OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

DeKalb County Committee of the Whole Meeting - March 3, 2026

Board of Commissioners & Committees — Tuesday, March 3, 2026
BodyDekalb County, Georgia
SessionBoard of Commissioners & Committees
DateTuesday, March 3, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:03:31

Transcript — Verbatim
0:10

Good morning, everybody.

0:12

I am presiding officer commissioner Shaira Johnson, your district four commissioner.

0:17

Welcome to our March 3rd Committee of the Hole meeting.

0:21

Um, we do have a quorum.

0:23

Um, Commissioner Davis Johnson will be joining us late, and Commissioner Michelle Longspears will be joining us shortly.

0:30

Before we start our agenda, I wanted to issue a warm welcome to Bishop Joseph Messiah, Commissioner Masaya's father who's in the room with us.

0:41

Good morning, Bishop.

0:42

Thank you for being with us.

0:43

If you would stand so we can see you, thank you.

0:46

I'm not just shy, Daddy.

0:49

Welcome, sir.

0:50

Thank you for being here.

0:53

So now we'll move into the agenda with committee reports.

0:57

Commissioner Terry first.

0:59

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

1:01

The uh finance audit and budget committee chaired by myself and uh joined by Commissioner Michelle Longspears and Commissioner Presiding Officer Shekyr Johnson as committee members uh met on February 25th, last Wednesday.

1:13

We're also joined by Commissioner Nicole Messiah and Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson on the Zoom, and we basically spent the entire meeting talking about the budget, so I won't go through all that.

1:25

We all voted on that on Thursday.

1:27

Um we will have um another meeting next week, and ahead of that meeting, and at that meeting, we'll be talking about our strategic goals for the year for finance audit and budget.

1:40

So for committee members, let's bring our ideas and things we want to work on.

1:44

Um, one thing that I know was mentioned earlier in the year was the magistrate court, Judge Anderson is working on an eviction um like information center.

1:54

And so I think we wanted to continue that conversation with her about um you know uh eviction defense counsel along with that information center to help those who are in the eviction court, um, as well as continuing the conversation we started at the beginning of the year on uh the diversion center.

2:10

Uh I know Zach is working on that as well on some other fronts.

2:15

So we'll have an update hopefully for the committee, and then bring that back to the full board for further consideration.

2:20

Thank you.

2:22

Thank you, Commissioner Masaya.

2:24

Thank you so much, Madam PO.

2:25

Great morning to all.

2:27

Um, my name is Nicole Messiah, the honor of serving as your PECS chair, along with committee members, Commissioner Longspears from District 2, along with Commissioner Ted Terry from District 6.

2:38

Our last regularly scheduled meeting was held on February 26th.

2:42

Those were intendants were Commissioner Longspears, Commissioner Terry.

2:46

There were 14 items printed on the agenda.

2:50

We reviewed and discussed all 14 items, nine of which were recommended for approval.

2:57

Four of those particular items were recommended out of committee for deferral, and one item was withdrawn due to the um the Board of Commissioners on 310 2026.

3:10

The next PECS meeting will be held March 10th, three at 3 30.

3:15

And everyone, please note the time difference instead of our regularly scheduled 2 p.m.

3:21

PECS meeting PECS um going forward will be held at 3 30 this year.

3:27

With that, thank you so much, Madam PO, and I yield back to you.

3:31

Thank you, Commissioner Masaya.

3:32

Commissioner Bolton.

3:34

Thank you, and good morning.

3:36

I am Ladina Bolton, your Super District 7 Commissioner, as well as Deputy Presiding Officer for the Board of Commissioners.

3:44

I am the chair of the ERPS Committee, which is employee relations and public safety.

3:49

Also serving on that committee with me is our presiding officer, Shekyra Johnson, and Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson.

3:58

Our last meeting, which was Tuesday, February 17th.

4:02

Um, not only did we have our committee members there, but also Commissioner Terry joined us of Super District 6, and we had quite a few items and a couple of discussions at that last meeting.

4:14

Uh, one of the items that we discussed under public safety was item 2026 0320.

4:21

That item was approved, and this was an urban area security initiative or UASI grant and an amount of 382,606 dollars.

4:32

Again, that was approved by the board.

4:34

Item 20260322 was also approved.

4:39

Our public safety is doing amazing.

4:41

That was another grant, another UIC grant in the amount of 10,000 dollars.

4:46

Under public safety as well, but animal enforcement services.

4:51

We had a contract that consisted of providing animal shelter operations and services.

4:57

Of course, this was deferred.

5:00

This was a 22 million dollar contract request.

5:03

However, that item had not come out of audit.

5:06

So we'll be reviewing that even more today during ERPS.

5:10

Under fire rescue item 2026 0183.

