Oh machines are open.

All right.

Motion to defer carries.

Top of page 33.

These are ops purchasing and contracting items.

Item 2025-1661.

All commission districts.

Change order number two to contract number 1365939 in Questa Annual Hosting Maintenance and Support for use by the Department of Watershed Management and Department of Innovation and Technology.

Consists of the annual hosting maintenance and support of the state of the art customer information system solution for the county's customer billing system integration.

This request seeks to increase contract funds awarded to systems and software inc amount not to exceed $7,550,000.

And this is an ops item.

Yeah, I'm I make a motion that this item be approved as it was approved in the ops committee.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

And we have a request to speak.

Commissioner Bolton.

Yes, ma'am.

And actually, we were deliberating on the previous item 0161, where it looks like on February 10th, we see both the recommendation for approval, even though I see that the deferral motion was made.

Um can someone from the committee speak to the recommendation for approval.

Hold on a second.

I think they're conferring on it.

I think they're confirming.

What is the question?

On the last item, the last that Fab item 0160, looking at the notes.

One note 0161.

I'm sorry, bottom of page 32.

Right.

Looking at the notes.

One note says recommended for approval to the board of commissioners.

Another one on the same date says defer with a stop in the fab and committee.

I don't remember what we did.

I deferred it.

Uh I just deferred it for two weeks.

But what did we do on 210?

Did we move it out of committee?

Do you know?

I had a note of deferral.

Um, but Jessica stating that there was an approval.

Yeah.

So I'm not quite certain as well.

Yeah.

Because there's two notes here for 210.

All right.

If pardon me for 217, all right.

All right, motion to reconsider item 0161.

Yeah.

Okay.

We'll we'll come back.

Okay, we'll vote on this one first and go back.

So we'll okay.

That was a motion to approve.

That was a motion to approve uh 251661 as approved in the um ops committee.

Top of 33.

You second that.

Oh yeah, 33 requests.

Oh, okay.

I think it probably hit it again.

Yeah, do it again.

All right, are we ready to vote on this one?

Yes.

Thank you.

All right.

So now let's revisit that motion to reconsider item 0161.