5:16

We approved this item, which was a contract for the purchase of emergency medical supplies for fire rescue and emergency medical units and vehicles, of which we need plenty of our facilities management items, which consists of 2026 0272.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Education█████████████████████████████████33%
Transportation Safety████████████████████20%
Public Engagement█████████████13%
Public Safety███████████11%
Procedural███████7%
Community Engagement████4%
Public Works Maintenance██2%
Capital Improvement Planning██2%
Multifamily Housing Development██2%
Summary of Proceedings

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole Meeting - March 3, 2026

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners held a Committee of the Whole meeting on March 3, 2026, presided over by Commissioner Shaira Johnson. The meeting included committee reports, a review of the proposed March 10 executive agenda, a quarterly update from MARTA CEO Collin Hunt, and a presentation from the DeKalb County School District on the Student Assignment Project (SAP). Commissioners discussed budget priorities, transit projects, and potential school consolidations. The meeting lasted from approximately 9:15 AM to 12:00 PM.

Committee Reports

  • Finance, Audit & Budget (Chair Terry): Met February 25. Discussed budget, upcoming meeting on strategic goals, including magistrate court eviction information center and diversion center.
  • PECS (Chair Messiah): Met February 26. Reviewed 14 items; 9 recommended for approval, 4 deferred, 1 withdrawn. Next meeting March 10 at 3:30 PM (new time).
  • ERPS (Chair Bolton): Met February 17. Approved items: UASI grant of $382,606, UIC grant of $10,000, emergency medical supplies contract. Deferred items: animal shelter contract ($22 million), video surveillance contract, resolution on illegal dumping, blasting ordinance. Discussions on budget and pension (death benefit, Tier 3 increase, COLA for retirees).
  • Public Works & Infrastructure (Chair Patrick): Approved $50 million watershed management contract for consent decree work. Other items held or deferred.
  • Operations (Chair Davis Johnson, reported by Commissioner Patrick): Approved $7.5 million for customer billing system maintenance and court recording system support. 11 items held, 9 approved.

Review of Executive Agenda (March 10)

  • Appointments: Mr. Sheldon Fleming to Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs Board (PECS item).
  • Airport: GDOT funding for airfield crack seal at Peachtree Airport (preliminary to Ops), office space agreement, consent to sublease.
  • COO: $9,067,525 in SPLOST II funding for facilities improvements at DeKalb health facilities (roofing, HVAC). SPLOST II funding for Lew Walker Kitchen equipment. Both PECS items.
  • Police Services: $3,019,530 in SPLOST I and II for repairs to East Precinct and Police Training Academy (ERPS).
  • Public Safety: $500,000 in SPLOST I for public safety training facility evaluation (ERPS).
  • Purchasing and Contracting: Multiple items assigned to respective committees.
  • Watershed Management: Agreement with NEX Development Partners for sewer upgrades ($832,000 contribution, PWI); River Lake Information Management Services (PWI).
  • Walk-on: District 5 allocation of $25,000 from reserve to How Big Is Your Dream Inc. for Summer Youth Academy of Arts (consent).
  • District 2 allocations: $18,800 for Briar Lake Park improvements, $21,500 for master plan at 1634 Briarcliff Road, $20,000 for Stride Ahead equine therapy, $15,000 for Bellis Blessings pet support (all consent).
  • District 6 allocations: $15,000 to Nicole Sage for Shakespeare on the Green, $32,978 to City of Avondale Estates for same event (consent).
  • Minutes approval for February 26, 2026 Board meeting.

MARTA Quarterly Update (CEO Collin Hunt)

  • Ridership & Improvements: Heavy rail and mobility ridership above pre-pandemic levels; steady bus growth. Over $1 billion in improvements: new rail cars, Better Breeze fare gates, MARTA Rapid A-line, Next Gen Bus Network, MARTA Reach.
  • Capital Projects: Buford Highway ART: final design solicitation released, BUILD grant of $23.9 million submitted. Candler Road ART: solicitation released, construction mid-2028. South DeKalb Transit Hub paused at county request; $25 million federal funding secured (50-55% of cost). Stonecrest Transit Hub on hold. South DeKalb Transit Initiative narrowed to two alternatives; on hold for county master plan.
  • Next Gen Bus Network: Launches in 46 days (mid-April). 25 open houses in February. MARTA Reach launches in one week (12 zones, 5 in DeKalb); complementary rides through March 28.
  • Better Breeze: New fare gates at 23 stations; launch end of March/early April. Fare card balances can be transferred May 2-October 30.
  • Safety: Overall crime down 21% year-over-year. Robberies up 50% (2 vs 1). Reached 270 officers; recruiting 10 field protective specialists.
  • Legislation: HB 1137 (penny extension to 2067) passed House Transportation Committee unanimously; must pass House by crossover day.
  • Commissioner Questions/Positions: Commissioner Longspears expressed support for Buford Highway BRT and asked about HB 1137 implications and Next Gen Bus Network complaints. Commissioner Messiah raised equity concerns about project delays in South DeKalb and requested more input on pauses. Commissioner Terry supported Buford Highway BRT and stressed timely delivery. Commissioner Bolton asked about PRT feasibility. Commissioner Patrick submitted support letters for Buford Highway ART. Commissioners emphasized need for improved communication and coordination with county planning.

DeKalb County School District Student Assignment Project (SAP)

  • Presented by COO Eric Hofsetter, Executive Director Sarita Smith, and Dr. Tracilla Weaver.
  • Declining Enrollment: 20,000 open seats out of 110,000 across 127 buildings; trend continuing.
  • Phase 1 Results: Data-driven metrics identified potential capacity expansions (blue) and closures (red) on a map. 27 schools potentially affected; inequities noted between overcrowded north and underutilized south. No final decisions; cascading strategy (high schools to middle, middle to elementary) considered.
  • Key Statistics: About 20% of schools under 450 students; state funding penalizes small schools. Goal: consolidate resources, improve transportation, reinvest in facilities.
  • Community Engagement: Over 3,000 survey responses; phase 1 survey closes March 8. Workshops planned through May. Timeline: board vote late fall 2026, changes earliest fall 2027.
  • Commissioner Questions/Positions: Commissioner Messiah raised equity concerns and noted 9 of 27 potential closures in her district. Commissioner Longspears asked about Briarcliff site and cascading; was assured no bus depot plans. Commissioner Terry suggested aligning SAP with county housing and transit planning. Commissioner Patrick asked about specialty schools and trailers. Commissioner Davis Johnson questioned the lack of boundary updates and inequity in expansion locations. Commissioner Bolton highlighted the need for consistency and childbearing demographics. Commissioners urged ongoing collaboration with county planning.

Key Outcomes

  • The board concluded review of the proposed March 10 agenda with added walk-on items.
  • MARTA update was informational; commissioners expressed support and concerns, particularly regarding equity and schedule adherence.
  • School District SAP presentation was informational; no vote taken. Commissioners requested future updates and offered assistance.
  • Meeting adjourned at approximately 12:00 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, everybody. I am presiding officer commissioner Shaira Johnson, your district four commissioner. Welcome to our March 3rd Committee of the Hole meeting. Um, we do have a quorum. Um, Commissioner Davis Johnson will be joining us late, and Commissioner Michelle Longspears will be joining us shortly. Before we start our agenda, I wanted to issue a warm welcome to Bishop Joseph Messiah, Commissioner Masaya's father who's in the room with us. Good morning, Bishop. Thank you for being with us. If you would stand so we can see you, thank you. I'm not just shy, Daddy. Welcome, sir. Thank you for being here. So now we'll move into the agenda with committee reports. Commissioner Terry first. Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer. The uh finance audit and budget committee chaired by myself and uh joined by Commissioner Michelle Longspears and Commissioner Presiding Officer Shekyr Johnson as committee members uh met on February 25th, last Wednesday. We're also joined by Commissioner Nicole Messiah and Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson on the Zoom, and we basically spent the entire meeting talking about the budget, so I won't go through all that. We all voted on that on Thursday. Um we will have um another meeting next week, and ahead of that meeting, and at that meeting, we'll be talking about our strategic goals for the year for finance audit and budget. So for committee members, let's bring our ideas and things we want to work on. Um, one thing that I know was mentioned earlier in the year was the magistrate court, Judge Anderson is working on an eviction um like information center. And so I think we wanted to continue that conversation with her about um you know uh eviction defense counsel along with that information center to help those who are in the eviction court, um, as well as continuing the conversation we started at the beginning of the year on uh the diversion center. Uh I know Zach is working on that as well on some other fronts. So we'll have an update hopefully for the committee, and then bring that back to the full board for further consideration. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Masaya. Thank you so much, Madam PO. Great morning to all. Um, my name is Nicole Messiah, the honor of serving as your PECS chair, along with committee members, Commissioner Longspears from District 2, along with Commissioner Ted Terry from District 6. Our last regularly scheduled meeting was held on February 26th. Those were intendants were Commissioner Longspears, Commissioner Terry. There were 14 items printed on the agenda. We reviewed and discussed all 14 items, nine of which were recommended for approval. Four of those particular items were recommended out of committee for deferral, and one item was withdrawn due to the um the Board of Commissioners on 310 2026. The next PECS meeting will be held March 10th, three at 3 30. And everyone, please note the time difference instead of our regularly scheduled 2 p.m. PECS meeting PECS um going forward will be held at 3 30 this year. With that, thank you so much, Madam PO, and I yield back to you. Thank you, Commissioner Masaya. Commissioner Bolton. Thank you, and good morning. I am Ladina Bolton, your Super District 7 Commissioner, as well as Deputy Presiding Officer for the Board of Commissioners. I am the chair of the ERPS Committee, which is employee relations and public safety. Also serving on that committee with me is our presiding officer, Shekyra Johnson, and Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson. Our last meeting, which was Tuesday, February 17th. Um, not only did we have our committee members there, but also Commissioner Terry joined us of Super District 6, and we had quite a few items and a couple of discussions at that last meeting. Uh, one of the items that we discussed under public safety was item 2026 0320. That item was approved, and this was an urban area security initiative or UASI grant and an amount of 382,606 dollars. Again, that was approved by the board. Item 20260322 was also approved.

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